INDIANAPOLIS- Eight track and field athletes will represent the University of Indianapolis at the 2009 NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships May 21-23 in San Angelo, Texas, according to an official release Tuesday. The Greyhound throwers represent seven of the eight, three men and four women.
The UIndy women, who are ranked 18th in D-II according to the latest dual meet rankings by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), will send five athletes to the national meet. Leading the way is fifth-year senior
Amy Schmitz (Normal, Ill./Central Catholic), who owns the second-best hammer throw mark this season heading into the meet (57.07m). She earned All-America accolades earlier this season in the weight throw at the D-II Indoor Championships.
The UIndy women will have one representative in each of the throws events.
Andrea Horban (Elkhart, Ind./Mishawaka) will vie for her second national title in the shotput, after winning the indoor title as a sophomore. She ranks fifth in the nation with her 14.44-meter mark.
Emily Schaf (Boggstown, Ind./Triton Central) is the lone non-thrower making the trek to Texas next week. Schaf is a multi-year All-American and owns a 1.72-meter qualifying mark, ninth-best heading into the championships.
Heather Rourk (Iola, Kan./Iola) has qualified in the javelin, despite only a handful of meets to her credit this season. She joined the squad following her basketball season at UIndy and promptly registered a 42.82-meter toss at the final meet before the league championships, winning the event and provisionally qualifying in the process.
Courtney Kuzmicz (Frankfort, Ind./Frankfort) is the discus event qualifier for UIndy, ranked 18th with a 44.32-meter effort.
On the men's side,
Seth Galloway (Center Grove, Ind./Center Grove) will look to earn All-America honors after a phenomenal campaign that saw him break and re-break the school record in the javelin (62.63m). Galloway, just a sophomore, already has two GLVC titles to his credit in that event.
Willie Little (Chicago, Ill./Lincoln Park) is ranked seventh (58.98m) in the hammer throw and returns to the national meet after qualifying in the Indoor season as well.
Craig Myers (Cedar Lake, Ind./Hanover Central) rounds out the group, also competing in the hammer with a mark just behind Little at 58.77 meters.
The meet will be the capper on a great track and field season for UIndy. The Hound women won both the indoor and outdoor league titles while the men finished runner-up at both meets.
NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Men's List
Seth Galloway, Javelin, 62.63-meters, ranked 6th
*Willie Little, Hammer,58.98-meters, ranked 7th
Craig Myers, Hammer, 58.77-meters, ranked 9th
Women's List
*Amy Schmitz, Hammer, 57.07-meters, ranked 2nd
*Andrea Horban, Shot Put, 14.44-meters, ranked 5th
*Emily Schaf, High Jump, 1.72-meters, ranked 9th
Heather Rourk, Javelin, 42.82-meters, ranked 13th
Courtney Kuzmicz, Discus, 44.32-meters, ranked 18th
*Also competed at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Championships
The complete list can be found at: www.flashresults.com/flashwest