In its final mainland competition before the Western Athletic Conference Championship, the University of Hawai`i women's track and field team will participate in the Triton Invitational, this weekend at Triton Stadium.
The Rainbow Wahine will head back to southern California after returning from a five-day, four-meet trip in the Los Angeles area last week. Two more UH athletes qualified for the NCAA West Regionals during that trip in addition to junior Annett Wichmann, who likely secured a spot to the NCAA Championship after her school-record performance in the heptathlon at Mt. SAC.
A total of six Rainbow Wahine have already qualified for the regionals, tying a school record previously set in 2005. Wichmann, whose heptathlon point total currently ranks 13th nationally, will likely become the first UH athlete to participate in consecutive NCAA Outdoor Championships.
This weekend's Triton Invitational is the fourth mainland competition for UH in preparation for the WAC Championship, May 9-12, in Fresno, Calif. Hawai`i will host its final Sunset Meet next Saturday, May 5, at Cooke Field.
What: Triton Invitational
When: Friday & Saturday, April 20 & 21
Where: Triton Stadium, La Jolla, Calif.
Repeat Performer
Last year Annett Wichmann became just the second UH athlete to participate in the NCAA Outdoor Championship after her school-record performance in the heptathlon at the WAC Championship. This year surpassed that feat, breaking that record with a 5,413-point effort at the Mt. SAC heptathlon last week. She will become the first UH athlete to participate in two NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Murray's A Dandy
Senior discus thrower Novelle Murray moved up a spot to third in this week's list of Trackwire's Dandy Dozen. The list is a power ranking of the top 12 athletes in each NCAA event. Sarah Stevens of Arizona State leads this week's rankings followed by teammate Jessica Pressley.
Recapping Last Week's Meets
Two more UH athletes qualified for this year's NCAA Regionals. Thalia Amanakis made standard in the 400-meter hurdles and became just the third Rainbow Wahine to break the 1-minute mark with a time of 59.86 seconds at the Mt. SAC Relays. Meghan Weaver qualified in the shot put for the third consecutive year with a seasonal best 47-11.75 at the CSULA Twilight Open. Mallory Gilbert broke her previous best by more than 200 points in the heptathlon at the California Invitational, posting a score of 4,582 points.
Regional Bound
For the fourth time in her career, senior Novelle Murray has qualified for the NCAA Regionals in the discus. Murray met the regional standard at the Northridge Spring Break Open. Murray also qualified for the regionals in the hammer after her performance at the Stanford Invitational. For the third straight year, Meghan Weaver made standard in the shot put. Emily Sheppard will make a repeat performance in the high jump while fellow high jumper Mallory Gilbert qualified for her first NCAA Regional. Annett Wichmann made standard in the javelin and Thalia Amanakis qualified in the 400-meter hurdles.
Jumpers Making the Mark
Four Rainbow Wahine high jumper rank in the top ten in the latest WAC standings. Sophomore Emily Sheppard leads the way with her jump of 5-10 at the last week's Mt. SAC Relays. Senior Mallory Gilbert is tied for second with a mark of 5-8.75 while junior Annett Wichmann is among a three-way tie for fourth at 5-7. Freshman Amber Kaufman ranks seventh with a jump of 5-5. Sheppard's mark is the eighth best in the West Region and ranks 24th nationally. Sheppard, the defending WAC outdoor champion, also captured the gold at this year's WAC Indoor Championship.
Throwers U.
Behind the tutelage of throw coach Garrett Collier, the Rainbow Wahine are quietly becoming one of the top throwing programs in the West Region. Senior Novelle Murray, an NCAA regional qualifier in both the discus and hammer, ranks seventh nationally and fourth in the West Region in the discus this season. Her top hammer throw ranks her among the top 50 in the country and is third highest in the WAC. Four UH athletes rank among the top seven in the WAC in the discus, including Murray and junior Meghan Weaver who also place in the top seven in the hammer and shot put.
A Hurdle To Climb
Sophomore Thalia Amanakis is on the verge of becoming one of the top hurdlers in school history. Her marks in the 100-meter and 400-meter hurdle events, rank third in the school record books. Her time of 14.46 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles in three-tenths of a second behind record holder Kisha West and ranks her fourth in the WAC. Her personal best time in the 400-meter hurdles of 59.86, is a half second behind leader Angela Williams and places her third in the league.
Wichmann 11th At NCAA Indoor Championship
Annett Wichmann placed 11th in the pentathlon at the NCAA Indoor Championship, March 10, in Fayetteville, Ark. The junior became the first UH athlete to participate in the event. Wichmann totaled 4,007 points and broke two school and three personal pentathlon event records.
WAC Gold For Three UH Athletes
Three UH athletes won gold medals at the WAC Indoor Championship, February 23-24, in Nampa, Idaho. For the second consecutive year, senior Novelle Murray captured the gold in the weight toss. Junior Annett Wichmann and sophomore Emily Sheppard took first in the pentathlon and high jump, respectively.
Moving On Up
The Rainbow Wahine finished the 2007 WAC Indoor Championship with the school's best finish and highest point total. UH placed sixth with 53.5 points, improving on last year's seventh place and 52 point total. The Rainbow Wahine have improved their team total each season since participating in their first WAC Indoor Championship in 2003.
WAC Honors For Wichmann
Annett Wichmann was named the WAC Indoor Athlete of the Week, January 30, following her win in the pentathlon at the season-opening UW Invitational. Her score of 4,039 points broke her own school record and ranked her eighth in Trackwire's Dandy Dozen.
Record Holder
Novelle Murray continued her dominance in throwing events at the WAC Championship. The senior repeated as WAC indoor champion in the weight toss at this year's championship. In addition, Murray is the two-time WAC outdoor discus champion in 2003 and 2004 and nearly duplicated her feat as a junior but finished second. She redshirted during the outdoor season last year. Murray holds the school record in the weight toss (64-1.75), discus (177-11), and hammer throw (188-5).
All-Around Athlete
In one and a half seasons with the Rainbow Wahine, junior Annett Wichmann has proven to be one of the top multi-event athletes in the WAC. The Jena, Germany native captured the gold medal in the pentathlon at the WAC Indoor Championship this season, adding to her collection of a gold in the heptathlon at the outdoor championship and silver at the indoor championship last season. Wichmann became the first UH athlete to compete in the NCAA Indoor Championship, where she finished 11th in the pentathlon. Last season, she was just the second UH athlete to earn a spot in the NCAA Outdoor Championship in the heptathlon.
Gauthier To Sit This Season
UH pole vault record-holder Patricia Gauthier will redshirt this season. The Ottawa, Ontario native holds both the indoor and outdoor school records. Her jump of 12-6 at the Husky Classic in Seattle last season set the new indoor mark. Later that season, Gauthier set the new outdoor record of 12-11.75 at the Sunset Meet #9 at Cooke Field. During her sophomore and junior seasons, Gauthier qualified for the NCAA West Regionals. In addition, she captured bronze medals in both the indoor and outdoor WAC Championships.
WAC Outdoor Championship In Fresno
Fresno State will host the 2007 WAC Outdoor Championship, May 9-12, at Warmerdam Field. Louisiana Tech is the two-time defending women's champion. UH placed eighth last year with 53.5 points.
Outdoor Records Broken
The Rainbow Wahine broke or tied 10 outdoor school records last season - nine by Annett Wichmann and one by junior Patricia Gauthier. Wichmann broke every heptathlon event record last season except long jump.
Recapping the 2007 Indoor Season
The Rainbow Wahine capped a successful indoor season by sending their first athlete to the NCAA Championship. Annett Wichmann captured the gold in the pentathlon and became the first UH athlete to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championship, where she placed 11th. Novelle Murray and Emily Sheppard also won gold at the WAC championship, in the weight toss and high jump, respectively. Both also broke school records in their events during the season as well as Thalia Amanakis, who broke a school record in the 60-meter hurdles. The 4x400 relay team also broke a school mark which stood since 2005.
Head Coach Carmyn James
Hawai`i head coach Carmyn James is in her seventh season at the helm of the women's cross country and track and field programs. Under her tutelage, two runners qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships, including Cheryl Smith's first place finish at the 2001 WAC Championships. In addition, the track and field program has produced two participants to the NCAA Outdoor Championships and one to the NCAA Indoor Championship.
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