Central Michigan University Athletics
Men's Track Sends One To NCAA Championships
5/21/2001 12:00:00 AM | MTF
May 21, 2001
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THE TEAM--The Central Michigan University men's track and field athlete Jeff DeLong (Muskegon/Sr.) competes in the 800m at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships set for May 30-June 2 at Oregon. The preliminaries are set for May 30 at 6:10 p.m. (PDT) and the finals are June 1 at 6:10 p.m. (PDT).
THE COACHING STAFF--The CMU men's track and field program is headed up by head coach Jim Knapp, assistant coach Craig Fuller and graduate assistant Greg Halberg. Knapp, who is in his 16th season, led the Chippewas to a second-place finish at the 2000 indoor MAC meet and a third-place outdoor finish. Since 1986, he has coached 38 individual MAC champions and six All-Americans including Greg Richardson in 1999 and 2000 and Jeff DeLong in 2001. Fuller, who also serves as the Chippewas' head cross country coach, led Central to the MAC cross country championship in 1999. He has helped five CMU athletes to All-American status including Richie Brinker (1997-98) and Ryan Watson (1998). Halberg is in his second season with the Chippewas.
LAST WEEKEND--The Chippewas took fourth place at the Mid-American Conference Championships held May 17-19 at Miami University.
Eastern Michigan won the title with 155 points and was followed by Western Michigan (136), Kent State (88), CMU (81), Akron (74), Ball State (70), Miami (61), Marshall (43), Bowling Green (37), Buffalo (28), Ohio (24) and Toledo (21).
The Chippewas were led by Jeff DeLong (Muskegon/Sr.) and Dana Thomas (East Lansing/So.) who each won events.
DeLong took top honors in the 800m (1:51.90) while Thomas was tops in the decathlon (6,827 points).
Pat Walderzak (Frankenmuth/Jr.) had an outstanding meet in the throwing events. He took second in the shot put (57-11 1/4) and third in the hammer (191-5).
Aaron Gebauer (Bad Axe/Jr.) took second in the pole vault (16-4 3/4) while Ronnie Zatkoff (Clinton Township/Jr.) finished second in the high jump (6-10 3/4).
Other points scorers for the Chippewas included: Tristen Perlberg (Bay City/Fr.) who took fourth in the 10,000m (31.05.79) and seventh in the 5,000m (14:54.83), Clive Roberts (Toronto, Ontario/Jr.) seventh in the 100m hurdles (14.63), Matt Elsesser (Reese/So.) fourth in the shot put (55-10.50), John Pilling (London, Ontario/Fr.) sixth in the javelin (178-10) and eighth in the shot put (53-2.25) and seventh in the discus (155-8), Carl Taylor (Warren/Sr.) sixth in the hammer (178-8), Luke Humphrey (Sidney/So.) sixth in the 10,000m (31:18.55) and Jared Biniecki (Canton/Sr.) eighth in the steeplechase (9:12.41).
KNAPP ON THE MAC FINALS--"I am extremely proud of our athletes. We have been banged up all spring and had to leave a few athletes at home. I was proud of the character of our athletes in dealing with all of the rain delays. Dana Thomas is beginning to emerge as an excellent athlete. He did an outstanding job in the decathlon. The throwers did a great job, especially Pat Walderzak."
CHAMPIONS--The Chippewas had a pair of event winners. Jeff DeLong took top honors in the 800m (1:51.90) after winning the event in 1999 and Dana Thomas won the decathlon with 6,827
NCAA QUALIFIER--Jeff DeLong (Muskegon/Sr.) is set to compete in the NCAA Championships after posting an NCAA automatic qualifying time in the 800m (1:47.40) at the Stanford Qualifier on May 13. DeLong competes in the preliminaries on May 30 at 6:10 p.m. (PDT). The finals are set for June 1 at 6:10 p.m. (PDT).
