BATES WOMEN'S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD 1999-2000 SEASON WRAPUP

The Bates College Womens Track Team had a successful season highlighted by three school records, an NCAA Championship finalist and several honored with All-New England Honors. The teams depth and balance placed them among the top 30 teams in the National Power Rankings.The Bates coaching staff under Head Coach Carolyn Court is one of the strongest in the region. Assistant coaches include Tom Menendez (distance and pole vault) Danielle Vartabedian (jumps and sprints) and Joe Woodhead (throwing events). Coach Woodhead is being inducted this spring into the Lewiston Auburn Sports Hall of Fame recognizing his success in developing throwers over the years. As a team Bates placed 12th at the New England Division III Championship and qualified 12 members for the ECAC Championship.

Senior tri-captains Erika Bristol, Kate Burakowski, and Jennifer Winslow had outstanding seasons. Bristol won both the New England Division III and ECAC Championships in the 20# weight. Her season best of 52 7 1/4 bettered the previous Bates set record by over 4 feet. Bristol qualified for the NCAA National Championship where she finished 7th in the finals. Bristol also broke the Bates record in the shot put. Kate Burakowski and Jen Winslow also achieved lifetime bests during the season in the 1500m and 20# weight respectively. Both placed at the New England Division III Championship and earned All-New England Honors for their efforts.

The throwing events continue to be a strong area for the team. Adding depth behind Bristol and Winslow in the 20# weight in the post season championships included junior Cami Wood (4011), sophomore Jen Strahle (43 1/4), and first year Danielle Matteau (38 6 1/2). Mylissa McGann and Mariam Grant also contributed in the event. In the shot put Bristol was the top scorer for Bates with her school record throw of 36 2 3/4. She was joined at the New England III Championship by Mylissa McGann where Mylissa threw a season best of 33 1 1/2. Matteau, Strahle, and Jessica Caron added depth in the event throughout the season.

The jumping and hurdle events were again strong for Bates. Quality was particularly apparent in the triple jump where sophomore Anya Belanger had a season best of 341 1/2 and first year Aisha Bell had a mark of 34 5. Both qualified for the ECAC Championships and also for the New England III Championship in the long jump. Belanger was also the high scorer for Bates in the high jump. Margaret Herrick, Brooke Lawsing, and Emily McClain added additional depth in the jumps.The hurdles featured Bristol (9.44) and Jessica Caron (9.50) who both qualified for the New England Division III Championship. First years Malinda Gilbert and Ashley Murray represented the team in the pole vault later in the season.

The sprinting events had both depth and quality. First years Johey Farrar and Kristin Carlson had an immediate impact as they covered distances from the 55 to 400m. Farrar qualified for post season championships in all three events (7.76 for 55m, 27.12 for 200m and 62.38 for 400m. Kristin Carlson was a vital leg in the 4 x 200, 4 x 400 and Distance Medley Relays. Farrar and Carlson joined with Belanger and Caron to qualify for the ECAC Championship in the 4 x 200 relay (1:52.8). Other new comers in the sprints included Herrick, McClain, and Kristina Berlin.

In the middle distance events, senior captain Kate Burakowski qualified for the post season championships in all events from the 600 to 1500m. Burakowski had a season best of 2:23.55 in the 800m and 4:54.92 in the 1500m. Her 6th place finish in the New England III Championship earned her All-New England Honors. Elizabeth Wallace qualified for the ECAC championship in the 1000m with a time of 3:12.91. The distance medley relay was added to the championship schedule for the first time this season. Burakowski, Wallace, Carlson, and Rebecca Hakala established a new Bates record at the ECAC Championship with a time of 13:10.17. Hakala, Laura Griffith, and Julie Fitts performed well in the mid distances and contributed weekly to the distance medley and 4 x 800 relays.

The 3000m and 5000m were covered by first year runners Abby Anthony, Elizabeth Wallace, Erin Cahill, and Kim Thomas, most coming off successful cross country seasons. Anthony earned All-New England III Honors in the 5000m finishing 5th with a lifetime best of 18:24.30. Anthony also had a season best of 10:35.16 in the 3000m.