May 16, 2002

MILWAUKEE - Several athletes from the UWM track and field team will try to qualify for the NCAA Championships this weekend, as the Panthers travel to Atlanta, Ga., for the Georgia Tech Qualifier. Action begins Friday afternoon and continues on Saturday.

Last Weekend: The Panthers claimed the Horizon League Outdoor Championship for the fifth consecutive year on the men's side, while the women claimed their second-straight title and third in the last four years. Lynda Thiel was named the Most Outstanding Performer for Field Events on the women's side, while coach Pete Corfeld was named the league's Coach of the Year for both teams. The women won 10 of the 20 events and won the title by 55 points, the largest margin of victory in league history. The men sealed their victory with Cornelius Hill's second-place finish in the 5,000m, the next-to-last event of the meet.

Watch For Falling Records: Five school records fell during the season, as the Panthers went about rewriting the record books. Jon Manke broke the shot put record at the Wisconsin Twilight meet, while Stephanie Kenesie broke the long jump mark at the same meet. The men's 3200m relay team broke their event record twice, most recently at the Drake Relays. Last weekend at the league championships, Ken Hunt broke the triple jump record, while Lynda Thiel set the new standard in the pole vault.

Georgia On My Mind: Several Panthers will travel to Georgia this weekend with the goal of qualifying for the NCAA Championships. Stephanie Kenesie will compete in the long jump, with Ken Hunt competing in the triple jump. Both are only about a foot away from a provisional qualifying mark. Jon Manke will go to throw in the shot put and discus, as Manke's personal best in the shot is only two feet shorter than a provisional mark. Cornelius Hill is also expected to run the 1500m, needing to cut nearly seven seconds off his best time to qualify for the NCAA Championships.

Athlete of the Week: Stephanie Kenesie was named Horizon League Athlete of the Week on May 7 for her showing at the Wisconsin Twilight. Kenesie finished second in the long jump, a quarter inch behind the event winner, setting a new school record in the process. Kenesie and Kyle Huebner were the only Panthers to receive the honor during the outdoor season.

On The Horizon: Athletes who receive qualifying marks this weekend will compete at the NCAA Championships, beginning on May 29 in Baton Rouge, La.