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Men's Track
Panthers Head to Midwest Regionals
May 24, 2005
Complete Release in PDF Format
This Week in Panther Track and Field The University of Northern Iowa will send numerous athletes to this weekend's NCAA Midwest Regionals, held in Norman, Okla. UNI has qualified 10 individuals and its men's 4x100 and 4x400 relays for the two-day meet. Results will be posted at www.unipanthers.com at the conclusion of each day's competition. The top five qualifiers in each individual event, and top three finishers in the relays, automatically advance to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships June 8-11 in Sacramento, Calif. Homewood's Impressive UNI Career Winding Down Panthers senior Dirk Homewood (Cedar Falls, Iowa) will be a busy man this weekend at the Midwest Regionals. Homewood is scheduled to compete in three events -- the 400 meter individual race, as well as being the third leg of UNI's 4x100 relay team and the anchor leg of the school's 4x400 squad. Homewood, a three-time All-American and eight-time NCAA qualifier, holds UNI school records (indoors and outdoors) in both the 200 and 400 meters, and also is a member of numerous school-record holding relay teams. His time of 45.78 in the 400 meters at the 2005 MVC Outdoor Championships is the second-fastest in the Midwest Region this year, and qualified him for the 2005 USA Track and Field Championships this summer. Bucknam Named MVC Coach of the Year -- Again University of Northern Iowa head track and field coach and director of running programs Chris Bucknam is finishing his 22nd year at the helm of UNI's track and field programs. During his tenure, he has guided the Panthers to 27 conference titles, including the last six MVC indoor titles in a row. After earning MVC Men's Coach of the Year honors at the 2005 MVC outdoor championships, that marked the 24th time he has earned conference coach of the year accolades. He has coached 41 All-Americans and two national champions. Panthers Claim Men's MVC Conference Outdoor Championship Cedar Falls, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa claimed the men's team title, while Wichita State University won the women's team crown, at the 2005 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships that concluded May 15 at Mark Messersmith Outdoor Complex. The Panther men had a huge Sunday. UNI was in third place entering today's competition, trailing second-day leader Wichita State by 25 points. But the Panthers outscored the Shockers 140 points to 47 on the day to win going away, finishing with a 68 point edge over second place WSU - their largest outdoor margin of victory of the four MVC outdoor championships under head coach Chris Bucknam. "What an effort," said Bucknam, who also earned MVC Men's Coach of the Year honors. "It was just an unbelievable performance by our kids. We fought hard and came through. We're indoor and outdoor champions and it's extra-special to win it at home." The Panthers were led by senior Dirk Homewood (Cedar Falls, Iowa), who was named the meet's outstanding track athlete and was high men's point scorer. Homewood claimed two individual titles, in the 200 meters (20.88) and 400 meters (45.78). His 400 meter time set a new UNI and MVC outdoor championship record. Homewood was also a part of UNI's winning 4x100 relay team. Running the third leg, Homewood - along with Jamie Goodwin (McKeesport, Pa.), Cody Eichmeier (Ackley, Iowa), and anchor Patrick Hunter (Washington, Iowa) set a school as well as Missouri Valley Conference outdoor championships record with a time of 39.96. Their clocking was more than a full second ahead of runner-up Wichita State. The Panthers had outstanding performances all day long, also claiming men's championships in the 4x400 relay with the team of Ryan Kedley (Lowden, Iowa), Mark Harris (Toronto, Canada), Brent Dahlstrom (Cedar Falls, Iowa) and Terrance Reid (Davenport, Iowa) in a time of 3:10.92; Hunter in the 100 meters (10.43); and Andre Pojalnec (Ljubljana, Slovenia) in the pole vault (17-10 1?2). The Panthers went 1-2-3 in the pole vault, with Jarno Kivioja (Porvoo, Finland) placing second after jumping 17-2 3?4, and Raven Cepeda (Beloit, Wis.) third with a height of 16-6 3?4. UNI cleaned up in the 200 meters, taking four of the six scoring positions. Following Homewood were Eichmeier and Hunter, tying for second (21.27) and Goodwin in fifth (21.53). Other top performances included Kyle Smith (Toronto, Canada) finishing second in the 800 meters in a time of 1:51.76, while teammate Adam Hinders (Waverly, Iowa) placed third in 1:52.76. Yuriy Litvinski (Sliven, Bulgaria) finished second in the triple jump with a mark of 49-10 3/4, while Jon Drury (Clarion, Iowa) placed third in the 400 hurdles (53.17) and fifth in the 110 hurdles (14.57). The Panthers' women finished sixth overall. Individually, freshman Crystal Hanson (Roland, Iowa) placed third in the high jump with a mark of 5'7". In the 400 meters, Lauren Carruthers (Bettendorf, Iowa) was fourth in 54.76 and Lynnette Wilson (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) sixth in 55.81. Kara Yahn (Clinton, Iowa) managed a fifth-place showing in the 400 hurdles in a time of 1:01.44, while Sarah Behrens (Marathon, Iowa) and Morgen Edwards (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) placed fourth and fifth, respectively, in the shot put.
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