2015 Preview
The Linfield track and field team is heading in the right direction. 47 women and 43 men make up this year's squad, 8 and 9 more respectively than last year's team. Last year's trio of NCAA national champion qualifiers Kate Shear (Javelin/Sr.), Dallas Edge (Hurdles/So.), and All-American Morgunn Ewing (Javelin/Jr.) are back hoping to lead the predominately young team forward in the NWC standings this year.
On the Men's side Northwest Conference champions Kennedy Johnson (triple jump/So.) and Jake Mihelich (400m/So.) are back with hopes to repeat their titles and earn invitations to the NCAA National Championships in May. Mihelich also has the potential to win the 200m at the NWC meet.
The sprint crew is packed with new talent with huge potential to win both relays and score a significant amount of points in the 100m and the 200m. Newcomers Jay Braun, Kane Kennedy, Spencer Payne, Dallas Fagen, and Ryan Orlandini bring a tremendous amount of speed. Don't be surprised to see those names through out the season and again in April on the podium at the NWC meet.
In the field events expect to see Steven Holland (high jump/Jr.), transfer Dallas Fagen (pole vault/So.) and Eric Igbinoba (triple jump/So.) make the podium in their respective events in April.
In the throwing events Tim Pang (discus/Sr.) and Scott Anderson (shot put/So.) have the potential to score points.
On the distance side, Chad Linnerooth (middle distance/Sr.) will lead the pack in the 1500 and Chris Poole, Adrian Clifford, Chris Roth and Jeff Lee are expected to excel in the 5000m and the 10000m races.
On the women's side the sprint crew is also packed with talent including Ellie Schmidt (Sr.), Jade Everage (Fr.), Rachael Gernhart (Jr.), Brenna Stinson (Jr.), Haley Pattishall (So.), Annie Todd (So.) and Olivia Bannerot (Fr). Stinson and Bannerot will also be competing in the Heptatholon. In addition to Edge in the hurdles, expect to see Madison Gladding (So.) and Tasha Rowland (Jr.) to add depth.
In the field events Bannerot and Stinson add potential in the long jump, Gernhart and freshman Patricia Reeves in triple jump, and Reeves, Bannerot, and Joy Harpham in high jump. For pole vault expect to see freshman Joanna Galli and Sarah Hutchison and senior twins Amanda and Dana Gibbon all competitive in April to score points.
On the distance side, expect to see Calli Dowdy (Sr.) and Jamie Rodden (Fr.) excel in the middle distances, Brooke Niemann in the steeplechase, Kaelia Neal (Fr.) in the 5000m, and Emma Knudson in the 10000m.