BATES WOMEN'S INDOOR TRACK 2002 PREVIEW

The Bates College womens track team enters the 2002 indoor season with a much improved group of returning letter winners and a talented first year squad.

The captains of the 45 member team are seniors Anya Belanger, Jessica Caron, Jen Strahle and Rebecca Hakala. The coaching staff under head coach Carolyn Court includes Joe Woodhead (throwing events), Tom Menendez (distance and pole vault) and Danielle Vartabedian (jumps).

The sprinting events from 55m to 400m will have good depth and high expectations of the first year class. Veterans Catherine Crosby, Kristen Truncellito and Tiffany Carter will be joined by first years Christina Rivard, Leslie Milk and Laura David.

The hurdles feature seniors Jess Caron and Kathryn Ramer and first-year Leslie Milk. Milk and Meg Helms will also be strong competitors in the pentathlon.These sprinters and hurdlers will join with the jumpers to form a very competitive 4 x 200 relay and try to challenge the Bates 4 x 400 relay record.

Veterans Kelley Puglisi, Catherine Crosby, Rebecca Hakala, Lauren Atkinson, Caitlin Homberger, and Elizabeth Wallace will compete in events from 600 to 1500m. The 2001 State Champion for 400m, Crosby is expected to again have a big impact on events from 400m to 800m. First years Rachel Starr, Laura David, Catie Carol, Julie Behenna, Lindsey Kettinger, Carrie Garber, Kerry McLaughlin, Jess Otis and Ashley Dunham will add tremendous depth in these individual events and relays. Crosby, Starr, and David will have their eye on the Bates 600m record along with the 4 x 400 relay record. Puglisi, the 2001 ECAC Champion for 1000m has a personal record of 3:03.41 and will be setting her sights on the Bates 1000m record.

The long distance events from 1500m-5000m will be covered by veterans Julie Dutton, Beth Pagnotta, Lauren Shoff, Kelley Puglisi, Elizabeth Jackson, and first years Catherine Creswell and Penny Christo, all of whom are coming off successful cross country seasons. Dutton, Puglisi and Pagnotta were the top three runners in cross country this fall and established p.r.'s of 18:34, 19:04 and 19:16 on a 5K course. These distance runners, along with the middle distance runners, will be key competitors in the 4 x 800 and distance medley relays. The Bates distance medley record is also expected to fall several times this season.

The 20# weight and the shot put continue to be strong events for the team. Jen Strahle and Ann Pickard are veteran championship performers in the 20# weight and are setting their goals on NCAA national qualifying marks. They are joined by senior Tonya Taylor, sophomore Meg Helms, and first years Tiffany Tropino, Rahel Wondwossen, and Karissa Carey. School-record holder Elizabeth Wanlesss (40 11 1/2) will be the top scorer for Bates in the shot put. Her goal is an NCAA qualifying mark and trip to the NCAA Championships at Ohio Northern University in March. She is joined in the shot put by Tropino, Strahle, Jess Caron, and Laurie Jacobs.

The jumping events are the strongest in recent years. Anya Belanger, the outdoor record holder in the high jump, should continue to be a high scorer for Bates in that event. Sophomore Sarah Tressel, who earned All-New England Honors her first year, and first year Kristen Dambrie will add tremendous depth to the event. Belanger will also be a solid performer in both the long jump and triple jumps. Dambrie will add depth to the triple jump and Leslie Milk, Kristen Truncellito, Lauren Atkinson, and Emily McClain will add depth to the long jump. The pole vault will feature Aimee Grimmelmann, Sarah King, Courtney Sullivan, Renee Blacken, and Tiffany Carter.