Wednesday, March 07, 2007

NCAA Division II Indoor: Aerial Battles Highlight Meet

This weekend's NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston will surely feature lots of great competition, but the battle for the men's high jump title on Friday might be worth the price of admission alone.

I'll just run down the basics:

-- Mankato's Jim Dilling is the defending champ.

-- Dilling set the meet record of 7-6 last year.

-- Last year's indoor runner-up, Keith Moffat of Morehouse, also jumped 7-6. (Dilling won by making 7-6 on his second attempt; Moffat needed three tries.)

-- Moffat won the NCAA Division II outdoor title at 7-6 -- Dilling was third.

-- Dilling has jumped a D2 leading 7-6 1/2 this year.

-- Moffat's season-zenith is 7-5 3/4.

-- Both are seniors.

... hand me the popcorn and a score sheet, please, and don't block my view!

Fellow Mankato Maverick Katelin Rains expects to be part of her own epic aerial battle. She's seeded #2 at 13-6 1/2 in Friday's women's pole vault. Top-seeded Angie Aguilar of Abilene Christian has jumped but one thin centimeter higher. There's pedigree behind the current rivals, too: Mankato alum Amanda Frame holds the D2 record at 13-1 1/2 from 2005; Abilene Christian's Billy Olson was the first male vaulter to clear 19 feet indoors

Additionally, Moorhead's Jennifer Hensel is ranked #3 in the event.

Other North Star State athletes to follow in the meet include top-seeded weight thrower Emily King of Winona State and fellow #1 seed Sheena Devine of Bemidji State in the shot put. Minnesota State - Moorhead's Derik Brugger is the #2 seeded pole vaulter, Minnesota - Duluth's Liz Palkie is the #3 seed in the 800 meters, and Bemidji State's Joe Remitz the #6 seed in the shot put.

You can find men's heats and flights here; women's here. The meet begins Friday morning and concludes Saturday.

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