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Wetzel Gets Personal Record During 1,500-Meter Victory Saturday 4/4/2004 TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Freshman middle distance runner Ashleigh Wetzel set a personal best and just missed qualifying for the NCAA Regional Championships with a victory in the 1,500-meter run Saturday at the Crimson Tide Invitational. Wetzel, from Lewisburg, Pa., opened the outdoor season in superb fashion, leading six Commodores among the first seven finishers in the 1,500 meters. Wetzel finished in 4:30.89, becoming the fifth fastest Commodore ever at the distance. Two other Commodores, sophomore Latisha Bryant and junior Paige Roberts, joined Wetzel as event winners. Bryant captured the 400 meters while Roberts was first in the pole vault. Wetzel, coming off an eighth-place finish in the mile at the Southeastern Conference Championships to cap a successful indoor campaign, needs to run under 4:29.5 to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Regionals. Wetzel had plenty of Commodore support in the event. Sophomore Erika Schneble, runnerup in the SEC Indoor 5,000-meter run last month, sliced 12 seconds off her previous best with a 4:31.05 runnerup finish. Four other teammates also finished strong in the 1,500 – senior Jocelyn Theriault (fourth, 4:40.65), freshman Debbie Huss (fifth, 4:43.40), freshman Lauren Pence (sixth, 4:45.29) and sophomore Brittany Sizer (seventh, 4:47.40). Bryant, from Atlanta, Ga., won the 400 comfortably with a 57.13 performance. Roberts, a native of Atascadero, Calf., captured the pole vault with a 10’11.75″ clearance, just ahead of teammates Kathryn Yates and Laura Miller. Five other Commodores finished second in their competition, including Andrea Andrews, long jump, 18’4.25″; Alisa Cotter, 800 meters, 2:17.31; Amanda Mullins-Hall, 100-meter hurdles, 14:20; Allyson Sisler, javelin, 120’11”; and Jackie Wachsman, 3,000 meters, 10:34.07. |
