May 18, 2011
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue men's and women's track and field teams combined for seven spots on the 2011 Outdoor All-Big Ten Team, announced by the Big Ten Conference office on Wednesday. Five of the seven spots were earned by Boilermaker seniors, while senior Shane Crawford, junior Leah Eber and sophomore Geoff Davis followed up their indoor all-conference showings with an outdoor award as well.
Crawford and Davis both earned First-Team All-Big Ten honors in the wake of their conference championships in the men's 100-meter dash and men's high jump, respectively. Crawford ran a career best and Purdue record of 10.18 seconds in the 100, while Davis cleared 2.16 meters (7-01.00) in rain-soaked conditions. Seniors Chris Thoman and Bill Hardcastle followed on the men's side with second-team recognition as Thoman was second in the pole vault and Hardcastle finished second in the discus. Hardcastle collected a bronze medal in the men's shot put as well.
On the women's side, Eber paced the group with her second First-Team All-Big Ten honor of the season. She swept the long jump in 2011, claiming both the indoor and outdoor championships, and added a fifth-place effort in the women's triple jump as well with a personal-record mark. Senior Emily Breslin grabbed her second Second-Team All-Big Ten award of the season with a runner-up performance in the high jump, clearing a career-best 1.82 meters (5-11.50). Her mark is tied for fourth-best in Purdue's outdoor history, matching Carri Long's mark from 1999. Fellow senior Stacey Wannemacher earned her Second-Team All-Big Ten honors twice over the weekend, placing second in both the hammer throw and the shot put. She marked a career-best 59.37 meters (194-09) in the hammer throw to move up to third all-time at Purdue and surpass Boilermaker greats Toyinda Smith and Serene Ross, and threw 15.96 meters (52-04.50) to earn silver in the shot put.
Freshman Mitch Erickson and senior NaTasha Blair were honored as the Boilermakers' Sportsmanship Award nominees for the Big Ten Outdoor Championships, being recognized for their outstanding sportsmanship and ethical behavior in competition as well as their good academic standing and citizenship.
Iowa took home the Men's Coach of the Year as well as Men's Track Athlete of the Year and Athlete of the Championships in the wake of their Big Ten title. Head coach Larry Wieczorek earned coach of the year honors while Justin Austin grabbed track honors for winning the 200-meter dash and taking fourth in the 100-meter dash. Ohio State's Michael Hartfield was honored as the Men's Field Athlete of the Year and Athlete of the Championships after winning the long jump and placing second in the triple jump, and Wisconsin's Reed Connor earned Freshman of the Year after his victory in the 5,000-meter run.
Ohio State head coach Karen Dennis was named Big Ten Women's Coach of the Year after leading the Buckeyes to the women's team title and Buckeye Christina Manning earned Track Athlete of the Year and Athlete of the Championships after a dominant sprint performance. She was part of facility records in the 4x100-meter relay, the 100-meter dash and 100-meter hurdles, winning Big Ten Championships in all three races. Michigan State's Beth Rohl swept Big Ten Field Athlete of the Year and Athlete of the Championships after winning the discus and hammer throw, while Wisconsin's Emily Sisson was named Freshman of the Year after placing in the 5,000- and 10,000-meter runs.
The Boilermakers continue the outdoor postseason next weekend, traveling south to Indiana University for the NCAA Outdoor Championships East Preliminary Rounds, May 26-28.