Women's Track & Field 5/6/2016 9:07:00 AM

Women's track vies for first Landmark track championship

Landmark Conference Track & Field Championship Central

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. - The Elizabethtown College women's track and field team is gunning for its first Landmark Conference track title since joining the conference. The 2015 and 2016 cross country champions, the Blue Jays have yet to build upon the XC success and translate it to track and field titles. Coming off a third-place finish at the indoor championships, E-town will look to change that come Saturday and Sunday at Juniata College.

Elizabethtown walks into the weekend with two top seeds. Lydia Dearie leads the 10,000-meter field while Brenna McNamee posted the fastest 3k steeple time. Dearie placed eighth in the 10k a year ago while McNamee is back to defend her steeple gold.

While the Blue Jays may lack top overall seeding, the depth is where E-town will thrive. Between the track and the field events, the women's team has a chance to place at least three athletes in seven different events, with those athletes ranking tenth or better in the conference.

Casey Quinto and Kelsey Brady are two and three in the 800m and 1500m runs. Alexis Groce and Samantha Gehly can join the former on the podium in the 800 while Liz Wedekind and Brianna Earnshaw have the same opportunity to do so in the 1500.

The Jays can really do some damage in the 5,000m and 10,000m. E-town holds six of the top ten 5k times and four of the top five 10k times. Wedekind, Earnshaw, and Colleen Kernan can all push for medals in the 5k with McNamee already having the second-best time going in. Kernan, Wedekind, and Amy Gessler are primed to finish high in the 10k. Dearie, Kernan, and Wedekind have to fastest three times in the event. Gessler is currently fifth.

After only two that scored points in the steeple last season, Elizabethtown could put as many as four on this year. McNamee is the Landmark leader and defending champion, Maria Anderson has improved her time from last year and ranks third. Gabrielle Yankelevich was one spot about from scoring last year and has also lowered her steeple time, coming into the championships with the fifth-fastest time. Alyssa Taylor is sixth.

Danielle Zahn can grab some much-needed points in the pole vault. The freshman joined the top ten list earlier this season and has worked her way up the all-time list, as well as the conference's performance list. Zahn has the third-highest vault among her league competitors.

Kamara Litchauer has the potential to snare some points in the long jump and triple jump. She is currently sixth in long and ninth in triple. Haley Prengaman sits tenth in the triple.

Between Leah Gamber, Alexa Feduchak, Abby Drumheller, Amanda Porter, and Payton Wagmeister, the Blue Jays' throwers can stock up on points in all four throws. Right now, Gamber would be on the podium in the shot put with the eighth-best throw. Porter and Feduchak are tied for tenth with the likelihood of moving up.

Drumheller is tenth in discus, but with a personal best this weekend, can also reach the podium for E-town. Porter and Feduchak are two-three in the hammer as each set new PRs this outdoor season, with Porter setting a new school record. Wagmeister (third), Porter (fifth), and Gamber (seventh) are in position to score in the javelin. Wagmeister can also add points to the total in high jump, where she is seventh.

Moravian is set to defend its title having been the unanimous preseason favorite. Susquehanna was picked second and E-town third. The Jays were third of seven teams in 2015 with ten medals and 146 points.

The 2016 Landmark Conference Outdoor Championships are set to begin tomorrow at Juniata College. The 10,000-meter run is the first track event of the meet, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Women's discus and long jump trials begin at the same time to kick off the field events.

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Players Mentioned

Maria Anderson: Distance; 5' 3"; Sophomore

Kelsey Brady: Mid-Distance; 5' 3"; Sophomore

Lydia Dearie: Distance; 5' 4"; Senior

Brianna Earnshaw: Mid-Distance; 5' 10"; Junior

Alexa Feduchak: Throws; 5' 6"; Sophomore

Samantha Gehly: Distance; 5' 5"; Junior

Amy Gessler: Distance; 5' 1"; Junior

Alexis Groce: Mid-Distance; 5' 6"; Junior

Kamara Litchauer: Jumps; 5' 9"; Sophomore

Brenna McNamee: Distance; 5' 4"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Maria Anderson
: 5' 3"; Sophomore
: Distance

Kelsey Brady
: 5' 3"; Sophomore
: Mid-Distance

Lydia Dearie
: 5' 4"; Senior
: Distance

Brianna Earnshaw
: 5' 10"; Junior
: Mid-Distance

Alexa Feduchak
: 5' 6"; Sophomore
: Throws

Samantha Gehly
: 5' 5"; Junior
: Distance

Amy Gessler
: 5' 1"; Junior
: Distance

Alexis Groce
: 5' 6"; Junior
: Mid-Distance

Kamara Litchauer
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: Jumps

Brenna McNamee
: 5' 4"; Sophomore
: Distance