May 8, 2008

EASTON, Pa. - Eight members of the women's track & field team received All-Patriot League status for their performances at the 2008 Patriot League Outdoor Track & Field Championships on May 2-3 at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.

All conference event winners are awarded first-team status while runners-up are named to the second team. As a result, four Leopards received both first and second-team accolades.

Senior Kristen Kalinowski led the women with wins in the heptathlon and high jump. She won all four events on Friday to establish a 400-point advantage over the competition. Kalinowski recorded personal bests in the 100-meter hurdles (14.64), shot put (36' 5"), 200-meters (26.56) and javelin (120' 9") to earn 4,725 points and the victory. She was also crowned the Patriot League champion in the high jump with a height of 5' 5". Her efforts earned her the Field Athlete of the Meet award.

Freshman Janica Austin was named the Rookie of the Meet and took home first and second team honors. She won the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.12, after clocking 13.90 in the preliminaries to hit the NCAA Regional qualifying mark for a second time this year. Austin finished second in the 100-meters (12.28) on Saturday after setting a new personal record on Friday (12.09).

Austin also ran the second leg of the women's 4x100 relay that finished second with an ECAC-qualifying time of 47.96 seconds. Senior Kisha Thomas led the Leopards with junior Jessica Buzzell taking the third leg and freshman Asia Hollis anchoring the race. All four members earned spots on the All-Patriot League Second Team.

Buzzell jumped a distance of 18' 7¾" to become the Patriot League champion in the long jump and earn All-Patriot League First-Team status. She currently holds the school record in the long jump for both indoor and outdoor season.

Hollis ran the 400-meters in 56.81 to finish first and win a spot on the All-Patriot League First Team.

Senior Ashley Harbin successfully defended her Patriot League title in the hammer with a throw of 198' 8". Andrea Cerbie followed with a distance of 166' 8" to place second. Harbin joined Cerbie on the All-Patriot League Second Team with a second-place finish in the discus (146' 11") to qualify for ECACs.

Junior Osasumwen Izevbigie threw a season-best distance of 45' 10½" to repeat as the Patriot League champion and qualify for ECACs. Her success made her a first-team honoree.

All conference champions earn a spot at the NCAA Regionals in Tallahassee, Fla. on May 30 - 31. Austin and Harbin had already qualified in the 100-meter hurdles and hammer, respectively. Hollis and Kalinowski will join them to compete in the 400-meters and high jump.