Central Michigan University Athletics
Men's Track Competes At USTCA Tri
4/15/2002 12:00:00 AM | MTF
April 15, 2002
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THE TEAM?The Central Michigan University men's track team competes at the USTCA Tri in Kalamazoo on April 20. Mid-American Conference rivals Western Michigan and Bowling Green are the other teams competing in this scored event.
THE COACHING STAFF?The CMU men's track and field program is guided by head coach Jim Knapp, assistant coach Craig Fuller and strength and conditioning/jumps coach Greg Halberg. Knapp, who is in his 17th season, led the Chippewas to a second-place finish at the 2001 indoor MAC meet and a fourth-place outdoor finish. Since 1986, he has coached 43 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 third season with the Chippewas.
INDIANA RESULTS -- The Central Michigan University men's track team finished second with 160 points at the Indiana USTCA Quad In Bloomington, Ind., on April 13. Indiana won the event with 166 points.
Capturing first-place finishes for the Chippewas were: freshman Mike Sidlauskas (Sparta) in the discus (164-7) and hammer throw (181-6 1/2), sophomore Steve Wolf (Sterling Heights/Stevenson) in the high jump (6-7 1/2), freshman Jake Flynn (Benzonia/Benzie Central) in the 5000m (14:33.69), senior Ian Searcy (Canton/Plymouth Salem) in the 800m (1:51.65), sophomore Derold Sligh (Saginaw/ Heritage) in the 400m (47.45) and the 1600 relay team consisting of Sligh, junior Dana Thomas (East Lansing), freshman Adam Lyon (Mesick) and Searcy with the time of 3:12.50.
KNAPP ON THE USTCA QUAD -- "Indiana has a very good track program, one of the best in the Big Ten. We have a young and inexperienced team, so I'm very pleased with their effort and performance and how they rallied around each other."
KNAPP ON THE USTCA TRI -- "We will do more of the same at this event. We have a few guys that are in seven or eight events and I'm not sure we can continue to do that. We will be competing against Western and Bowling Green, both MAC schools, so it will be a excellent competition."
The Chippewas continue on the road at the Drake Relays on April 25-27. CMU's home opener is slated for May 4 when it hosts the Central Collegiates.
