LOUISVILLE, Ky.-The Bellarmine University men and women's track and field teams have concluded the 2010 outdoor season--one in which they rewrote the record book with a total of 19 school records broken.
The Knights may have saved their best for last as sophomore Nathan Dotterweich (Monticello, Iowa, Monticello) posted the ninth best time nationally in the steeplechase at the University of Louisville Twilight Meet. His time of 9:01.48 was well below the previous school record of 9:18.2, but also gave him an automatic qualifying time to compete at the NCAA Division II Championships held in Charlotte, NC on May 27-29.
The outdoor season started with a trip to the Hanover Invite. The women took home first place as a team with the men placing fourth. Freshman Gretchen Lussi (Verona, KY, Walton Verona High School) made her debut by breaking freshman records in both the long jump and triple jump. Both teams also had great performances at the Boston-Moon Classic where Wes Fahrenbacher (Baskett, Ky, Henderson County) broke the freshman hammer throw record and at the Eastern Kentucky Invitational where Nicholas Hushebeck (Lakeside Park, KY, Covington Catholic High School) topped the freshman long jump record.
This season also marked the first time since 1963 that an outdoor track meet was held on campus at Bellarmine's Owsley B. Frazier Stadium. The 2010 Bellarmine Invitational was a great success for the Knights. Not even a two hour weather delay could slow the team down as they won 23 of the 38 events. Both of the hurdle records were taken down with Nora Bowe (Geneva, IL, Rosary High School) breaking the 110 meters and Camila Aramburu (Louisville, KY, Eastern H.S.) breaking the 400 meters. Freshman William Saucer broke the 100 meters record with a new time of 10.7 while Rachel Eyckmans (Villa Hills, KY, Dixie Heights High School) broke the women's freshman 100 meters record.
Two weeks later, the Knights traveled to Rolla, Missouri for the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship where they were highly successful. Cristin Samuels (Louisville, Ky, Eastern), who won the 5000 meters, led the women's team to a third place finish. The Knights also showed off a bright future for years to come. The women's 4x400 meter relay team of Betsy Goodin (Lexington, Ky, Tates Creek), Molly Culbertson (Mason, OH, Mason High School), Allison Echler (Cincinnati, OH , Oak Hills High School), and Kristin Hamrick, all freshmen, took third place and broke the school record. Sophomores Amanda Schoenfelder (New Albany, Ind., Providence) displayed her all around skills breaking the heptathlon record, while Julia Zalewski (Cincinnati, Ind., St. Ursula Academy) broke the hammer throw record. Later on in the day Zalewski placed second in the javelin.
Coach Jim Vargo was pleased with the showing of the women's team. "Regrettably, we lost several of our anticipated top women's point producers to injury, but still our ladies continue to come through for us.”
The men took fourth place in the meet behind a strong performance by Dotterweich. He placed first in the 1,500m and second in the 3000m steeplechase. Freshman Seth Sigler (Logan, OH, Logan High School) broke the 110 meter hurdle record with a time of 14.82. The previous record had stood since 1964. Sophomore Franklin Wathen (Owensboro, Ky, Owensboro Catholic) took home second place in the high jump with a jump of 1.95 meters while Bryan Gennett (Indianapolis, IN, Lawrence Central High School)'s vault of 4.46m was a new pole vault record. Saucer's time of 21.87 in the 200 meters was a new freshman record.
"It was, by far, our best ever finish for the men," Vargo said, "We earned 30 points more than any previous year and left more than 30 points at home with redshirts. We return literally all of those points for next season.”
While Vargo was pleased with this season's success, he has already set his sights on an even better 2010-2011 season. “It was very good spring for us, and one that gives us even more reason to be excited about the future."
