| The 2001 Track & Field season was a huge success at every level. Elmhurst College was represented at both the indoor and outdoor National Championships for the third year in a row. Both the men and women had their best finish ever at the CCIW Championships and both teams had the most qualifiers in school history at the outdoor National Championships with four men and three women competing. |
| Despite injuries, the women's track & field team had their best season yet. The most notable injury was the loss of senior All-American distance star Jenni Markanich who missed the entire season with a herniated disc. In addition, three key sprinters missed parts of the season with various ailments. In light of the injuries, three underclassmen, freshmen Kathleen and Erin Brice and sophomore Adrien Ricci stepped up to lead the team. The season was capped off when all three of them competed in the National Championships. Kathleen Brice was named the teams most valuable after winning the CCIW in the 1,500 and 3,000 meters and earning All-CCIW in the 800 meters. Twin sister Erin Brice was All-CCIW in the 1,500, 3,000, and 5,000 meters. Ricci was All-CCIW in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meter runs. The women's team also set 14 new school records during the 2001 season. |
| For the men, Elmhurst had a surprisingly successful season considering the loss of top athletes to graduation and injuries. Besides the graduation of 800 meter National Champion Elvis McCarter, All-CCIW sprinter/jumper Junior Adam Less tore his ACL in football and missed the 2001 track season and All-CCIW Senior sprinter Faron Ryan sat out the season so he could compete with the 2002 track team. Elmhurst had to look to others to lead the team. Freshmen John McMillian and John Hartmann took on that role. McMillian, a sprinter who was named the teams most valuable track athlete was the CCIW Champion for both the 100 and 200 meter dashes as well as a National Qualifier and school record holder for the 100. Hartmann, the teams most valuable field athlete as a high jumper, participated in both the Indoor and Outdoor National Championships where he placed 7th and 10th respectively. He was also the indoor and outdoor CCIW high jump champion. The teams 100 point total was the best ever by Elmhurst at the CCIW Championships and Elmhurst boasted 6 Conference Champions, the most in the CCIW. Conference Champions included Senior Eric Gamauf in the decathlon, Junior Jason Malmassari in the steeplechase, Junior Jim Akita in the 5,000 meters, the previously mentioned McMillian in the 100 and 200 and Hartmann in the high jump. The other two National Qualifiers besides McMillian and Hartmann were Akita in the 10,000 meter run and Senior Nelson Grant in the high jump. |
| Looking to 2002, Elmhurst returns 15 varsity letter winners on the women's side including nine All-CCIW athletes and three National Qualifiers. The men return 30 varsity letter winners including 11 All-CCIW athletes and five National Qualifiers. With great recruiting classes on both the men's and women's team and the CCIW Championships at Elmhurst for the first time since 1955, the 2002 squad looks to move Elmhurst closer to the top of the CCIW and the NCAA. |
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