Tabor Track teams to make a run at KCAC elite status

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The Tabor College women?s track team has a strong group of returning all-conference runners and throwers. The Bluejays? core group is: back row (from left), Jera Teselle, Heidi Schmidt, Estey Wichert, Breanna Wray, Dana Champlin; front row, Andrea Batista, Jennifer Schmidt, Shelby Miller, Erin Vance.

The Tabor College track and field program shows plenty of promise, for both the women?s and men?s teams in 2008.

Women?s outlook

This year?s edition of the women?s track and field teams promises to be one of the best ever at Tabor College.

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The Tabor College men?s track team has 12 returners who placed in the top six at the 2007 conference meet: back row (from left), Matt Dean, Caleb Schroeder, Jeff Harms, Brent Nelsen, Tony Loewen, Zac Rembolt; front row, Dan Sigley, Ric Johnson, Adam McPeck, Tim Funk, Nathaniel Porter, Silas Hibbs.

Seniors Heidi Schmidt, Amber Wiens, Dana Champlin, Sarah Fogle and Shelby Miller lead a talented group toward the goal of winning a Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference title.

Bouyed by a talented group of underclassmen and newcomers, the Tabor women are looking forward to a memorable season.

?All of our relay teams have the potential to qualify for the NAIA national outdoor meet this year,? coach Dave Kroeker said. ?We have a lot of depth and talent, especially in the 4×400 and the 4×800.?

Individually, Shelby Miller is the lone conference champion that returns for the Bluejays, having won the 400-meter dash last year. Miller also scored points in the pole vault, long jump and ran on all three of the relay teams.

Schmidt placed second in the 1500 and ran on the 4×800 team.

Wiens missed all of last season with an injury and looks to make an impact in the 3,000 steeplechase this season.

Senior transfer Joanna Pyle also looks to contribute to the Bluejays? success in the sprints and jumps.

Fogle is still recovering from an injury sustained just before the conference track meet last year and it remains to be seen if she will be able to compete in her final season at Tabor.

National shot-put qualifier Breanna Wray, a junior, will look to move up in the conference standings in the throws as will junior throwers Estey Wichert and Amanda Krier, and senior Dana Champlin.

Sophomores Jennifer Schmidt and Andrea Batista bolster the team in the sprints.

Sophomore Jera Teselle will be counted on to produce significant points in the 10,000 while sophomore Erin Vance will look to improve on her sixth-place 100-meter hurdles finish at last year?s KCAC meet.

Two sophomores who had injury plagued freshmen years?Kelli Kopper (sprints) and Jessica Burden (hurdles, pole vault)?look to rebound with big years this spring.

Newcomers counted on to make an immediate impact this spring are sophomore Tasia Johnson (sprints, jumps), and freshmen Liz Kleinsasser (mid-distance), Tessa Siebert (400, 800), Tamara Steward (sprints), Julia Carlton (distance), Amy Dueck (jumps), Abby Claassen (throws), Megan McCarty (throws) and Elissa Richert (distance).

The women claimed a team title in the first meet of the outdoor season March 15 at McPherson and recorded eight first-place finishes at Bethany on Friday.

Tabor?s next meet is Saturday at Friends University in Wichita.


Men?s outlook

The Tabor men?s team has a lot of new faces to complement a good core of returners.

Leading the way will be KCAC champion and national outdoor championship qualifier Nathaniel Porter (400 hurdles).

Other seniors looking to make this season a successful one are Caleb Schroeder (800), Jeff Harms (high jump), Matt Dean (triple jump, long jump), Matt Vaughn (throws) and newcomer Matt Fox (throws).

Other all-KCAC performers expected to excel this spring are juniors Silas Hibbs (pole vault), Zac Remboldt (800, steeplechase), and Tony Loewen (110 and 400 hurdles). Sophomores Tim Funk (high jump, hurdles) and Dan Sigley (5,000) look to move up in the conference standings after placing last May in the conference meet.

Porter will be joined in the 400-meter hurdles by Allen County Community College transfer Andrew Schroter, who will also run the sprints, and transfer Andrew Covin, a sprinter from Waco, Texas. Both Schroter and Covin are expected to make significant contributions to the team.

Other underclassmen who look to improve on their performances from last spring include Dustin Burnett (800), Brent Nelson (400, 800), Brad Kiser (jumps), Ric Johnson (1,500) and Adam McPeck (800).

Newcomers who will bolster the team include transfer Jonathon Miller (sprints) and freshmen Justin Ball (800), Adam Dirks (javelin), Brock Fosnight (400, 800) and Cole Richey (sprints).

Coach Dave Kroeker said, ?We have a lot of unknowns about this year?s men?s team. There is a lot of potential and we will work hard to turn that potential into reality.?

The men won a team title in first meet of the season arch 15 at McPherson and recorded six first-place finishes at Bethany Friday.

Tabor?s next meet is Saturday at Friends University

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