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Cavaliers to Compete in Penn Relays
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April 25, 2002
The Virginia Cavaliers will be competing at Penn Relays, one of the most competitive meets of the year. This meet has a 107 year old history, and has attracted over 100,000 athletes in the past ten years. Penn Relays is a place of competition for the prep school runners to olympians. The schedule of events starts today and runs through Sunday.
Virginia looks to feature prominently in many events, and leading the women’s team is Kiamesha Otey (Quinton, VA- New Kent) and Dawn Cleary (Woodbridge, VA- Woodbridge). In the past year, Kiamesha Otey accumulated many accolades, including 2002 Indoor All-American honors in the long jump, 2001 and 2002 ACC Outdoor Champion in the long jump, and several meet wins in the jump. She currently ranks third in the nation with an automatic qualifying jump of 6.54m (21’5.50″) that made her a winner at the ACC Championships. Otey scored at ACCs in many events, including the 100m, 200m, 4x100m and the 4x400m relay. Her personal bests include an 11.43 (100m), 24.07 (200m) and 6.54 (long jump).
Dawn Cleary stands as the school’s record holder in the steeplechase with a time of 10:03.13, which is a provisional qualifying mark. This run earned second place at ACCs and ranks third in the nation in the steeplechase. Last weekend at ACCs, Cleary shattered her old record of 10:25.39. She also placed fifth at ACCs in the 5000m (16:48.16), which missed provisionally qualifying by three seconds. Cleary and teammates Megan Schwartz (Morristown, NJ- Morristown), Sharon O’Connor (Lorton, VA- Mt. Vernon) and Erin O’Doherty (Drexel Hill, PA- Upper Darby) will be running the 4x1500m relay this weekend. Schwartz ranks 7th in the ACC for the 1500m (4:25.32) and 8th for the 800m (2:09.92). Leslie Schultz (Great Fall, VA- Langley) will be joining Schwartz, O’Doherty and O’Connor for the 4x800m relay.
Eliese Mitchell (Narvon, PA- Garden Spot) leads the throwing events for Virginia. Mitchell has provisionally qualified in both the discus (52.19m) and hammer (56.35m). She ranks 17th in the discus and 32nd in the hammer. Mitchell is the ACC Champion in the discus (52.19m), and was fourth in the hammer. She regularly qualifies for NCAAs, she has had provisional marks in the 2002 indoor (weight throw) and outdoor (discus, hammer) seasons. Mitchell holds the school record in the hammer and the weight throw (20.06m). Teammate Annie Bobiak exceeds in the javelin. A first year from Media, PA (North Penn) earned All-ACC honors with a third place finish in the javelin. She ranks fourth in the ACC with a distance of 42.54m
On the men’s side, John Welch (Upper St. Clair, PA- Upper St. Clair) leads the throws in the javelin. He ranks sixth in the nation with a distance of 72.18m, an automatic qualifying mark. This throw also won the ACC Championships, his second championship in three years. Welch is a 2001 All-American in the javelin, and has consistently performed at a national level. He has won the two meets that he has thrown in this season, and both marks were provisional and automatic qualifying.
Jarrett Hagwood (Martinsville, VA- Laurel) excels in the hurdles and jumps for the men’s team. He consistently places in the 110m HH, 400m IH and the long jump. At ACCs, Hagwood earned All-ACC honors in the 110HH with a third place finish (14.13). He also placed fourth in the long jump and fifth in the 400IH. Hagwood won the long jump at the Lou Onesty Invitational, and his personal bests include 14.13 (110HH), 52.50 (400IH), and 7.39m (LJ).
Matt Antunes (Landsdale, PA- North Penn) leads the men’s distance team. He ranks third in the ACC for the 800m (1:50.32). Antunes finished fourth at ACCs, one short of ACC honors and finished second at the Lou Onesty Invitational in the 800m.