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Jan. 20, 2003

MILWAUKEE - After opening the 2003 season with a second and a third-place finish last weekend at the Carthage College Division I Invitational in Kenosha, Wis., the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's and women's track and field teams will look to continue building toward a Horizon League Championship Saturday. The Panthers will head to Charleston, Ill., for the Eastern Illinois Invitational. Saturday's meet will begin at 11 a.m. in Lantz Fieldhouse on the campus of Eastern Illinois University.

About the Panthers
UWM enters the 2003 season looking to reclaim the Horizon League Indoor Championship after winning five straight on the men's side and two straight women's titles. The Panthers will have an extra incentive to win the championship this season, as the Klotsche Center plays host to the 2003 Horizon League Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 1 and 2.

Last Week At Carthage
Three fieldhouse and five meet records fell at the hands of Panther track and field athletes Saturday afternoon at Carthage. The women's team claimed the three fieldhouse marks and three meet marks on their way to a second-place finish, while the men's team took down two meet records and finished third. Stephanie Kenesie and Lynda Thiel each broke a meet and fieldhouse mark, with Kenesie's coming in the long jump and Thiel's in the pole vault. The women's 4x200m relay team of Sara Vanderloop, Laura Diers, Iris Perez and Nicole Frey also grabbed a meet and fieldhouse mark, finishing in 1:44.35. For the men, Kyle Huebner broke his own meet record in the pole vault, while the men's 4x400m relay team also set a meet record, finishing in 3:22.11.

Leaping Lynda
Lynda Thiel opened the 2003 season where she left off a year ago, winning the pole vault and high jump Saturday at Carthage. In the pole vault, she cleared 10'6" (3.20m), which broke a fieldhouse and meet record. In the high jump, she cleared 5'3 3/4" (1.62m) for the win. Thiel was named the league's Outstanding Performer for Field Events at the outdoor championships last spring after winning the pole vault and the javelin and finishing fourth in the high jump.

Kenesie Keeps Moving
Senior Stephanie Kenesie has typically been one of the busiest and most versatile athletes on the day of the meet, and the start of the 2003 season has seen no change from that trend. Kenesie competed in four events Saturday at Carthage, finishing first in the long and triple jump while also gathering a fourth-place showing in the high jump and a fifth-place mark in the 55m hurdles.

High-Flying Freshmen
The men's team, seeking to replace one of the most prolific jumpers in school history, Ken Hunt, might have found several candidates after the first weekend of action. Freshmen Sean Cludy and Scott Bambrough each placed in both the long and triple jumps Saturday, with Cludy finishing third in the triple and sixth in the long. Bambrough, meanwhile, was eighth in the long and fourth in the triple. The pair was joined by Steven Capela in the triple, who finished seventh. Cludy also placed sixth in the high jump.

Record Breakers
Lynda Thiel and Katie Seep had a meet to remember last year at the Horizon League Outdoor Championships on May 9 and 10 in Indianapolis. Thiel set a new school record in the pole vault, clearing 3.35m (11 feet) and was named the meet's Outstanding Performer for Field Events. Seep, meanwhile, set a new Horizon League record in winning the 400m, finishing in 57.04.

Record Breakers, Part 2
Lynda Thiel started the 2003 season off in a strong way by finishing second in the pole vault at the Badger Track Classic Jan. 11. Thiel cleared 3.41m (11'2.25"), setting a new indoor school record.

On The Men's Roster
Several strong newcomers join a talented core of returners for coach Pete Corfeld's men's team. Among the returnees are Nick Davis, Kyle Huebner and Adam Holber, each of whom received first team all-league honors a year ago. Davis and Huebner each won one indoor title, with Davis winning two events outdoors and Huebner and Hobler each winning one. Also returning is sophomore Steve Saul, who earned all-league recognition in cross country during the fall of 2002.

For The Women
Six different women won titles a year ago, with five of them returning in 2003 to defend their championship. Nicole Frey captured both the indoor and outdoor 200m crown, while Stephanie Kenesie won the long jump both indoors and outdoors. Kenesie also added an indoor triple jump title to her credit. Abby Hurst (3000m steeplechase), Katie Seep (outdoor 400m) and Lynda Thiel (outdoor pole vault, javelin) also return to try to repeat.

Thanks For The Memories
The men's team lost three of the most decorated athletes in the school's Division I history in Cornelius Hill, Ken Hunt and Jon Manke at the end of last season. Hill departs UWM after just one season, but holds the school record in the indoor mile and 3000m, along with the outdoor mile. Hunt is the school record holder in the indoor and outdoor triple jumps with the same mark in both. Manke, meanwhile, holds the indoor shot and weight throw records, and the outdoor shot and discus marks.

More Men's From Madison
In the season debut at the Badger Track Classic on Jan. 11, Nick Viall was fourth in the 600m, finishing in 1:21.57, while freshman Josh Nygren was third in the 3000m in 8:50.88. Kyle Huebner was fifth in the high jump, clearing 1.95m (6'4.75") and fourth in the pole vault with a height of 4.33m (14'2.5").

Women's Wrap from Wisconsin
The Panther men weren't the only ones with a successful trip to Madison Jan. 11. The women joined in, with Nicole Frey finishing second in the 60m in 7.99 and third in the 200 in 26.32, Sara Vanderloop finishing fourth in the 200 in 26.61, and Katie Seep finishing fifth in the 400m in 1:00.76. Lynda Thiel, in addition to setting a new school record in the pole vault, cleared 1.58m (5'2.25") in the high jump to finish sixth. Stephanie Kenesie was second in the long jump (11.31m (18'4")) and third in the triple jump (11.27m (36'11.75")) as well for the Panthers.

Next On Tap
Milwaukee heads to Indianapolis for the Smith Barney Invitational, hosted by league rival Butler, on Feb. 1.