SU women's track and field team wins first-ever title at Mason-Dixon Championships
SALISBURY, Md. - The Salisbury University women's track and field team captured its first-ever conference title on Saturday as the Sea Gulls won the 2007 Mason-Dixon Outdoor Championships held here at SU. The Gulls edged out national power Christopher Newport University 172-163. Two weeks ago, the SU women's team lost by four points to University of Mary Washington in the Capital Athletic Conference title at home.

The SU men's track and field team came in second, 12 points behind, Christopher Newport University, 190-178.

SU won nine women's events highlighted by two new school records set by the Sea Gull relay teams. The 1600 meter relay team of Alicia Canzanese, Casey McInerny, Jenn Bulger and Victoria Lawson finished with a time of 4:02.07. A week ago, at the 113th Penn Relays the same team set a school record with a time of 4:02.39. The 400 meter relay team of Canzanese, Lawson, Rachel Knapstein and Ashleigh MacIntosh finished in second place with a new school record of 49.48.

Sophomore Kelly Sullivan set a new personal record in the 5000 meter run with a time of 18:36.86 as she finished first. Sullivan also won the 3000 meter steeplechase and set a new Mason-Dixon Championship record time of 10:57.32, which again meets the NCAA provisional qualifying mark. She ranks in the Top 15 nationally in the steeplechase event.

Lawson won the 400 meter dash with a time of 58.83, McInerny won the 800 and 1500 meter run with times of 2:27.34 and 4:45.36, respectively. In the field events, Bulger won the high jump as she cleared 5-1 and Knapstein won the pole vault with a height of 9-6.25. SU junior Allison Sheridan won the discus with a toss of 119-1.

SU coach Jim Jones was named the Mason-Dixon Women's Coach of the Year after the meet.

On the men's side, sophomore Bobby Price set a new school record in the high jump as he cleared 6-7.5. His leap met the NCAA provisional qualifying mark and ranks in the Top 15 nationally. SU won five men's events on the afternoon.

The 400 meter relay team of Justin Acker, Delannie Spriggs, Wayne Turner and Marcus Tines finished in second place behind CNU with a time of 41.91. That time ranks in the Top 25 nationally and is eight tenths of a second faster then the CAC championship time the team ran two weeks ago.

Spriggs won the 100 meter dash (11.04), Jesse Kolosdziejski won the 110 meter hurdles (16.08) and Colt Vander Vliet set a new personal record in the 400 meter hurdles (55.02). Junior Eric Graves won the 5000 meter run with a time of 15:45.61.

Salisbury is off a week before participating in the SWAT Last Chance Meet on Monday, May 14 in Swarthmore, Pa.

Mason-Dixon Postseason Awards

• Mason-Dixon Field Event Athlete of the Year
  Men's: Ryan Gordon (Christopher Newport)
  Women's: Kim Stengle (Catholic)
• Mason-Dixon Track Event Athlete of the Year
  Men's: Brian Leiter (Frostburg State)
  Women's: Jessica Clingan (Frostburg State)
• Mason Dixon Coach of the Year
  Men's: Tyler Wingard (Christopher Newport)
  Women's: Jim Jones (Salisbury)

2007 Mason-Dixon Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Salisbury, Md.

Team Standings

Women
1. Salisbury                 172
2. Christopher Newport   163
3. Penn State Behrend      96
4. Frostburg State            90
5. Catholic                       53
6. Keystone                     14
7. Methodist                    10

Men
1. Christopher Newport    190
2. Salisbury                  178
3. Frostburg State             81
4. Methodist                     73
5. Penn State Behrend       54
6. Catholic                        31
7. Keystone                      12