Bloomsburg Track Competes at Susquehanna; Schwing Qualifies for Nationals

SUSQUEHANNA- In her first ever 10K race, Bloomsburg University's Beth Schwing (Hershey/Lower Dauphin) took first place at the Jim Taylor Invitational and earned a trip to the NCAA National Championships. Schwing's race capped a successful meet for the Huskies' track and field team.

Schwing bested 10 competitors in the 10,000 meter event, running the race in 37:20.45, also a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) qualifying time.

Connie Rainieri (Gilbertville/Saint Pius X) also had an excellent meet for Bloomsburg, taking first place in two events. In the long jump, she topped 12 competitors, taking first with a jump of 16' -10.5". Later in the day, she qualified for the PSAC Championships by winning the 400 meters in a time of 59.81.

The Huskies took four of the top ten spots in the women's 5,000 meter event. Ashley Shuck (Milton/Milton) took third place in a PSAC qualifying time of 18:46.04 while Sarah Bounds (Shippensburg/Shippensburg) also qualified for the PSAC Championships taking fourth place in 18:49.83. Rounding out the top ten were freshman Andrea Kellock (Lansdale/North Penn), who took 9th in 19:22.05 in just her second 5K race, and Michelle Jansen (Warrington/Central Bucks South) who ran a personal record of 19:25.58.

Normally a distance runner, Bloomsburg's Amber Hackenberg (Middleburg/Middleburg) finished in the top five in two middle-distance events held just an hour and a half apart. In the 800 meters, Hackenberg finished in 2:26.58, good for fifth place. In the 1,500 meters she took third place out of 20 competitors finishing in 4:57.93, a conference-qualifying time.

Ann Marie Sabo (Richboro/Council Rock South) also had a great meet, competing in two events for Bloomsburg. In the 800 she finished in 3:03.12 while in the 1,500 meters she had a personal record of 6:00.18, nearly 27 seconds faster than her previous best.

For the men, in the 10K, the Huskies' saw two strong finishes from Ben Holmes (Waynesboro /Waynesboro) and Tim Marcoe (Lansdale/Lansdale Catholic). Holmes took fifth out of 15 competitors, finishing in a PSAC qualifying time of 32:58.20 while Marcoe took 6th place in 33:06.11 missing a conference qualifying time by under three seconds.

Jimmy Stockley (Elverson/Twin Valley), Matt Krum (Hatfield/North Penn) and Mike Dalton (Lake Hopatcong, NJ/Pope John XXIII) also qualified for the PSAC Championships. Stockley took second place out of 11 runners in the steeplechase, finishing in 9:54.24 while Krum finished 4th out of 22 men in the 800 meters, running the race in 1:57.48. In addition, Dalton finished fifth in the 5,000 meter event in a time of 15:27.12 in his first race at that distance.

Wrapping up the day's action, in the 1,500 meters, freshman Dan Downing (Ambler/Wissahickon) ran a lifetime personal record of 4:16.47.

Bloomsburg will next compete at the East Conference Meet at Millersville University on April 7th beginning at 10:00 a.m.