Seacat Named Freshman of the Year at Conference USA Championship

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<B>CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIPS</B>

Wes Seacat was named Conference USA Freshman of the Year

Seacat Named Freshman of the Year at Conference USA Championship

May 15, 2004 | Men's Track and Field

May 15, 2004

Results

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Wes Seacat was named Conference USA Freshman of the Year and the University of Louisville men's track and field team recorded its best finish in conference history Saturday at the C-USA Outdoor Championship at Cardinal Park.

The Cardinals tallied 73 points to finish fifth overall, their best conference finish since a fourth place showing at the 1989 Metro Conference Championship and their best ever in C-USA. The point total was more than twice as many points as the 29 scored at last year's meet.

Cincinnati won the team competition with 159.50 points for its third C-USA title. UC coach Bill Schnier was tabbed as Coach of the Year and UC's David Payne and Memphis' Gaute Myklebust were named Co-Athletes of the Year.

Seacat, the first Cardinal to receive an individual award in C-USA history, had a pair of top-four showings during the three-day competition. He placed fourth in the 5000-meter run on Saturday with a personal-best time of 14:49.20, the fourth fastest time in school history. The New Albany, Ind., native also paced the Cardinals in Thursday's 10,000-meter run with a third-place time of 31:37.33, the seventh fastest time in school history.

Junior Michael Jesse also had strong showings in both the 5000 and 10,000. Jesse placed sixth in the 5K with a time of 14:56.70 and seventh in the 10K in 32:22.76.

Sophomore Jonathan Combs placed sixth in the 400-meter dash finals with a time of 48.21 seconds. In Friday's preliminary race, he ran the race in 47.62, the second fastest time in school history and the fastest since Audley Gordon set the record of 47.03 in 1986.

The Cardinals' 4x400-meter relay team of sophomore Steven Perkins, Combs, freshman Aaron McAndrew and freshman Ronnie Stringer broke the school record with a time of 3:13.31 to place fourth. Combs, McAndrew, Stringer and senior Ryan Bridgeman teamed up in the 4x100-meter relay to place eighth in 41.54.

Sophomore Arthur Turland recorded three top-four finishes in the throwing events to tally 19 points for the Cardinals. He finished runner-up in the discus with a mark of 161 feet, 10 inches, third in the hammer throw at 172-8 and fourth in the javelin at 191-0, the third best mark at UofL.

Senior thrower Joe Swiderski also came up big with a pair of top-five performances. He finished runner-up in the hammer (172-10) and placed fifth in the javelin (176-6).

Sophomore Brandon Cook placed fourth in the discus (155-8) and senior Josh Brannen was fourth in the hammer (150-1).

In the high jump, junior Matt Berrier cleared 6-6.75 to place fourth in the event, his best finish at the C-USA Championship.

Senior pole vaulter Eric Cockley cleared 15-5 to finish seventh to round out the Cardinal scorers.

Stringer advanced to the finals in the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.62 seconds, a personal-best effort and the sixth best ever by a Cardinal. He pulled up with an injury in Saturday's finals.

Turland and Cook will advance to the NCAA Mid-East Regionals at the end of the month at LSU in Baton Rouge, La. Turland has qualified in the hammer and discus, while Cook qualified in the discus.

Men's Final Team Standings

1.  Cincinnati  159.502.  Houston             1203.  TCU                 1174.  Memphis             78.55.  Louisville  736.  Southern Miss   607.  Marquette           578.  Charlotte           509.  USF                 4810. East Carolina   3311. DePaul              22

Conference USA Outdoor Championship


200m Preliminaries    8.  Ronnie Stringer 21.62
200m Finals    --  Ronnie Stringer FS
400m Preliminaries    6.  Jonathan Combs   47.62    14. Ryan Bridgeman   49.01    15. Steven Perkins   49.16    18. Josh Jager   49.34
400m Finals    6.  Jonathan Combs   48.21
800m Preliminaries    18. Dennis Wolff   2:03.77
1500m Preliminaries    13. Vernon Stephen   4:03.32    15. Chris Davis 4:05.40    19. Jamie Obermeyer 4:13.08
5000m    4.  Wes Seacat   14:49.20    6.  Michael Jesse 14:56.70    17. Brian Hurst 15:19.12    25. Tim Kaiser   15:43.72
10,000m    3.  Wes Seacat   31:37.33    7.  Michael Jesse 32:22.76    12. Tim Kaiser   33:34.65
3000m Steeplechase    14. Josh Gentry 9:57.56
Relays    8.  4x100m              41.54    4.  4x400m              3:13.31
High Jump    4.  Matt Berrier   2.00m/6-6.75
Pole Vault    7.  Eric Cockley   4.70m/15-5
Shot Put    12. Arthur Turland   14.23m/46-8.25    14. Troy Williams 12.94m/42-5.50
Discus    2.  Arthur Turland   49.33m/161-10    4.  Brandon Cook   47.45m/155-8    9.  Troy Williams 43.47m/142-7    14. Joe Swiderski 40.97m/134-5
Hammer    2.  Joe Swiderski 52.67m/172-10    3.  Arthur Turland   52.62m/172-8    4.  Josh Brannen   45.75m/150-1
Javelin    4.  Arthur Turland   58.22m/191-0    5.  Joe Swiderski 53.80m/176-6    11. Josh Brannen   45.44m/149-1