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June 1, 2004

2009 Season - 2004 MEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK REVIEW

VIKINGS ONCE AGAIN TURN IN SUPERB EFFORT IN 2004 TRACK & FIELD SEASON; RANDY BILL, JASON WILLIAMS, TOM MCINTIRE AND

KEN LARSON SHARE MOST VALUABLE HONORS

The Augustana Vikings men’s track & field program has long been the model of consistency and excellence and the 2004 season was one more shining example of that. Veteran head coach Paul Olsen finished his 36^th season as the head coach and like the 35 previous years it was a year filled with success, both individual and team. The Vikings won a pair of invitationals, the Early Spring Opener on March 20 and the Viking Olympics on April 3. In three other invitationals the Blue & Gold placed second, the Monmouth Invitational on March 27, the Wartburg Select on April 10 and the Midwest Championships on May 21. In addition, Augustana was second in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin for the 19^th time in the last 20 years. The Vikings were also third in two other invitationals.

Four individual athletes won College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin championships on May 7-8 at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois. Junior Nick Johnson (Lincoln Way HS, New Lenox, IL) repeated his 2003 victory in the 3000 steeplechase with a time of 9:20.85. Senior Jason Williams (Decatur MacArthur HS, Decatur, IL) won a narrow race in the 800 with a time of 1:54.35, besting teammate Mike Bartlett (Highlands Ranch HS, Littleton, CO) by the slimmest of margins. Bartlett, the 2002 champ in the 800, placed second in 1:54.37. Senior Ken Larson (Providence Catholic HS, New Lenox, IL) won the triple jump with a leap of 45’ 5 �” and Tom McIntire (Galva HS, Galva, IL) set a new conference record in the hammer throw with a test of 159’ 8”.

Williams and senior distance runner Randy Bill (Bureau Valley HS, Buda, IL) shared the Most Valuable Runner award while McIntire and Larson were the co-winners of the Most Valuable Field athlete in a vote of their teammates.

Six Augustana athletes met the NCAA Division III qualifying standards in their respective event, including three in the 3000 steeplechase. Bill ran 9:08.8 on May 14 at the Dr. Keeler Invitational in Naperville, Illinois. That event also produced the national qualifying marks of Johnson (9:15.8) and senior Chris Coon (Sterling HS, Sterling, IL), who ran 9:21.7. Bartlett was under the national qualifying standard in the 800 with a time of 1:53.22 in the Dr. Keeler Invitational. Freshman Jason Petit (Rochester HS, Rochester, IL) qualified in the pole vault when he cleared 15’ 2 �” at the Meet of Champions at Ericson Field on April 17. McIntire tossed the discus 157’ 2” at the Monmouth Invitational on April 20 to complete the list of Vikings who met the national qualifying marks.

Although six athletes qualified provisionally, only Johnson and Bill actually participated in the national meet. Johnson was ninth in the 3000 steeplechase with a time of 9:16.52 and Bill took 11^th in 9:22.18.

McIntire set the only school record for the Vikings in 2004 with a toss of 163’ 6” in the hammer throw at the Western Illinois Invitational in Macomb, Illinois on May 1. He took down the previous record of 161’ 3” by David Gonzalez in 2003.

Petit was named the Most Valuable Freshman field event performer while Dillon Smith (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, IL) was the Most Valuable Freshman track athlete. The Most Improved Athlete honor was shared by senior thrower Kevin Mahoney (Oak Park-River Forest HS, Elmwood, IL), senior middle distance runner Jeff Svehla (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, IL) and sophomore sprinter Drew Letko (Crete Monee HS, Crete, IL). Bartlett and senior distance runner Ryan Chapman (Eureka HS, Congerville, IL) were the co-recipients of the Most Inspirational Athlete award. The 2005 captains-elect are sprinter Jason Myers (Prairie Central HS, Fairbury, IL), thrower Doug Cochrane (Kirksville HS, Kirksville, MO) and Johnson.

2004 COLLEGE CONFERENCE OF ILLINOIS & WISCONSIN MEN’S TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS

May 7-8, 2004

Titan Stadium at Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, Illinois

2004 AUGUSTANA MEN’S TRACK & FIELD SUPERLATIVES

COSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN – Nick Johnson

MOST VALUABLE TRACK PERFORMER – Randy Bill & Jason Williams

MOST VALUABLE FIELD PERFORMER – Tom McIntire & Ken Larson

MOST VALUABLE FRESHMAN TRACK PERFORMER – Dillon Smith

MOST VALUABLE FRESHMAN FIELD PERFORMER – Jason Petit

MOST IMPROVED ATHLETE – Kevin Mahoney, Drew Letko, Jeff Svehla

MOST INSPIRATIONAL ATHLETE – Ryan Chapman & Mike Bartlett

2005 CAPTAINS-ELECT – Jason Myers, Doug Cochrane & Nick Johnson

CCIW INDIVIDUAL CHAMPION – Nick Johnson (3000 steeplechase), Jason Williams (800), Ken Larson (triple jump) & Tom McIntire (hammer)

NCAA DIVISION III NATIONAL MEET QUALIFIERS – Nick Johnson (3000 steeplechase), Randy Bill (3000 steeplechase), Chris Coon (3000 steeplechase), Mike Bartlett (800), Jason Petit (pole vault) & Tom McIntire (discus)

SCHOOL RECORD HAMMER THROW – Tom McIntire, 163’ 6”