The UT women's track and field team attained its highest-ever regional ranking for outdoor track as the Rockets ended the year ranked No. 15 in the Great Lakes Regional Rankings. It marks the first time that the Rockets finished the academic year ranked in the Top-10 in the region in cross country (6th) and Top-15 in the region in track. The Rocket women also finished the indoor season ranked No. 16 in the region, their highest-ever indoor ranking.
Leading the charge for the Rockets in the regional rankings are two-time MAC Champions Amanda Kaverman (Jr., Sylvania, OH) and Ari Fisher (So., Lebanon, OH). Kaverman ended the regular season ranked third in the 100m (11.57) and fifth in the 200m (23.99). Fisher ended the year ranked No. 5 in the 5000-meters (16:24.27). Also ranked in the Top-10 individually in the region was senior Dagna Sztykiel (Bytom, Poland) in the steeplechase (10:43.48) and freshman Kiah Douglas (Saginaw, MI) in the long jump (19-8). Both were ranked eighth in their respective events.
Kaverman and Douglas will represent UT at the NCAA Prelimary Round at North Carolina A&T this weekend.
Despite missing Fisher and freshman steeplechase runner Emma Kertesz (Toledo, OH) for the MAC Championships, the Rockets finished eighth out of 12 schools, scoring 56 points. The 56 points were the third-highest point total since the Rockets scored 82 points in 1993. The 56 points trailed UT's totals of 57 points in 2003 and 58 points in 2001.
"This was a big step forward," said head coach Kevin Hadsell. "It has been a long struggle to build the track program since I took over in 2004. But we are now in a position to challenge for MAC titles in 2010-11 in cross country, indoor and outdoor track."
2010 Great Lakes Region Rankings (34 schools in region)
1. Indiana
2. Wisconsin
3. Ohio State
4. Michigan State
5. Indiana State
6. Michigan
7. Kent State
8. Purdue
9. Akron
10. Notre Dame
11. Western Michigan
12. Eastern Michigan
13. Central Michigan
14. Miami (Ohio)
15. Toledo
16. Wisconsin - Milwaukee
17. Cincinnati
18. Ohio
19. Dayton
20. Marquette
21. Ball State
22. Youngstown
23. Butler
24. Wright State
25. Detroit
26. IPFW
27. Oakland
28. Bowling Green
29. Xavier
30. Valparaiso
31. IUPUI
