Scots Tracksters Hope to Regain MWC Crown 

Release Date: May 10, 2000

One year after Carroll ended Monmouth College’s streaks in Midwest Conference indoor and outdoor track titles, the Fighting Scots are looking to regain their lost crowns. The men’s and women’s indoor teams gained their revenge in March, and the outdoor squads are hoping to bring back the MWC gold, too, as they compete at the league meet, which will be held Friday and Saturday at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis.

Coming home with two conference championships is the main goal, but the Scots would also like to add to their collection of individuals and relays headed to the Division III National Track and Field Meet in Naperville, Ill., May 25-27. The Scots have posted automatic or provisional marks in 10 events – five men’s and five women’s – and they’re hoping enough adrenaline will be flowing at the conference meet to qualify a few more athletes.

"It’s definitely a meet that we point toward," said coach Roger Haynes, whose team is coming on strong, as evidenced by several outstanding performances at last weekend’s Bobby Woll Invite.

Although the Scots’ MWC indoor titles would seem to indicate an outdoor title is looming – the last time an indoor team champion didn’t capture the outdoor meet was 1994, and Monmouth won its indoor titles handily in March – Haynes noted that the outdoor meet awards points to eight places, not six, and the additional eight points per event rewards deep teams.

"It’s not a slam dunk at all," he said. "Carroll’s men’s team has improved drastically since the indoor meet, and with the expanded distance format, it also bodes well for Carroll’s women’s team. In an indoor meet, if you dominate some events like we did in the sprints, it leaves very few points to be had by the other teams. But there’s more points to be had at outdoor meets."

According to the latest top times and distances report released by the conference, Monmouth athletes are seeded first in a combined 15 individual events and all four relays. If the seeds hold true to form, it would greatly increase the number of titles won a year ago, when the women claimed four events – including Maggie Semington in the 400-meter hurdles – and Scott Stanton took the only men’s event by winning the 110-meter hurdles.

Stanton is listed as the favorite again in that event (14.45), as is Justin Bryant in the 100-meter dash (10.76) and the 200-meter dash (21.51), Aaron Calder in the 800-meter run (1:57.76), David Hodge in the triple jump (44’11-3/4), Cort Mills in the high jump (6’9-1/2) and Eric Holmes in the shot put (52’1).

On the women’s side, Constance Jackson leads the way in a staggering four events, as well as two relays. She owns the top marks in the long jump (17’9), the 100-meter dash (12.33), the 200-meter dash (24.51) and the 400-meter dash (58.13). Jill Hoops is also on both of those relays and has the lowest times in the 100-meter hurdles (15.38) and the 400-meter hurdles (1:04.26). Kara Kuhrts leads in the triple jump (35’9-1/2) and Melissa Jones is the top high jumper (5’4-1/4).

Although Haynes said it would be a longshot for a Scot not listed above to win an event, several athletes have impressed him by their rapid development over the season.

"We have some kids who have started at zero in some events, and they’ve progressed to the point that now I feel good about their chances," said Haynes. That list includes Jennifer Powell in the discus, Semington in the triple jump and 100-meter hurdles, Elise Estes in the javelin, Ben Bingle in the high jump and throwers Tobias Dickerson and Matt Copple. Veteran pole vaulter Aaron Walker and newcomer Cheris Beaty could also deliver key high point totals.

The trademark of Fighting Scots track this season has been the speed present on both teams, as well as the men’s domination of the field events. The ingredient missing is top-flight talent in the distance events, where Grinnell’s men and Carroll’s women could close the gap.

Will Monmouth’s talent in the speed and field events overcome a lack of distance-events success?

"I guess I don’t look at it that way," said Haynes. "We want to compete at 100 percent with the kids we have. I think we did pretty well last week, and I was pleased with a lot of the kids’ performance. Definitely our top-level kids have performed up to expecatations."

Should Monmouth return home with a pair of titles, it would be a nice combination for Haynes. He’s guided the men’s team to nine championships in 16 seasons, but this is his first MWC outdoor meet as women’s coach. In Haynes’ two previous trips to Lawrence for the league meet, the Scots’ men brought home a second place finish in 1984 and a championship in 1992. In the latter season, an MC team loaded with talent went on to place seventh at the Division III Meet, including a national individual title for hurdler Charles Burton.