Lehigh University
ASICS Winthrop Invite
Lehigh completes busy first weekend outdoors
3/27/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field, Track and Field, Women's Track and Field
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ROCK HILL, S.C./EASTON Pa. – The Lehigh track and field teams finished up a busy day of action on Saturday as several members competed at the Winthrop Invite in Rock Hill, S.C., while the rest of the student-athletes headed across town to compete at the Seven-way meet at Lafayette. Junior Evans Kosgei finished first in the 3000 meter steeplechase at Lafayette and freshman Kevin Steimle placed first in the javelin in South Carolina to highlight the top performers of the day for the Mountain Hawks.
“I think we had a good start to the outdoor season,” head coach Matt Utesch said. “Our student-athletes that won their events did so with some significant marks. I’m excited to see how we do next week with the dual meet on the horizon. With another week under our belts we should be able to throw farther and run faster.”
Steimle, who was competing in his second collegiate meet, beat out his senior teammate James Pachucki for first in the javelin. Steimle had a throw of 200’ 2.0” to take first in the event, while Pachucki was right behind him with a throw of 196’ 9.0”.
“Kevin was highly ranked in high school and we expected him to come right in and compete,” Utesch commented about the freshman’s success. “He’s been chomping at the bit to throw and I’m not surprised at today’s results.”
Senior Khalil Uqdah had a strong start to his outdoor season as he finished second in the pole vault at Winthrop with a vault of 16’ 4.75”. The only competitor Uqdah lost to was an unattached athlete that competes professionally.
“I don’t want people to think that what Khalil’s doing this season is common,” Utesch said. “He starts every meet where everyone else finishes. He competed today with a professional and held his own.”
Rounding out the Mountain Hawks performances at the Winthrop Invite was freshman Melissa Romero, who finished in fourth place in the javelin with a throw of 111’ 5.0”.
Kosgei had the Brown and White’s top performance in Easton as he ran the 3000 meter steeplechase for the first time in his career and came away with a first place finish. Kosgei finished the race in a time of 9:25.27 to edge out senior Ryan Stasiowski from Lafayette.
Another freshman that impressed on Saturday was Lauren Pietrosh, who placed second in the 1500 meters with a time of 4:50.84.
In the 400 meter hurdles, freshman Jessica Perone and senior Lauranne Kline placed second and third, respectively. Perone finished the race in a time of 1:07.07 and Kline crossed the finish line in a time of 1:07.25. Senior Kaitlin Grimm closed out the day for the women’s team with a second place finish in the 3000 meters (10:20.32).
On the men’s side Joseph Gianndrea finished fifth in the discus with a distance of 127’ 1.0”. With Uqdah in South Carolina, freshmen Jesse Hagedorn and sophomore Michael Lunemann had the opportunity to step up in the pole vault. The two Mountain Hawks tied for second place with vaults of 13” 3.5”. Sophomore Ifeanyi Edochie ran a strong 400 meters in a time of 50.56 to earn a third place finish.
“Both team went through a pretty heavy week of training and they came out and ran pretty well today,” assistant track and field coach Debbie Utesch said. “I know a lot of them were pretty tired, but they were able to muscle through it.”
The Mountain Hawks will continue training this upcoming week as they prepare to face their archrival Lafayette next Saturday in Easton.
