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April 1999
JONES NAMED NEW CROSS COUNTRY, TRACK
HEAD COACH
Joins Sea Gulls After Five Years at Muskingum (OH) College SALISBURY, MD Jim Jones has been named Salisbury State University's new head coach for cross country and track & field, as announced by Dr. Michael Vienna, director of Athletics. Jones will oversee the men's and women's teams in both sports. Jones comes to Salisbury after serving the past five years as the head coach for both cross country and track & field at NCAA Division III Muskingum College in New Concord, OH. Prior to that, Jones spent four years as an assistant cross country and track coach, with two year stints at Otterbein (OH) College as well as his alma mater, Mount Union (OH) College. "We're fortunate to be able to attract a person of Jim's abilities to Salisbury State University," said Vienna. "He certainly understands the Division III philosophy as both a student-athlete and a coach. He has established strong programs in both sports at Muskingum, and we feel that he will be able to help us compete at the national level." Under Jones' leadership at Muskingum, the Fighting Muskies produced 12 Ohio Athletic Conference champions, had 66 athletes earn all-conference honors, established 31 school records and had 17 qualifiers for the NCAA Division III National Championship Meet. In addition, four student-athletes received academic all-America honors, 12 earned all-conference academic honors, and six received Cross Country Coaches Association Academic all-America status. Jones, a native of Coshocton, Ohio, is a 1991 graduate of Mount Union, where he was a four-year member of both the cross country and track & field teams. Jones served as team captain of the cross country squad for three seasons. "This is a great opportunity for me and I'm excited about the challenge at Salisbury State," said Jones. "SSU has an outstanding academic reputation and has a lot to offer students, both academically and athletically. Our goal will be to continue to do well on the conference level while also moving to the next level nationally." Jones inherits two programs that have claimed a number of recent championships. The Salisbury State men's cross country team won the Capital Athletic Conference championship in 1997 while the women's squad claimed the CAC title in 1996. Both teams were conference runnersup in 1998. In track, the Sea Gull men have won two straight conference championships and five of the past six titles. The women have been conference runnerup in each of the past four seasons. Jones, 31, and his wife Amy have a baby daughter, Hope, and plan to relocate to Salisbury later this month.
LATHAM RESIGNS AS CROSS COUNTRY, TRACK
HEAD COACH
SALISBURY, MD Cliff Latham has resigned as head coach of Salisbury State's men's and women's cross country and track & field teams to accept a position as an assistant track coach at Texas A&M. Salisbury State has begun a search for Latham's replacement and hopes to name a new head coach for both cross country and track & field before the start of the fall season. Latham elevated the Sea Gulls to the ranks of conference champions and regional challengers during his four-year tenure. Both cross country teams claimed Capital Athletic Conference titles under his leadership, with the men winning the championship for the second consecutive year in 1998. In addition, the men's track team won the CAC title for the third time in four years in 1999. In recognition of his accomplishments, Latham received a number of coaching honors during his time at SSU. He was named the CAC's men's track coach of the year three times, including 1999. He also received CAC coach of the year honors at least once in men's and women's cross country and women's track & field. Latham joined the Sea Gulls in 1995 after spending two years as a graduate assistant coach at Indiana University. A native of St. Mary's, KS, Latham is returning to the collegiate conference where he competed as a student-athlete. The former Kansas State University runner lettered on both the cross country and track teams at KSU. "We are sorry to see Cliff leave because he has done such an outstanding job with both our cross country and track programs," said SSU's Director of Athletics, Dr. Michael Vienna. "We certainly appreciate all of his hard work and dedication to our student-athletes during the past four years, and we wish him nothing but continued success in all of his future endeavors."
SSU PLACES IN TOP 8 PERCENT OF NCAA DIVISION
III
Sea Gulls Finish 34th Among 387 NCAA Division III Schools Salisbury State had seven teams represented in NCAA Championship competition during the 1998-99 year. The field hockey and volleyball teams qualified in the fall. Spring teams represented included softball, men's and women's lacrosse, men's tennis and men's track & field. The men's lacrosse team capped SSU's banner year by claiming its third national championship in six years. "This is a deserving tribute to the talents and achievements of our student-athletes and coaching staff," said Dr. Michael Vienna, director of Athletics. "Coupled with winning the Capital Athletic Conference's all-sports trophy, this further validates the overall strength of our broad- based Athletics program. It's been an outstanding year for Sea Gull Athletics." Of the four years that the award has been presented, SSU has finished no lower than 50th among the nearly 400 schools that comprise the NCAA's Division III ranks. Williams (MA) College is the overall Division III winner in 1999, claiming its third Sears Directors' Cup in the last four years by posting 640 points, 80 points ahead of runner-up, Middlebury (VT) College. The College of New Jersey placed third, with Amherst (MA) College fourth and Rowan (NJ) University fifth. Each year, the Sears Directors' Cup program, presented in partnership by Sears and NACDA, awards Waterford Crystal trophies to the top Athletics programs in NCAA Division I, II, III and NAIA. Developed as a joint effort between USA Today and NACDA, the Sears Directors' Cup program is the only all-sports competition that recognizes the institution in each of the four categories with the best overall Athletics program. Of the 387 eligible colleges and universities in the NCAA Division III, a total of 229 (59 percent) scored points in the Sears Directors' Cup competition. Complete final rankings on all of the institutions are available on NACDA's home page at www.nacda.com.
SEA GULL SPORTS NOTEBOOK
News and Notes about SSU Athletics...
Lacrosse All-Stars
Volleyballers in Europe
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
Final Tennis Rankings
Going to Oxford
MEN'S LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME PREVIEW
#3 Salisbury State (17-1) vs. #5 Middlebury (15-1) Salisbury State returns to the NCAA Division III Tournament's national championship game for the fourth time in school history and the third time in the past six years. The Sea Gulls (17-1) had a first-round bye and advanced to the championship with a 15-10 quarterfinal win over Hampden-Sydney and a 14-7 semifinal victory over Denison. The Gulls, national champions in 1994 and 1995, are aiming for their third NCAA title.
Ticket Information
TV Schedule
Radio Information
SSU--Middlebury Series History
The Game Scores
Salisbury State in Championship Games
Championship Game Trivia
Postseason History
Gulls Need One Win For School Record
Heros Emerge in Semifinal Win
By the Numbers
Troup Looking to Crack the Top Five
The Players
Attack
Face Off Specialists
Defense
Goalie
Midfield #1
Midfield #2
Midfield #3
Long Poles
MEN'S LACROSSE RETURNS TO NATIONAL
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Salisbury State 14, Denison 7 Salisbury State darted to a 4-0 lead after one quarter, with four different scorers. The Sea Gulls had a 12-5 advantage in shots through the first 15 minutes. Salisbury tallied the only two goals of the second quarter, with Joe High capping the scoring with his second of the day at 8:40. SSU's Peter Troup opened the third quarter scoring at 13:30, extending the lead to 7-0 before T.J. Minogue broke the drought for Dension at 12:39. Jason Tarnow saved eight shots for Salisbury before allowing Minogue's marker. SSU's Josh Bergey and Denison's T.J. King traded goals over the next minute, making the score 8-2 with 10:42 left. Troup pushed the lead back to seven at 9-2 at 9:41, scoring his third of the game while the Sea Gulls were two-men down. Denison (13-3) pulled to within 10-5 on Frank Pennimpede's goal 11 seconds into the fourth quarter. But the Sea Gulls then scored four straight to clinch the game. Chris Martin capped the run with an unassisted goal after one of his 16 face off victories to put Salisbury up 14-5 with 3:45 remaining. Salisbury, which improved to 14-0 this season when scoring 10 goals or better, will face either Middlebury or RIT in next Sunday's national championship game in College Park, MD. Game time at Byrd Stadium is 1 p.m.
Denison (13-3)......0...0...4...3----7
Goals
Assists
Saves
Shots -- DEN 28; SSU 43
1999 WOMEN'S LACROSSE SEASON in REVIEW
Sea Gulls Enjoy Their Most Successful Season Ever The 1999 women's lacrosse team enjoyed the most success ful season in the program's history, marching through a record-setting campaign that culminated with SSU's first-ever trip to the NCAA Championship Tournament. The Gulls set a new team records for consecutive wins, six, and victories in a season, 12. Salisbury also set a new team scoring record for the third straight season, tallying 230 goals, and a new team record for assists, with 113. In 1997, the Sea Gulls earned the program's highest-ever national ranking, peaking at number two in the IWLCA/Brine poll. Building upon that success, SSU has remained in the national top 20 for each poll during the past two seasons. Salisbury finished eighth in the final national ranking of the 1999 season. SSU scored 20 goals or better four times during the 99 season, and eclipsed the 14-goal mark in 11 of its 16 contests. SSU's 14.4 goals per game scoring mark was tops in the Capital Athletic Conference in 1999, and ranked seventh highest in the nation. Defensively, the Gulls held 10 of 16 opponents to single-digits in scoring, allowing just 7.9 goals per game. That average was the stingiest in the conference in 1999 and ranked 10th best in the nation. Individually, several members of the 99 squad will also leave their marks in the SSU recordbook. Sophomore Jen Mezzadra shattered the single-season records for goals and points, finishing with 67 goals, 10 assists and 77 points. Those totals included six goals against Cortland in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Mezzadra tallied three goals or better in 11 games, and at least five goals on eight occasions. She also tied the SSU single-game record with 10 goals against Frostburg State on April 10. Junior Amanda Moculski set new single-game records for assists, eight, and points, 13, against Catholic on March 30. She led the Sea Gulls with 31 assists, including three in the NCAA Tournament win over Cortland. Moculski, who also had 32 goals, finished two assists shy of the SSU single-season record. Junior Jen Ice had eight multi-goal games during the season, including seven games with three or more. Goalie Jen Jovan led the conference in 1999 with the lowest goals against average (8.64). For the fourth straight season, the Sea Gulls placed at least six players on the postseason all-conference teams. Mezzadra, Ice, and Moculski were joined on the first team by midfielder Annie Sappington and defender Jackie Bangert. Jovan and senior Bonnie Wilson were named to the second team. Ice, Mezzadra, Sappington , Bangert and Moculski were all named to the all-South Atlantic Region team as well. Mezzadra earned third team national all-America honors, and Bangert was selected as a member of the South squad for the annual Division III North/South Senior All-Star Game.
SOFTBALL, WOMEN'S LACROSSE ALL-AMERICANS
NAMED
Harned, Hopper Honored in Softball; Mezzadra Recognized in Women's Lacrosse Three more postseason awards were bestowed on Salisbury State spring sports athletes as the national all-America teams were announced for softball and women's lacrosse. Senior 2B Megan Hopper (Millsboro, DE/Sussex Central HS) and sophomore OF April Harned (Denton, MD/North Caroline HS) received third-team recognition on the Louisville Slugger Softball all-America team, while sophomore attack Jen Mezzadra (Baltimore/Parkville HS) was selected to the Brine/IWLCA lacrosse third team. Hopper and Harned were two of the key performers on the SSU softball team that finished 33-14 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season. Hopper, who was also named the Capital Athletic Conference's player of the year, led the CAC with a .467 batting average, including seven triples and an SSU record 61 runs scored. Hopper is also a two-time, first team field hockey all-American. Harned earns all-America status following a season in which she hit .390 with six home runs and 45 RBI. She also had 15 doubles and 32 runs scored while playing in all 47 games in 1999. A total of 45 players were named to the first, second, and third teams. Hopper and Harned are the only all-America selections from the Capital Athletic Conference or from a school located in the state of Maryland. Mezzadra was the leading scorer for SSU's record-setting women's lacrosse team in 1999. The sophomore established new team marks for goals (67) and points (77) in one season, while also tying the SSU single-game record of 10 goals on April 10 against Frostburg. The Sea Gulls finished 12-4 overall, setting a new record for wins in a season, and earned their first-ever berth in the NCAA Championship Tournament.
MEN'S LACROSSE ADVANCES TO NATIONAL
SEMIFINALS
Salisbury State 15, Hampden-Sydney 10 Trailing 2-1 early in the game, Salisbury tallied six straight goals to open a 7-2 lead at 12:21 of the second quarter. High finished with four first half goals as SSU led 10-5 at halftime. Doug Palmer kept the Tigers close by scoring three of Hampden-Sydney's five first half goals. The Tigers scored on four of their six shots in the opening half. Third period goals by John Neely and Palmer pulled Hampden-Sydney to within four at 11-7 with 4:57 remaining in the quarter. Peter Troup extended Salisbury's lead back to five at the end of the quarter by scoring unassisted with 2:16 left. The Tigers, who finish the year at 11-4, would get no closer than four goals in the fourth quarter. Salisbury State will host Denison in next Saturday's national semifinals. Denison defeated Washington & Lee 17-7 yesterday.
Hampden-Sydney (11-4).....2 3 2 3 -- 10
Goals
Assists
Saves
Shots -- HSC 24; SSU 46
MEN'S LACROSSE HOSTS TIGERS IN NCAA
TOURNAMENT
#3 Salisbury State (15-1) vs. #9 Hampden-Sydney (11-3) Salisbury State returns to the NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Tournament for the 11th straight season and begins play at home on Sunday, May 16 in the national quarterfinal round. SSU, 15-1 and ranked third in the final coaches poll, will host Hampden-Sydney, a 17-9 winner over Lynchburg in the tournament's first round Wednesday. Salisbury State was one of four teams to receive a first-round bye.
Postseason History
Against the NCAA Field
SSU--HSC Series History
Last Time Out
By the Numbers
Ticket Information
SOFTBALL RETURNS TO NCAA
TOURNAMENT
Salisbury Seeded Fourth in Atlantic Regional in Glassboro, NJ SSU, 32-12 overall and champion of the Capital Athletic Conference for the third consecutive year, plays fifth-seeded Roanoke (34-7) in its first game, Friday at 10 a.m. The winner advances to play number one seed Rowan, host of the regional, Friday at 2 p.m. The loser of the Salisbury-Roanoke game will play either Montclair State or College of New Jersey in an elimination game Friday at 4 pm.
SSU's NCAA Tournament History
Hopper Headlines all-Conference Team
14-Game Win Streak Highlights Season
Carrion Returns to the Postseason
1999 Record Breakers
WOMEN'S LACROSSE CAPTURES FIRST NCAA
TOURNAMENT WIN
Salisbury State 14, SUNY Cortland 7 SALISBURY, MD --Jen Mezzadra added to her record-setting scoring season with a team-high six goals to lead Salisbury State to a 14-7 win over Cortland in the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament at home Wednesday. Salisbury advances to Sunday's national quarterfinal round, where it will play Middlebury (VT) College. Mezzadra, who set new SSU records for goals and points this season, tallied twice in the first half as the Sea Gulls built an 8-5 halftime lead. The first half featured three ties, the last at 4-4 with 14:27 left. Salisbury closed the half with a 4-1 run, including two goals by Jen Ice and a goal by Amanda Moculski as the half ended. Brooke Vande Walker's goal at 28:40 of the second half pulled Cortland to within 8-6 before Mezzadra began a string of four straight markers for the Sea Gulls. She scored her third of the game at 25:19 to push the lead back to three goals. She added three more over the next six minutes, capping the run at 19:11 with her sixth of the day and 67th goal of the season. SSU led 12-6 at that point. Ice added three goals and one assist for Salisbury. Moculski added two goals and a team-high three assists. SSU outshot Cortland 34-17 and controlled 13 of 22 draws in winning its first-ever NCAA Tournament game in its first appearance. Jeanna Angotti led Cortland, appearing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1986, with three goals, all in the first half, and one assist. Suzanne Gebhard added two scores.
Cortland (14-5)...5.....2.....7
Goals
Assists
Saves
Shots-- Cortland 17; Salisbury 34
SSU CLAIMS CAC ALL-SPORTS TROPHY
Salisbury State captured the school's first-ever Capital Athletic Conference All-Sports Trophy, signifying the outstanding "total" Athletics program in the CAC. Salisbury accumulated 204.7 points, 12 more than runnerup Mary Washington. The Sea Gulls had finished second to Mary Washington in each of the previous four years. The Sea Gulls claimed six of the conference's 18 team championships during the 1998-99 year, including four during the recently completed spring seasons. Salisbury State won titles in field hockey, volleyball, softball, men's track, men's lacrosse and men's tennis. "We're very proud of this accomplishment," said Dr. Michael Vienna, SSU's director of Athletics. "Every athlete and every team played an important role in achieving this award. This honor signifies quality throughout each of our programs."
Final All-Sports Trophy Standings and Point Totals
GULLS TO HOST CAC TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP
MEET
SALISBURY, MD -- Salisbury State will try to utilize the home advantage to its benefit as host of the Capital Athletic Conference Track & Field Championship Meet this Saturday, beginning at noon. The SSU men have won the conference title in four of the past five seasons, while the women have finished second behind Mary Washington in each of the past five seasons. SSU and Mary Washington are the two favorites in both divisions once again this year. "Winning the CAC title is very important to us," said Salisbury State Head Coach Cliff Latham. "We put a lot of effort into this meet, and regardless of what we do the rest of the year, winning this championship makes it a successful season for us." The Sea Gull squads enter Saturday's championship coming off their strongest showing of the year in last week's Gettysburg Invitational. The SSU men placed third among 20 teams, while the Sea Gull women were sixth among 20 competing squads. Latham highlights team depth as one of the biggest advantages for the Sea Gull men in this week's championship. The top eight finishers in each event score points toward the team total. Latham anticipates a strong showing in the sprint events and the field events. Senior Tony Hill and junior Myron Dent are among the favorites in the 100 meters. Freshman George Laroche, who won the 400 meters at Gettysburg last week, is expected to do well in both the 200 and 400 meters. Other top candidates for the men's squad include last year's team MVP, Karl Gilliam, in the high jump; senior Brad Niper in the shot put and discus; senior Todd Greenwood and freshman Chad Mullane in the javelin; and senior Terry Vail, Gilliam, and Greenwood in the pole vault. "Our team did very well last week at Gettysburg, and we hope to get some more personal bests in several events this week," said Latham. The SSU women will need strong showings in a number of events to dethrone Mary Washington as conference champs. Latham pinpoints several athletes who should contend for top honors in their events. Freshman Kerri Edwards is a strong contender in the high jump. Edwards has cleared 5'2" this season and has come close to the NCAA qualifying height of 5' 4 1/2" on several attempts. Senior Caroline Rolker offers SSU's best chance in three distance events, the 1,500 meters, the 3,000 meters and the 5,000 meters. Sophomore Stacie Wentz is coming off her best performance of the season in last week's 800 meter event at Gettysburg. Freshman Michelle Betz is among the favorites in both the shot put and discus. Freshman Kelly Knutson is SSU's best in the 100 meter hurdles, while junior Sherry Esposito is one of the runners to beat in the 400 meters and 400 hurdles. "Everyone wants to compete at their top level in the conference championship," said Latham. "We have some very dedicated athletes who are preparing to give their best performances this week."
SEA GULL SPORTS NOTEBOOK
News and Notes about SSU Athletics... The Capital Athletic Conference will determine its spring sports champions this week as championship week begins throughout the league. Salisbury State will host four sports championships. The men's and women's track and field championship, a one-day event, will be at SSU on Saturday. The five-team, single-elimination softball tournament will also be played at Salisbury State on Saturday. The men's and women's lacrosse teams host semifinal games on Friday. If victorious, both would host their respective lacrosse championship games on Sunday afternoon. The men's and women's tennis championship will be played Saturday and Sunday in Fredericksburg, VA. The semifinal and championship round of the baseball tournament will be played Saturday at St. Mary's College.
In the Rankings
Record Watch
Conference Leaders
Sea Gull Nibbles
SHERMAN WOOD NAMED HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
SALISBURY, MD -- Sherman Wood has been named the new head football coach at Salisbury State (MD) University. The announcement was made by SSU's Director of Athletics, Dr. Michael Vienna, in a morning press conference on campus. Wood, a 1984 graduate of the University and a four-year letterman on the Sea Gull football team, becomes the sixth head coach in the program's 27-year history. He returns to Salisbury State after spending the past six years as the head coach at Bowie State (MD) University. "We conducted a comprehensive, national search for this position and had a strong applicant pool," said Vienna. "Based on all the factors we considered, which were many, Sherman was the best fit for Salisbury State. Coming from an in-state program, he is already familiar with our recruiting area. He is an alum who played and coached here and helped lay the foundation for some of our most successful teams ever. He also has a proven track record as a head coach, having turned around the program at Bowie State and made them contenders for the CIAA championship. He brings a lot of positive things to SSU that will benefit our student-athletes and our University." Wood, 38, played defensive back for the Sea Gulls from 1980-1983, during the tenure of two different head coaches. Bill Yeagle served as the head coach during Wood's first two seasons, before Mike McGlinchey took over as head coach in 1982. Wood finished with seven career interceptions, including two returns for touchdown, and was a starter and team captain on the 1983 team that earned SSU's first-ever NCAA Tournament berth and advanced to the national semifinals. He still holds the SSU record for most career interception return yards with 131. Wood earned all-state defensive back honors by The (Baltimore) Sun and recognition as a Street & Smith all-American during his career. Wood began his collegiate coaching career as a volunteer assistant under McGlinchey in 1984 and became a graduate assistant coach for the Sea Gulls in 1985. He moved to Bowie State as a graduate assistant coach in 1986, coaching the defensive backs and special teams. He became a full-time assistant coach with the Bulldogs in 1988, assuming the duties of assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. He remained at Bowie State as an assistant coach until 1992, when he became the assistant head football coach at Virginia Union. One year later, in 1993, Wood returned to Bowie State as head coach. Wood inherited a Bowie State program that finished 1-10 in the season before he arrived. Wood compiled a 23-37-1 record in six seasons at the NCAA Division II school. The team's 6-3 record in 1998 was its best in 10 years. The Bulldogs finished 4-3 in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), including two losses by a combined three points. Bowie State was ranked 16th in the nation in total defense in 1998 (268.7 ypg), second in the nation in pass defense (106.9 ypg), and 10th in the nation in scoring defense (14.0 ppg). During Wood's tenure at Bowie State, he has coached six Coca-Cola/Sportsview Scholar-Athlete Award winners and a national Burger King Scholar-Athlete of the Week winner. He had three players earn all-CIAA honors in 1998, and one player who received all-South Atlantic Region honors. "I appreciate the opportunity provided to me by Bowie State University," said Wood. "I've spent 11 years at Bowie State and it's been a wonderful experience. I'm also excited about the new opportunity at Salisbury State University. It's my alma mater, and I want to continue the positive things that have occurred there. I'm looking forward to some exciting football. "Salisbury State and the surrounding community are places that I am familiar with. I had a feeling that one day I would be back. I knew that if I had the opportunity of returning, I would take advantage of it." A firm believer in giving back to the community, Wood is a speaker at numerous sports clinics and involves himself with a variety of local organizations. These groups include: the Special Olympics, the Jazz Foundation, Herring Run Head Start Program, Bladensburg Mentor Program and Youth Service International. Wood, originally from Norfolk, VA, is a member of the American Football Coaches Association and serves on its All-American and Rules committees. In addition to his bachelor's degree from Salisbury State, Wood earned his master's degree from Bowie State. He will have some teaching duties in SSU's Physical Education Department in addition to his duties with the football program. Wood and his wife Tonya have one daughter, Sherece, 13.
APRIL HARNED NAMED SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE
WEEK
SALISBURY, MD -- Sophomore April Harned (Denton, MD/North Caroline HS) of the Salisbury State University women's softball team has been named Capital Athletic Conference Player of the Week for the week of April 5-11. Harned hit .684 in six games during the week (13-19), with one home run, eight RBI and three runs scored. Harned, who splits time between the outfield and catcher, has played in all 28 games for the Sea Gulls, who are 20-8 overall and 2-0 in the CAC. She has a .458 batting average, while leading the Sea Gulls in hits (44), home runs (4) and RBI (30). She is also second on the team in doubles (9) and third in runs (22). Harned is also well represented among the conference leaders. She leads the CAC in home runs, ranks second in batting and RBIs, and is fifth in doubles. Salisbury State, ranked fifth in the Atlantic Region and 25th in the nation, hosts Rowan (NJ) University Thursday, April 15 in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.
TRACK HIGHLIGHTS FROM LYNCHBURG CLASSIC
The men's and women's track teams had several strong individual showings at the Lynchburg (VA) College Classic on Saturday. There was no team scoring, although the competitive field included several Division I and II entries in addition to a strong Division III pool. Senior Brad Niper led the Sea Gull men with a first place finish in the shot put and a second place finish in the discus. Niper established a new SSU record in the shot with a distance of 48'8". His second place distance in the discus was 142'1". Freshman Chad Mullane earned the team's other first place finish with a throw of 178'5" in the javelin. Sophomore Larry O'Hara was seventh in the 1,500 meters in 4:08.17, and senior Terry Vail was sixth in the decathlon with 5,898 points. Versatile senior Tony Hill was a top finisher in several events. Hill was third in the long jump (23'0"), fifth in the 200-meters (22.44 secs), and 10th in the 100-meters in 11.43 seconds. Myron Dent finished eighth in the 100 at 11.42 seconds. Leaders among the SSU women included freshman Kerri Edwards, second in the high jump (5'2 3/4"); and freshman Amy Jacobs, fourth in the pole vault at 7'6". Both Sea Gull squads compete in the Gettysburg (PA) Invitational this Saturday.
MEN'S TENNIS FACES BUSY WEEK
SALISBURY, MD -- It's a busy week for the Salisbury State men's tennis team, which plays three matches in four days beginning Tuesday at Christopher Newport. The Gulls play at St. Mary's on Wednesday before returning home to face York on Friday. With his team still in contention for a berth in the NCAA Tournament, Head Coach John Browning realizes the importance of this week's contests. "We can't overlook anybody at this point," said Browning. "We're still battling for one of the four postseason spots from the South Region, so these are all important matches." SSU is 3-4 overall following a 5-2 loss against Emory in Atlanta on Saturday. The Sea Gulls started strong in that match by winning two of the three doubles matches and capturing the one doubles point. Emory, ranked second in the South Region and seventh in the country, rebounded by winning five of the six singles matches. Sophomore Ethan Harris posted the only singles victory, winning the number five flight 6-1, 6-3. Steve Soliday and Ben Madarang teamed on one of the victorious doubles units, while David Finlayson and JD Zachary combined on the other duo. "Playing a strong team like Emory is good for us at this point," said Browning. "It gives us a chance to see where we're at relative to teams in the top ten. We had some momentum in the match after winning the doubles point, but we just didn't pull it off. "I'm encouraged that we are close. We're still a young squad. I think we're physically ready for the challenge that is in front of us, but close matches are mostly mental. That's where we must be prepared." Gull Notes -- Harris has the team's best singles record at 8-3...Madarang is 6-5 as the team's number one singles player...Madarang and Soliday are 3-4 as the number one doubles duo...The upcoming schedule features matches with two teams ranked ahead of the Sea Gulls in the South Region, Washington College and Averett...Wednesday's match at St. Mary's is SSU's first against a CAC opponent this season.
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