TOWSON, Md. --- The Moravian College men's and women's outdoor track & field teams have had a total of 29 student-athletes honored by the Landmark Conference for their performances at the 2015 Landmark Championships last Saturday and Sunday hosted by Susquehanna University as the Greyhounds captured conference titles.
Fourth-year Head Coach Jesse Baumann and his staff of assistant coaches - Jonathan D'Ottavio (throws), Rebecca Rhodes (jumps), Mike Lawyrk (pole vault), Steve Rahn (sprints/hurdles), Michael El Kazzaz (pole vault) and Gary Zack (pole vault) earned both the Men's and Women's Coaching Staff of the Year honors as they led the women's team to its eighth straight Landmark title and the men's squad to its seventh overall Landmark Outdoor championship in the eight-year history of the conference. The women won by 131 points over Susquehanna while the men posted a 26-point victory over the host Crusaders.
"Jesse Baumann will be the first to direct all praise to his track & field athletes for their performances in winning the Men's & Women's Landmark Conference Championships," stated Director of Athletics Scot Dapp. "He is correct that the athletes deserve a lot of credit, but Jesse and his staff do a fantastic job in preparing and guiding these student-athletes throughout the year and help them achieve their championship goals."
The men's squad, which had 17 student-athletes earn 25 All-Conference honors, had sophomore jumper Kahron Walker selected as the Field Athlete of the Year for the second time this year after winning the award indoors as well.
Walker named to the Landmark All-Conference First Team for winning the high jump and triple jump.
"Kahron was a little under the weather this weekend so we weren't entirely sure what to expect," commented Baumann. "However, Kahron has always been phenomenal at rising to the occasion and this weekend was no different. He was within a few inches of his PR in the long jump, had a solid triple jump, and matched his outdoor PR in the high jump to earn 26 points for the team. Late last year we started to experiment with him in some of the horizontal jumps not really knowing what to expect and it paid off for him and the team. Although the high jump is still his best event that we're trying to get him to the NCAAs in, I don't think it's out of the question that he could make a push in either of the horizontal jumps in the next two years, and will clearly be a huge contributor for our program."
Moravian won nine other gold medals on the men's side with junior Gavin Bailey and senior Parker Munson each winning two titles. Bailey won the 400-meter hurdles and the long jump, and he made the Second Team for a runner-up finish in the 100-meter dash while Munson captured the shot put and the discus. Junior Ryan Karnopp won the pole vault while sophomore Greg Cahill finished first in the hammer throw.
Senior Dillon Farrell won the 10,000 meters, and he made the Second Team with a runner-up in the 5,000 meters. Sophomore Matt Barnett was the champion in the 100-meter dash while sophomore Austin Gardener was victorious in the 200-meter dash.
Barnett and Gardener combined with freshman Eric Morton and senior Travis Dorsa for a runner-up finish in the 4x100-meter relay. Junior Tyler Dwyer, sophomore Cory Taggert and freshmen Esco Blaylock and Austin Stetler made the All-Conference Second Team in the 4x400-meter relay. Taggert was also the runner-up in the 800-meter run.
In the field events, senior Chris Ossont was second in the triple jump while senior Jeffrey Gallagher made the All-Conference Second Team in the hammer. Freshman Kyle Allison was the runner-up in the javelin to round out the men's award winners.
Junior Corinne Glass led the women's team, which had 12 student-athletes garner 22 All-Conference nods, as she earned Landmark Track Athlete of the Year honors. Glass was an All-Conference First Team selection by winning the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes with meet and school records, and she made the Second Team in the 100-meter dash. Glass teamed with seniors Morgan Redmond and Brielle Sutter and sophomore Lauren White to win the 4x100-meter relay in a meet record time.
"We've known Corinne has been capable of performances like this for three years now," explained Baumann. "She just had some setbacks, not the least of which being a hamstring pull last year that have kept her from achieving her potential. At the Greyhound Invitational two weeks ago, we started to see her improve, but this weekend was when she finally showed us what she can do. Again, it's not that we didn't know she was capable of it, but it was extremely gratifying to see her flying off the final turns in the 4x100, 200 trials, and 400. She set two lifetime PRs of a half second each in the 200 and 400, was a big reason the 4x100 was able to improve their NCAA time and break 48 seconds even without our top 100 leg. She broke a school record; numerous Landmark and Championship meet records, and just looked dominant this weekend. As coaches, we're ecstatic for her because there has been a lot of frustration through this process, but we couldn't be happier that it's finally coming together for her."
Redmond also earned First Team honors in the 100-meter hurdles and 400-meter hurdles while Sutter made the All-Conference Second Team in the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes. Senior Emily Lambright captured two titles in the 5,000 meter and 10,000 meter runs while senior Dana Fineman repeated as the pole vault champion. Senior Jenny Kratch made the All-Conference First Team by winning the discus, and she was on the Second Team with a runner-up in the hammer throw.
Sophomore Meg Brockett earned spots on the All-Conference Second Team in the 5,000 and 10,000 meter runs while junior Meghan Newman was the runner-up in the 100-meter hurdles. Freshman Beth Ann Davies finished second in the pole vault while sophomore Lauren Suelke was the runner-up in the long jump and sophomore Kiara Bright took second in the triple jump.
To view the full Landmark Conference Indoor Track & Field awards, visit http://www.landmarkconference.org/sports/track/2014-15/releases/20150504c956c1. Those student-athletes that won Landmark Conference titles earned All-Conference First Team honors while the runner-up in each event was named to the All-Conference Second Team.
