34 Greyhounds Honored by Landmark; Cheong, Morton, Walker & Coaching Staff Earn Major Awards
TOWSON, Md. --- The Moravian College men’s and women’s indoor track & field teams have had a total of 34 student-athletes honored by the Landmark Conference for their performances at the 2015 Landmark Championships last Saturday hosted by Susquehanna University as the Greyhounds continued their streaks of conference titles.
TOWSON, Md. --- The Moravian College men's and women's indoor track & field teams have had a total of 34 student-athletes honored by the Landmark Conference for their performances at the 2015 Landmark Championships last Saturday hosted by Susquehanna University as the Greyhounds continued their streaks of 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) and Michael El Kazzaz (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 sixth consecutive and seventh overall Landmark Indoor championship in the eight-year history of the conference. The women won by 129 points over Elizabethtown College while the men posted a 30-point victory over the host Crusaders.
"Jesse Baumann and his staff just keep getting it done in championship fashion," stated Director of Athletics Scot Dapp. "Their team members set high standards for themselves as individuals and as a team and the coaches do their best to guide them along the way and help them reach those lofty goals. Winning the Landmark Championships are the rewards they get for all the work they do along the way."
The men's squad, which had 19 student-athletes earn 24 All-Conference honors, had sophomore jumper Kahron Walker selected as the Field Athlete of the Year while freshman sprinter Eric Morton was named the Rookie of the Year.
Walker named to the Landmark All-Conference First Team for winning the high jump, and he also earned All-Conference Second Team honors for runner-up finishes in the long jump and triple jump.
"We always knew that Kahron was a good high jumper, and he proved it this year by winning the conference and jumping over 6'4" in each of his meets this year," commented Baumann. "At Kutztown, he nearly cleared 6'9" and if he can do that this weekend at ECACs, he'll have a good shot at going to the NCAAs. The surprise this year has been him in the horizontal jumps. We experimented with him a little bit in the long and triple last year, but then in literally his first triple jump attempt of the season, he went 44'7" to qualify for ECACs, and at Landmarks he jumped over 22 feet. He's a tremendous athlete who had a breakout season and we're certainly hoping he can make it to the NCAAs in a few weeks here."
Morton captured an All-Conference Second Team selection as part of Moravian's 4x200-meter relay team with senior Travis Dorsa and sophomores Jamil Poole and Jordan Sweeney. Morton also had a third place finish in the 60-meter dash and a fourth place in the 200-meter dash.
"I think even Eric would admit that he had an up and down season," stated Baumann. "He came out really strong in our first few meets and then we were working on a few things with his start and sprinting technique. It took a few weeks to adjust and the clock reflected this; however, at Kutztown and Landmarks he was able to put everything together culminating with a phenomenal last meet. He had a PR by about 0.1 seconds in the 60m, had over a half second PR in his indoor 200m time, and was a key leg for us in our 4x200 which finished second. Overall he had a great season and will be a key foundation for our sprint crew for years to come."
In addition to Walker, the Greyhounds swept the gold medals and All-Conference First Team honors in the field events with junior Ryan Karnopp winning the pole vault, sophomore Gavin Bailey capturing the long jump, senior Chris Ossont winning the triple jump, senior Parker Munson taking first in the shot put and sophomore Greg Cahill winning the 35-pound weight throw with a toss that beat his previous personal best by over four feet, seven inches.
Sophomore Cory Taggert earned a pair of All-Conference First Team accolades by winning the 800-meter run and combining with Dorsa, Tyler Dwyer and freshman Esco Blaylock to capture the 4x400-meter relay. Blaylock also made the All-Conference Second Team with freshmen Robert Cahill, Mike Kopach and Austin Stetler in the distance medley relay.
Sophomore Matt Barnett earned a spot on the Landmark All-Conference Second Team for a runner-up finish in the 60-meter dash while senior Dillon Farrell took second in the 3,000-meter run for All-Conference honors. Sophomore Matt Jones was on the All-Conference Second Team for a second place in the weight throw.
Freshman Melissa Cheong led the women's team, which had 15 student-athletes garner 26 All-Conference nods, as she earned Landmark Rookie of the Year honors. Cheong was an All-Conference First Team selection by winning the high jump, and she was on the All-Conference Second Team for runner-up finishes in the 60-meter hurdles and the long jump.
"Melissa is extremely talented and the marks she's posted so far in indoors are just the start of where she'll be the next few seasons as we're still doing a lot of work to improve her approach in the long jump and her hurdling technique," explained Baumann. "Despite this, she still managed to place second in the conference this year in the hurdles, won the high jump, and was second in the long jump. Earlier in the year, she jumped over 17'6" from a short approach, and to be honest, getting her to NCAAs is the goal in the next few years."
Senior Morgan Redmond earned First Team honors in the 60-meter hurdles, and she joined seniors Brielle Sutter and Brianna Wright and junior Corinne Glass to win the 4x200-meter relay. Redmond, Sutter and Glass teamed with freshman Casie Cronk captured first in the 4x400-meter relay.
Wright also earned All-Conference First Team with a win in the 60-meter dash while Sutter won the 200-meter dash for All-Conference accolades. Glass earned a pair of All-Conference Second Team honors after finishing as runner-up in the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes.
Senior Emily Lambright earned a pair of Landmark All-Conference First Team honors by winning both the 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter runs. Senior Dana Fineman made the First Team by winning the pole vault while junior Christelle Reglas captured the long jump title to make the All-Conference First Team.
Sophomore Kiara Bright earned a spot on the Landmark All-Conference Second Team with a runner-up finish in the long jump while freshman Beth Ann Davis was second in the pole vault. The Greyhounds' distance medley relay team of senior Alyssa Tallon and freshmen Kirsten Lebo, Kaitlyn McDonnell and Christine Hughes rounded out the All-Conference Second Team honorees.
To view the full Landmark Conference Indoor Track & Field awards, visit . 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.
