The talent and depth of the league's track and field teams were on display this weekend at the UAA Championships at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, where a few solid individual appearances were the high points of the Brandeis teams' overall poor showing.
The Judges have been plagued by injuries from the beginning of their season, but were hoping to be at the top of their games for the Championships.
"We did not do well at all," a jet-lagged coach Mark Reyblat said. "The UAA is so strong in track and field. We didn't score too many points."
Reytblat noted the strength of the Washington University women's team, saying how "almost every event they competed in was finished in national qualifying time." Washington University came in first on the women's side of the Championship, while Emory captured the men's title.
However, the day was not without its individual highlights for the Judges. Kate Schill '05 finished fifth in the 400-meter hurdles and was a member of the 400-meter relay team that took fourth. The other members of the team were rookie Linda Kropp, Jane Farrell '06 and Rachel Lebwohl '04. In addition to running the second leg of the relay, Kropp finished third in the long jump with 17'2", and fourth in the triple jump with a leap of 34'11".
Farrell tied the stadium record in the pole vault, set in 2002, with height of just over 11 feet. She took home first in the event and earned Brandeis 10 points.
On the men's side, Ralph Chery '07 finished fifth overall in the 400-meter dash, after placing third in the preliminaries. Ryan Parker '06 came in ninth in a field of 19 runners in the 800-meter run and Abe Weinograd (GRAD) finished fifth in the hammer throw with a heave of 137'01". Pat Winn finished just behind a CWRU thrower to take second place in the javelin throw with 165'07."
The UAA Athletes, Rookies and Coaching Staff of the Year in track and field were announced at the meet. Washington University's Hallie Hutchins and Delaina Martin won the female Athlete and Rookie of the Year, respectively. Carnegie Mellon's Russel Verbofsky won the men's Rookie of the Year. Emory's T.J. Jennings was awarded the Male Athlete of the Year, while Emory also took home both awards for Coaching Staff of the Year.
Next for the Judges is next weekend's Division III Championship.