Lehigh University Athletics
Strong core for both genders returns in 2005-06
12/14/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field, Track and Field, Women's Track and Field
Vaclav Malek will look to duplicate his incredible junior season in 2005-06 for the Lehigh men on the track. He'll be joined as a captain with Brian Ahearn, Rob Hampson and Scott Duryea to form a solid crop of athletes that possess not only a great deal of leadership qualities, but also experience and talent.
On the women's side, the Mountain Hawks graduated a lot of people from last year, but bring back a good deal of talented athletes. Head Coach Matt Utesch explains, “Jen Schappert will play a huge role for us in the distance events, and K.T. Hessler, who won the Patriot League Championship in the high jump, will lead a group of athletes in a rebuilding stage in the multi-events.”
MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD PREVIEW:
After one of the most spectacular individual seasons in Lehigh history that included multiple All-Patriot League selections, NCAA Regional and National Championship appearances, Vaclav Malek returns for a senior season that is sure to be as exciting as any in recent memory. Malek will be joined as a captain with Brian Ahearn, Rob Hampson and Scott Duryea to form a solid crop of athletes that possess not only a great deal of leadership qualities, but also experience and talent.
Joining those four men will be rising sophomore Waleed Amer in the sprinting events, and Craig Percopo in the multis. The Mountain Hawks bring back a talented trio in the distance events as well (Hampson, Sean Swift and Victor Vientos), while Malek will be one of several talented jumpers, and Percopo will lead a solid group of throwers.
EVENT-BY-EVENT:
Multi-event: Malek already owns the school record in the heptathlon and the senior added a gold medal in the decathlon last season at the Patriot League Outdoor Championships. Malek uses his multi-event experience to excel in other events and should still be at the top of the Patriot League in this event. Percopo has gotten better and better each year in the multis, including last season, when he placed third in the decathlon at the Outdoor Championships and will team with Brian Voorhis, who qualified for the Indoor IC4A’s (heptathlon) as a freshman and scored at this past season’s Outdoor Championships in the decathlon to form a nice one-two punch behind Malek. “This is the deepest event group we have,” explains Utesch. “Between Vas, Craig and Brian, and some of the younger guys, we should have a very good season in the multis.” Sprints: Despite losing 2005 60-meter Patriot League Indoor gold medalist Lavar Pope to graduation, the Mountain Hawks will still have a more than formidable unit in the sprinting events. “There is certainly a void there without Lavar, with both his leadership and running ability, but I think we can have a nice group of sprinters. If Waleed (Amer) can return from injury and mesh with the upperclassmen, we’ll have a very nice group to work with,” explains Utesch. Amer is just a sophomore, but showed tremendous promise during his freshman campaign, and will team with junior David Falk and freshman Scott Robinson, who figures to make an immediate impact in the long sprints, to give the Brown and White its nucleus for these events.
Hurdles: Malek and Voorhis are the top-two returnees in this event, and will receive help in the intermediate hurdles from Horn and sophomore David Little. Robinson is expected to come in and contribute from the start as well, along with Andrew Querner. Malek posted top-five finishes in both of the league championships a season ago, while Voorhis had a top-five finish at the John Covert Classic.
Mid-Distance/Distance: In the mid-distance events, Patriot League Indoor All-League selection Brian Ahearn returns, as do seniors Duryea and Dave Merola. Brian’s brother Kevin, who scored in the 500-meters at the Indoor Championships also returns and along with Kyle Manning gives Lehigh an experienced group to work with. Utesch expects freshman Garrett Zambrows to also have a positive impact right from the start. Hampson and Swift, the Patriot League runner-up in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Outdoor Championships and IC4A qualifier, will lead the distance runners. Juniors Steve Rosinksi and Brendan Glover will team with Swift in the steeplechase to make it one of Lehigh’s strongest events, while junior Vientos and senior Tyler Spener will compete in the 5000-meters. Senior Sam Kirk will also be back for one final season after studying abroad two years ago, and his return gives the Brown and White yet another seasoned and talented distance runner.
Jumps: A Patriot League Outdoor Championship, as well as an NCAA Regional and National Championship appearance has set Malek up for an exciting finish to his tremendous career. Malek broke the school record in the high jump several times last season and is sure to challenge the mark continually throughout the ’05-06 season. Senior Cody Smart also returns to team with Malek in the high jump, while Percopo and senior Greg Bosch are the Mountain Hawks top-two pole vaulters. Percopo won the pole vault at the 2005 Lehigh-Lafayette Outdoor Dual and added a top-ten finish at the Outdoor Championships. Freshman Dominick Aversa will also compete in the pole vault.
Throws: The return of Nick Maiorino as a coach will only help the Mountain Hawk throwers, as Maiorino has a great deal of experience and knowledge to share with the Lehigh athletes. Percopo will lead the way in the javelin, while junior Matt Kostyl is coming off of a sophomore year in which he did very well in the discuss and hammer throws, a trend he’ll look to continue this season.
WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD PREVIEW:
“The track team is going to build around what cross country does. The core of our indoor season will play directly off of the season that cross country has,” explains head coach Matt Utesch. “We graduated a lot of people from last year, but we bring back a good deal of talented athletes, and so we are excited about the possibilities.” Utesch continues, “Jen Schappert will play a huge role for us in the distance events, and K.T. Hessler, who won the Patriot League Championship in the high jump, will lead a group of athletes in a rebuilding stage in the multi-events.”
With the return of Schappert and Hessler, the Mountain Hawks have a great starting point, but that duo will not be alone. Junior Nicole Montegary, and sophomores Emily Roth and Eleni Sarigianis all return, to form a strong core of what figures to be an exciting season on the Lehigh track.
EVENT-BY-EVENT:
Multi-Event: Hessler has been an All-Patriot League selection in each of the past two seasons, including last year when she won both the high jump and the heptathlon at the 2005 Patriot League Outdoor Championships. The senior captain also added two ECAC Championship appearances in 2005, one each in indoor and outdoor. A pair of freshmen in Lindsay Corbetta and Theresa Fromm will also be looked upon to help out in the multi-event. Sprints: With Montegary, Rachel Stweart and Laura Tom returning, the Mountain Hawks bring back a solid trio for the sprint events. Montegary has improved in each of her first two seasons, and Utesch is looking for even bigger things from her in 2005-06. Stewart also returns after showing signs of promise as a freshman, and newcomer Corbetta will be looked upon to contribute from the start.
Hurdles: Montegary has found her most success to come in the hurdle events, with an All-Patriot League selection and ECAC Championship appearance among her 2005 accolades. Freshmen Fromm and comes in with heavy expectations, and could be ready to make some noise right out of the blocks. The multi-event athletes also help out in the hurdles, so with Lehigh’s talent and depth at the multi, the hurdles could become a real strength for the Brown and White.
Mid-Distance/Distance: Captains Tracie Fails and Karen Welby provide a strong one-two punch in the mid-distance events, as both were on the school-record breaking distance medley relay team two seasons ago. Sarigiranis will team with that duo to provide a solid nucleus at the top, while several newcomers, including Claire Sharman, Kim Scotto, Sarah Serwo, Sharon Alejandro, along with sophomore Ashley DeAcetis have the potential to give the Mountain Hawks great depth at this area. In the distance events, Schappert may be on the verge of one of the best seasons in Lehigh history, as the junior set two school records, was an All-League selection, qualified for ECAC Championships and earned All-East status at the regionals last season. Fellow juniors Carolyn House and Sarah Seiler both had great sophomore years, and will team with Schappert to give the Mountain Hawks a tremendous trio of distance runners.
Jumps: In the high jump, Hessler won both the indoor and outdoor league championships and will look to duplicate that feat in her senior season. Lauren King will provide solid leadership to the younger jumpers, including Renee Philbrook, a promising young athlete. In the horizontal jumps (long and triple), Montegary returns to lead a young contingent of jumpers, that includes Fromm and Corbetta.
