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News Release

2006-07 Men's Outdoor Track and Field Outlook

3/7/2007

Senior co-captain Charles Devaud and the Retrievers kick-off the outdoor season on Mar. 17 as they host the Big Dawg Invitational.

With the indoor season complete, the 2006-07 UMBC men’s track and field team has begun looking forward to the outdoor season which kicks off on March 17 when the Retrievers host the Big Dawg Inviational at UMBC Stadium. 

The men have large holes to fill as they will be without two-time 100 and one-time 200-meter dash America East champion Adam Grossman, one-time 100m dash champion Andre Felton, the other half of the 2006 champion 4 x 100m relay, Keith Ransom and Deleon Gray, and hammer throw runner-up at last year’s conference championship Mike Zyvoloski.

“We’re going to have a tough time fielding all the events,” said head coach David Bobb.  The sprints, hurdles, multis, and vaults will probably be our stronger events.”

Bobb will lead a UMBC team that has plenty of veteran leadership with 12 seniors and plenty of new talent with 11 freshmen to the 2007 America East Championships hosted by UMBC.  “I think this year’s team is a good mix,” said Bobb.  “The seniors offer leadership to the freshmen.”

Do not make the mistake of calling UMBC a young team, however.  According to Bobb, having young athletes is not a detriment but rather a blessing.  “It’s good that our freshmen and sophomores are our main point scorers,” he said.  “That’s why they’re here.”

SPRINTS/HURDLES

Events: 100m dash, 200m dash, 400m dash, 110m hurdles, 400m hurdles, 4 x 100m relay, 4 x 200m relay, 4 x 400m relay, Sprint Medley relay, Shuttle Hurdles relay

Top Returner: Aaron James

Key Newcomers: Adrian Arthur, Jason Powell, Antonio Thomas, Adrian Williams, Marcus Dickerson, Camal Pugh, Keith Brown

Of those 11 freshmen, eight of them fall into the sprints/hurdles category.  The Retrievers are counting on the young talent of Adrian Arthur and Oludamilola Akinmeji in the short sprints and Jason Powell, Antonio Thomas, Adrian Williams, and Marcus Dickerson for the longer sprints.  Arthur held UMBC’s fastest times in the 55 and 200m dashes during the indoor season, finishing fourth at the conference championships in both events.  Thomas also scored during indoor, finishing fifth in the 200m dash. 

The hurdles will be led by junior Aaron James, with help from newcomers Camal Pugh and Keith Brown. 

“Aaron James has been a solid performer for us,” said Bobb.  “He’s someone that I can rely on.  When it comes time to perform he’s there.”

James, the current indoor 55m hurdles school record holder, returns as the top performer for UMBC finishing third in the 55 hurdles at this year’s indoor championship, with Pugh and Brown right behind in fourth and fifth, and eighth in the 110 hurdles at last year’s conference meet. The foursome of Arthur, Thomas, Pugh, and James set a new school record during the indoor season in the 4 x 100m relay, running the event for the first time in UMBC history.

The Retrievers will also be helped by senior Isaac Matthews, sophomores James Mildenberger, Brian Pendleton, Brandon Robertson, and Brian Rogers in the sprint events.

MIDDLE DISTANCE

Events: 800m run, 1500m run, 4 x 800m relay, Distance Medley relay

Top Returners: Anthony Kelhower, Izudin Mehmedovic

The Retrievers return two top performers in the middle distance category in sophomore Anthony Kelhower and senior co-captain Izudin Mehmedovic.  Kelhower did not compete during last year’s outdoor season due to injury, but showcased his talent in this year’s and last year’s indoor seasons, finishing third in the 3000m run and fourth in the one-mile run this year and second in the one-mile run last year.

“I think that [Anthony Kelhower] dedicates himself to the sport,” said Bobb.  “He and [assistant coach Scott] Catone have a good relationship and I think he can continue to progress.”

Mehmedovic’s name is etched into the UMBC record books, as he holds the 1000m run, one-mile run, and is part of the 4 x 800m and distance medley relays in indoor and holds the 800m run and 1500m run and is part of the 4 x 800m relay in outdoor.  Kelhower and returning senior Chris Baumler also hold a share of the indoor distance medley relay record, with Baumler also being part of both 4 x 800m relays and holding the indoor 800m record.

The trio will be assisted by returning seniors Alex Driscoll and Peter Ramdial, and sophomore Josh Okoniewski as well as sprinter/mid-distance runner Isaac Matthews.

DISTANCE

Events: 3000m steeplechase, 5000m run, 10000m run

Top Returners: J.J. Wetzel, Blake Davis, Shawn Shokry

Key Newcomers: Andrew Madison, Tyler Baumler

The success of the Retriever distance squad will be “contingent upon how the distance runners make the transition from Coach Davis to Coach Catone,” according to Bobb.

Head coach Scott Catone joined the Retriever ranks at the start of January, and takes over the mid-distance and distance responsibilities for the track season.

At the top of the Retriever lineup in the distance category are veteran seniors J.J. Wetzel, Blake Davis, and Shawn Shokry.  Along with Kelhower, the three were part of the 2005 cross country championship title team, as well as part of the top five UMBC finishers at the 2006 conference championships.

The trio will receive help in the distance events from junior Tyler Baumler, brother of Chris, as well as senior Mike Brady and sophomore Andrew Madison.

FIELD/MULTI-EVENTS

Events: High jump, long jump, triple jump, pole vault, shot put, discus throw, hammer throw, javelin throw, decathlon

Top Returners: Geoff Bennett, Charles Devaud, Nathan Dixon, Rob Ludwig, Brian Pendleton, Cliff Bridges

Key Newcomers: Dominic Devaud, Clifford Muse

The Retriever squad has holes in the throwing events, but Bobb may turn to multi-event senior co-captains Geoff Bennett and Charles Devaud, as well as freshman Dominic Devaud to compete in the javelin and discus events. 

The Retrievers need not worry about holes in the pole vault with seniors Rob Ludwig and co-captain Nathan Dixon as well as the Devaud brothers on the roster.  Dixon has a combined four conference titles in indoor and outdoor, while Ludwig placed second at this year’s indoor meet. 

“Those two feed off each other,” said Bobb.  “They know that event like the back of their hands.  With those two plus Charles and Dominic [Devaud] we’ll make up for points we’re losing in the field.”

The Devauds and Bennett will also look to score in the multi-event decathlon, with Charles Devaud returning as the defending champion in that event, and Dominic Devaud taking fourth in the heptathlon in this year’s indoor meet.

Leading the Retrievers in the jumps this year is returning sophomore Brian Pendleton.  Pendleton recorded the Retrievers top performances during this year’s indoor season but did not compete at the conference championships due to injury.

As long as he is healthy, the Retrievers will be in good shape with sophomores Brandon Robertson, Brian Rogers, James Mildenberger, and Cliff Bridges, as well as junior Brian Hairfield and freshman Clifford Muse to back him up in the long jump, triple jump, and high jump.