TCNJ TO COMPETE AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS DIVISION III WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD

STEPHANIE HERRICK EARNS USTFCCCA REGIONAL HONOR

By Lyle Fulton

Ewing, NJ… The College of New Jersey women’s indoor track and field team will look to add to its impressive list of All-Americans as the Lions have several individuals competing this weekend at the 2008 NCAA Division III Championships.

The championship event will be held March 14-15 and hosted by Ohio Northern University.

Junior Stephanie Herrick (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) earned All-American honors last season in the 800 meters and is poised to step onto the podium for the second straight year. The top eight finishers in each event are recognized as All-Americans. Herrick broke her own school record in that event last month with a swift time of 2:11.78. The trials for the event are set for Friday evening with the finals on Saturday. Her other individual event is the mile and she holds that school record as well. She qualified for the mile with a time of 4:56.25 at the New York University FasTrack Invitational.

The Lion will also be part of the distance medley relay. She will be joined on the DMR by junior Martine McGrath (West Long Branch, NJ/Shore Regional), freshman Rochelle Prevard (Sicklervielle, NJ/Winslow Township) and freshman Meryl Wimberly (Farmingdale, NJ/Coltsneck) as the quartet teamed up for a qualifying mark of 11:57.14. Sophomore Jianna Spadaccini (Butler, NJ/Butler) has also ran in the relay during the course of the season and will serve as the alternate. That race will be the final event of the opening day of competition.

Herrick was also tabbed as the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Division III Atlantic Region Indoor Track Athlete of the Year.

McGrath will also run in the 5,000 meters as she qualified for the championships last week completing the race in 17:16.60. That race is set for Friday afternoon.

TCNJ will be represented in the field events by junior Kristen Tricocci (Cinnaminson, NJ/Cinnaminson) in the long jump. Tricocci’s qualifying leap came at the Princeton Relays as she sailed 5.48 meters. The preliminary and final rounds of the event will be held on Friday.