Splitting the squad for two meets in the first 'full team' weekend of the indoor season (January 20-21), the Bellarmine Track & Field program earned yet more impressive marks for the 2012 winter campaign.

"It was our 'official' start to the season, and a very good weekend," said Bellarmine Director of Track and Field Jim Vargo.   "We've been providing good competitive options for our people, and they are handling the challenge well. We've already earned some of the top conference and national level marks we were anticipating coming into the season."

Gladstein Invite - Indiana University

A number of top performances marked the efforts of a handful of athletes who ventured to this predominately Division I competition.  More than 20 colleges were represented, including squads from the Big Ten, and Big East conferences, and Bellarmine athletes earned first or second place finishes among collegiate athletes in four different events.

Sophomore Ben Kolb (Louisville) was a close second among the collegians, and third overall in the heptathlon competition, earning an NCAA Provisional qualifying and school best 4832 points.  Kolb got personal best efforts in the high jump (6-3 1/4 - 1.91m), 60 meter high hurdles (8.67), and shot put (38-7/11.77m - 16lb) in the seven event, two day competition.  His performance currently ranks sixth on the NCAA Division II list.  The top 12 performances from the season will be selected to participate at the NCAA (II) Indoor Nationals later this winter.

NCAA nationals pole vault qualifier, Bryan Gennett (Indianapolis), continued his strong winter campaign, clearing 16-3 1/2 (4.97m), to match Kolb with a runner-up finish in the collegiate vault field.

Senior middle-distance runner, Carissa Martin (New Albany, IN), kept her 2012 indoor season race record unblemished with yet another decisive win.  Martin handily won her heat by some 10 meters, and bested the overall field of nearly 40 athletes to earn a win in the 'open' 800 meters in a personal indoor best of 2:17.20   

Sophomore Robert Sandlin (Frankfort, KY), was the top collegian, and runner-up overall in the 'open' mile, running a personal indoor best of 4:17.05 (= 4:15.4/1600).
    
Senior distance runners, Meghan Shagena (Cincinnati), and Jordan Parayil (West Chester, OH), captured sixth place finishes in their respective 5,000 meter events.  Shagena recorded a 17:55.35 effort, while Parayil turned in a 15:15.94 performance.

Little Giant Invite  -  Wabash College
    
The program's sprint, hurdle and jump crew, most competing in their initial meet of the indoor season, dominated at this small college event.
    
Junior Seth Sigler (Logan, OH), gave the men their third NCAA Provisional qualifier early in the new indoor campaign with a winning effort and new school best for the 60 meter high hurdles (8.16).
    
Sophomore Meghan Jones (Greenville, IN), earned a 'hat trick' with wins in three events, the high jump (5-3 3/4 - 1.63m), 400, and 200 meters, the latter in an indoor school best of 26.20 on the smaller 200 meter flat track.  In the 200 meters, Jones led the program to a complete 'sweep' of the top six places, with junior Rachel Eychmans (Villa Hills, KY), gaining the runner-up placing in 26.82.
    
Fellow sophomore, Damar Williams (Jackson, MI), captured the 60 meters (7.05), and led a '1-2' finish for the men's squad in the 200 meters with junior Will Saucer (Evansville, IN) getting second.
   
Third year hurdler/jumper, Nora Bowe (Aurora, IL), lowered her school indoor best in the 60 meter hurdles, running 9.37, and matched her runner-up finish in that race in the high jump as well, placing behind Jones with a jump of 5-1 3/4 (1.57m).
   
Other individual event wins were earned by Julia Zalewski (Cincinnati), in the 20 lb. weight throw (49-2 1/2 - 15.00m), Erin Dwenger (Indianapolis) in the pole vault, and Mariah Schwenk (Columbus, IN), competing in her first ever long jump competition with a winning effort of 16-11 1/4 (5.16m).
   
Sean Klosterman (Louisville), easily winning his heat, recorded the second fastest time of the day in the 400 meters (51.71), while vaulter, Nicole Hess (Sellersburg, IN) matched Dwenger's winning effort for a second in that event.
   
First year distance runner, Dominic Perronie (Louisville), recorded a personal best in the 3000 meters, running 8:57.19 (= 9:36/3200), while junior Intermediate hurdler, Jared Findlater (Marengo, IA), earned a personal best of his own running in only his second ever effort over 800 meters (1:59.07).