Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh to host Patriot League Championships for first time since 2007
5/2/2013 6:27:00 PM | Men's Track and Field, Track and Field, Women's Track and Field
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh men's and women's track and field teams will host the 2013 Patriot League Championships on Friday and Saturday at the Goodman Campus for the first time in six years. The competition will begin at 9 a.m. both days, with the men's 10,000 meter run kicking off Friday's slate and the decathlon and heptathlon beginning Saturday's action.
"We're definitely excited to be hosting and have our crowd behind us for the second weekend in a row," Lehigh head coach Matt Utesch said. "We have a lot of dedicated seniors who are thrilled to be having the meet here."
The men's team enjoyed a 119-84 win over rival Lafayette and set two school records this season. Junior Tyler Mueller's performance in the 5,000 meter run gave him the highest finish of any Mountain Hawk at last weekend's Penn Relays. He placed third in the event with a time of 14:22.25. Mueller also ran the 10,000 meters in a time of 29:54.25 at the Bison Outdoor Classic to set a new Lehigh record.
"When you see competition at a prestigious meet like that it really motivates you to do well," Utesch said.
Sophomore Adeolu Adesida participated in the high jump at the Penn Relays and Lehigh Games and set a school record by clearing a height of 2.12 meters Saturday at the Goodman Campus. He captured one of nine first place finishes for the Mountain Hawks at the Lehigh Games that included senior Devin Monroe's victories in the 100 and 200 meter dash. Both athletes earned honorable mention for the Patriot League Male Track Athlete of the Week award. Monroe and Otieno stand among the league's top five sprinters in the 100, 200 and 400 meter dashes.
"We've really been able to feed off each other and push each other as teammates throughout the year and it has made both of us better competitors," Otieno said.
The Mountain Hawks finished fourth for the second consecutive year at the 2012 Patriot League Championships in Worcester, Mass., after picking up 98 points. Bucknell took last year's men's title with 167 points.
Lehigh's women's team finished in third place for the second consecutive year by scoring 118 points at the 2012 Patriot League Championships at Holy Cross. Navy took first with 156.5 points.
"We know what each of us can bring to the team, and we just have to worry about doing well in our own events," senior Kristin Slotnick said.
Slotnick was one of four Mountain Hawks to earn First Team All-Patriot League Honors after she led the 4x100 meter relay team to a victory by 0.04 seconds at last year's league title meet. Senior Khaaleedah Smith, senior Melissa Knapp and AlexandraDoersam '12 were also members of Lehigh's squad. Junior Brooke Astor set a meet record by racking up 4,749 points and winning the heptathlon.The Brown and White have set two new school records this outdoor season, both of which came at the Winthrop Invite on March 29 in Rock Hill, S.C. Astor scored 4,858 points to win the heptathlon, while junior Jimil Ataman set a school record in the hammer throw with a mark of 55.75 meters. She earned the Patriot League Female Field Athlete of the Week award before breaking her own record with a throw of 57.33 meters in the Brown and White's only dual meet of the season against rival Lafayette.
Senior E'Lana Lemon comes into her final Patriot League Championship as Lehigh's most decorated athlete. She stands in third place in the league in the hammer throw after posting a distance of 56.27 meters at the Bison Outdoor Classic on April 13. She established new league records this spring with her 14th career Female Field Athlete of the Week award and sixth of the 2012-13 season following the meet at Bucknell.
Freshman Gabrielle Wardle comes into league competition following a second place finish in the javelin (41.30 meters) and third place finish in the long jump (3.84 meters) at the Lehigh Games on Saturday. Both distances helped her earn the Patriot League Rookie of the Week award Monday.
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