After notching victories in the 3,000 and 5,000 meters, and joining teammates in Dartmouth's 4x800 second place finish, Sam Wilbur '94 was named the Outstanding Male Performer at the Heptagonal Championships last weekend at Cornell.
His award highlights a slew of strong performances from the Dartmouth teams, concentrated in the distance events that have been the strong point for both the men's and women's indoor track teams this season.
With the aid of Ted Fitzpatrick '95 and Aaron Bouplon '95, Wilbur ran up 46 of Dartmouth's 96 points. The trio swept the 5,000 meters and then finished first, second and forth in the 3,000 meters. In both events all three Dartmouth runners ran under the qualifying standard for next week's IC4A Champions.
Coach Barry Harwick called Wilbur's award and the distance runners' performances, the "two highlights" of a meet where the team performed "very well", finishing third behind Princeton and Pennsylvania.
Also scoring points for Dartmouth was returning Heptagonal Champion Aaron Culliney '96, who followed up his victory in last years' 800 meters by taking the 500 meter crown. Culliney also anchored 4x 800 meter relay, splicing Dartmouth between the Naval Academy and Princeton. All three teams finished within 0.41 seconds of each other.
In the field events, Dartmouth received strong performances from Adam Nelson '97 and Dave Erikson '96. Nelson finished second in the shot put. Erikson placed fifth in the shot put and forth in the 35 pound weight throw.
Like the men, the women were lead by a number of strong distance performances and a high finish in the shot put.
Overall Dartmouth finished fifth, moving up from its seventh place finishes of the last two years. Assistant Coach Ellen O'Neil said the team was "very happy with the outcome."
Amy Winchester '96 won the shot put for the second time in her career. Winchester finished finished third last year and first her freshman year.
On the track, Maribel Sanchez '96 led the team in the 5,000 meters. Sanchez ran the seventh fastest time in the nation, according to O'Neil, but finished second to All-American Laura Woeller of Cornell. Sanchez led for the first 24 laps before being outpaced the last 200 meters. Sanchez's time of 16:40.4 is under the provisional NCAA qualifying time. Showing the depth of the team's distance runners, teammate Deidre Milligan '98 finished third.
Dartmouth distance runners also performed well in the 3,000 meters and the mile. Senior Kristin Cobb placed third in the 3,000, while Kristin Manwaring '96 finished second in the mile.
Karen Reiper '95 finished third in the pentathlon.
O'Neil said Dartmouth athletes competed in a number of exciting races. The 5,000 meters was decided on the last lap. The mile came down to the last 80 meters. No race was closer than the 4x800 meter relay. All three anchor runners, from Brown, Harvard, and Dartmouth received the baton together, and the race was decided over the last 50 meters. Dartmouth finished third.
The women move on to ECAC championships next weekend.
