BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College men's and women's indoor track & field teams are slated to begin the 2019-20 season on Saturday, December 7 at the Lehigh University Fast Times Before Finals met in Rauch Fieldhouse with competition starting at 10:00 a.m.
Ninth-year Head Coach Jesse Baumann aims to have both of the Greyhounds' squads ready challenge for the 2020 Landmark Conference Indoor Championship on February 29 at Susquehanna University, and both Moravian teams were selected to repeat as conference champions in the preseason polls this winter. The women have won 11 of 12 Landmark Conference Indoor titles including the last two after a runner-up finish in 2017. The men have also won 11 of 12 possible Landmark indoor championships including 10 consecutive titles.
The women's squad has 30 returnees including five competitors that earned Landmark All-Conference honors a year ago. Leading that group is senior Carly Danoski, who looks to repeat as the conference champion in the mile and 800-meter run, an event she has won the last two seasons. Danoski also won the 4x400-meter relay a year ago with juniors Morgan Weaver and Camaryn Wheeler. The duo of Weaver and Wheeler were also part of Moravian's winning 4x200-meter relay squad this past February.
Junior Natalie Novotni returns to defend her title in the 3,000-meter run, and she was also on the All-Conference Second Team last year with a runner-up finish in the 5,000-meter run. Sophomore Natalie Stabilito was last year's Landmark Conference Indoor Rookie of the Year after a performance that included a runner-up finish in the 800-meter run for All-Conference Second Team accolades while Weaver earned All-Conference Second Team honors too in the 400-meter dash last season.
The men's team has 25 returning student-athletes including nine All-Conference performers. Senior Greg Jaindl looks to win his third straight title in the 5,000-meter run, and he was the runner-up in the 3,000-meter run last year for All-Conference Second Team Honors. Junior Shane Mastro is also looking for his third consecutive title in the shot put this season while sophomore Max Schuman is ready to defend his title in the pole vault.
Senior Ryan Harper was on the All-Conference Second Team last February with runner-up finishes in both the shot put and weight throw while senior Evan Lutz, junior Sean McFarland and sophomore Taylor Porter McPherson helped the Greyhounds to a runner-up in the 4x200-meter relay last winter. Lutz and Porter McPherson also made the All-Conference Second Team in the 4x400-meter relay with senior Justin Beasley-Turner and junior Peter Gingrich.
A season preview video including interviews with Baumann, Wheeler and McFarland is below.
