Spring break week provided the RPI track team with time to make the transition from the end of the indoor season to a new outdoor track and field season. The eventful week began on March 9 when the team competed in the ECAC Championships at Tufts University. The next day, many of the athletes traveled to San Diego for a week of training and vacationing with the team. Then, a few of the athletes and coaches traveled to Indiana where they met teammates who were also competing in the national meet. Those remaining in San Diego however, prepared for another meet on March 15 which opened their outdoor season.

Results from the ECAC meet for both the men’s and the women’s teams were consistent with the rest strong season’s performances. With many outstanding performances, the men achieved an overall team score of 55 points, earning second place in the meet. Derek McGough led the scoring by placing in all three of his events, which included first in the long jump with 23’ 0.5”, third in the 55 meter run with a time of 6.49 seconds, and fifth in the triple jump with 44’ 6.75”. Teammate Dwaine Alleyne also scored in multiple events, placing second in the 55m hurdles with a time of 7.72 seconds and winning the triple jump with a jump of 47’ 3.5”. Other athletes performing well in the field events were Jeff Banks, who won the pole vault with a height of 15’ 5”, Nate Doyle, placing sixth in shot put with a throw of 50’ 10”, Sharath Alampur placing ninth in triple jump with a score of 13.22 m, and both Mike Johnson, placing fifth, and Jack Miller, placing 15th, in weight throw with respective marks of 54’ 2.5” and 49’ 3”. Two other athletes on the men’s team also performed well in the 800 meter run. Adam Day placed 14th in the event with a time of 1:59.05 and Joe Otto placed 16th with a time of 2:00.32. On the women’s team, the scoring athletes included Alysia Evanitsky in the 500 m with a time of 1:20.16 and pole vaulters Allison Benson and Jess Pearson, placing second and third respectively with an equal jump of 11’ 1.75”. This earned the women 16 points, which tied for 18th.

Some of the same athletes also performed very well in the NCAA Division III Championships held at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana on March 14-15. Both representatives for the men’s team earned an All-American honor in their event. One went to McGough, who competed in the long jump and finished in seventh place with a distance of 22’ 4.5”. Alleyne, who finished second in the triple jump with 48’ 5.25”, was also honored. In addition, on the women’s team, Benson earned the same All-American title by placing eighth in the pole vault with a height of 10’ 11”. Her teammate Pearson achieved the same height in the pole vault and placed 10th on her first trip to the national meet.

The excitement from Nationals was also shared by the team in San Diego who were training for their own meet on March 15. Practices were held all week at the nearby Point Loma Nazarene University, which in combination with the warm weather, provided an ideal setting for training. Although there were days of double sessions, the team still had plenty of time to tour the San Diego Zoo, travel to the beach, and take various trips into the city. At the end of the week, the meet was held with athletes from Point Loma Nazarene, the Naval Academy, and Biola University. Despite the rain, the friendly competition was a welcomed entrance into the outdoor season and a nice conclusion to the vacation.

Overall, the 2003 indoor track and field season has been a tremendous success for both the athletes and the coaches. “With only six point scorers we took second at ECAC’s and won three of four jump events. Then Nationals saw two All-American performances from the only two athletes we sent. That is stronger than I have ever witnessed on this team…” commented team captain Jeff Banks on the success of the men’s team. After proudly reflecting on the numerous awards, vast improvements, new personal, and school records, the team can certainly move ahead with high hopes and expectations of the performances to come.