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EAST STROUDSBURG – Seniors Dan Johnson and Ian Melhorn and junior Kyle Soden will look to defend their PSAC indoor titles and four women bring the top mark in the conference into their events as East Stroudsburg University prepares for the PSAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships, which will be held Thursday through Saturday at Bloomsburg.

Johnson, the PSAC Men's Field Athlete of the Meet and Field Athlete of the Year during the indoor season, won the heptathlon and has the PSAC's top performances in the decathlon (6,495 points) and high jump (6-6) so far this outdoor season.

Melhorn, who won the 200m dash indoors and is a five-time PSAC champion in relays, was the PSAC Men's Track Athlete of the Meet in February at Edinboro and is expected to contend for titles in the 100 and 200 this weekend. He is seeded fifth in the 100 (10.89) and fourth in the 200 (21.87) and ran ESU's fastest-ever split in the 4x200 relay, 20.8 seconds, at the Penn Relays last Friday.

Soden won the high jump during the indoor season and is tied for second in the PSAC behind Johnson with a mark of 6-4 3/4 entering the outdoor championships. He is also eighth in the 110m hurdles in 15.39.

ESU's men have been the runner-up at the last three PSAC Outdoor Championships and were fourth during the indoor season this year. The women have placed in the top five at five straight outdoor championships and are coming off a third-place showing, their second in three years, during the indoor campaign.

The women are led by three familiar faces and one new one in sprinter Danielle Smith, the PSAC Women's Indoor Freshman of the Year who has the conference's top time in the 100 (12.09, school record) and second-fastest in the 200 (25.16).

Junior Rose Mascoli, a cross country and track and field All-American, is ranked first in the 10,000m (35:52.52) where she was third in last year's NCAA Division II Championships and 20th nationally this year. She is also seeded fifth in the 3000m (10:12.77) and seventh in the 1500m (4:44.47) as she pursues her first PSAC championship.

Junior Corinne Fitzgerald is the top seed in the 3000m steeplechase, lowering her school record to 10:41.72 last Thursday at the Penn Relays, and is sixth in the 10,000m.

Senior Devyn Emerich is also coming off a career outdoor best in the high jump, where she is tied for the PSAC's top mark at 5-7 which she cleared last weekend at Lehigh. Emerich has scored in six PSAC championships and has finished third three times.

The men's and women's 4x100m relays should also be in the hunt for conference titles this weekend.

The men's quartet of freshman Brandon Mercer, sophomore Keith Parker-Washington, freshman Robert Fearon and Melhorn has the PSAC's top time (41.30) by nearly seven-tenths of a second over Slippery Rock (41.97) going into the weekend. The Warriors won the title in 2009 and 2010 and return Melhorn and Parker-Washington from last year's runner-up team that ran 41.04. Melhorn was on the championship relay in 2010, his first year at ESU.

On the women's side, ESU's school-record time of 47.44 is one-hundredth of a second off Shippensburg's PSAC-leading mark of 47.43. Junior Lauren Ventrella, sophomores Colleen Murphy and Rachel Pierantozzi and Smith set the record in the season opener at Lynchburg on March 17. The Warriors last won the women's 4x100m relay in 2005 and were seventh last year.

Other women's athletes to watch include sophomore Nicole Brown, ranked second in the 400m in 57.01, who is returning from injury. Brown had the fastest time in the 400 prelims at the PSAC Indoor Championships before placing eighth in the final. Sophomore Kim Wernerspach is seeded just above Mascoli in the 1500m, ranking sixth in 4:44.44.

Ventrella, the PSAC champion in the 60m hurdles indoors as a freshman, is ranked fifth in the 100m hurdles with a school record time of 14.72 seconds.

In the field events, freshman high jumper Christina O'Connor is seeded third behind Emerich and Erin Flick (Shippensburg) with a mark of 5-5 3/4. Emerich placed third and O'Connor was fourth during the indoor season. Sophomore Theresa Horn is seeded seventh in the high jump and is fourth in the heptathlon with 3,709 points, and sophomore Laura Beimfohr is seeded fourth in the pole vault (11-7 1/4, school record).

Joining Johnson, Melhorn and Soden as top contenders for the men are a pair of javelin throwers with NCAA Division II provisional marks, juniors Matt Tholis and Russell Hedrick. The conference has produced six provisional qualifiers so far this year, with Tholis ranked fourth in the PSAC and 10th nationally at 209-4. Hedrick is sixth in the conference and 24th nationally at 196-9.

Freshman Donovan Tolbert, who has just five collegiate meets under his belt after joining the Warriors for the outdoor season, is ranked second in the triple jump with a mark of 47-9.

On the track, Mercer joins Melhorn as a leading contender in the 100, where his time of 10.88 ranks fourth in the conference. Parker-Washington is seeded 10th in the 200 (22.47) but placed third outdoors last year after entering as the 12th seed.

Senior Sam Janssen and junior Mike Saparito should be towards the top of the pack in the 800, with Janssen posting the 7th-best time (1:53.92) and Saparito owning the 9th-best time (1:54.22). Saparito won the PSAC title in the 800 during the 2011 indoor season.

In the longer distance events, sophomore Frank Fezza (6th, 14:59.32) and senior Greg Laraia (8th, 15:14.59) will look to score in the 5000m. Sophomore James Romano (6th, 9:28.90) is just nine seconds off the PSAC's top time in the 3000m steeplechase.

Profiles of ESU's top individual qualifiers are below:


Women's Top Track Qualifiers

Danielle Smith (freshman): ranked 1st in 100m dash (12.09) and 2nd in 200m (25.16) … PSAC Women's Indoor Freshman of the Year … placed 3rd in 60 and 8th in 200 at PSAC Indoor Championships … holds school records in 60m dash indoors (7.73) and 100m dash outdoors, which she ran in her first collegiate outdoor meet at Lynchburg on March 17 … also anchored 4x100m relay to ESU record 47.44 at Lynchburg … 25.16 in 200m at Lynchburg is 5th-fastest in school history.

Rachel Pierantozzi (sophomore): ranked 11th in 100m dash (25.16) … placed 6th in 60 at PSAC Indoor Championships … runs third leg of school-record 4x100m relay.

Nicole Brown (sophomore): ranked 2nd in 400m (57.01) … time is 3rd-fastest in school history … placed 8th in 400 at PSAC Indoor Championships (58.00) after running top qualifying time (57.87) in prelims … member of two third-place 4x400m relays during indoor season … expected to anchor 4x400m relay that has PSAC's fifth-best time in 3:58.54.

Rose Mascoli (junior): ranked 1st in 10K (35:52.52), 5th in 3K (10:12.77) and 7th in 1500 (4:44.47) … All-American in 5K and 10K at 2011 NCAA Outdoor Championships … NCAA provisional qualifier in 10K (one of three provisional qualifiers in the field) and ranked 20th nationally … also has provisional time in 5K (17:08.27, ranked 31st) but will not run to focus on other three races … has scored in eight events at PSAC Championship meets … placed 2nd in 3K, 3rd in 5K and 5th in 1500 at last year's PSAC Outdoor Championships … as a freshman at 2010 outdoor meet, placed 7th in 1500 and 6th in 10K … placed 4th in 5K, 6th in 3K and 7th in mile at this year's PSAC Indoor Championships … competed indoors for first time after swimming during winter for two years … holds ESU outdoor records in 3K, 5K and 10K … cross country All-American at 2010 NCAA Championships and two-time All-Region … Academic All-American … two-time member of PSAC Top 10.

Kim Wernerspach (sophomore): ranked 6th in 1500m (4:44.44) and 13th in 3000m (10:28.59) … will look to score in an individual event for the first time … member of two indoor Distance Medley Relays that placed in the top 4 the last two years … also ran on 5th-place 4x800 relay indoors as a freshman … All-PSAC in cross country in the fall with 19th-place finish at PSAC Championships.

Corinne Fitzgerald (junior): ranked 1st in 3000m steeplechase (10:41.72) and 6th in 10K (38:23.53) … lowered school record in steeplechase last Thursday at Penn Relays … ranks 15th in Division II and is one of three NCAA provisional qualifiers in the field … placed 4th in the event as a freshman and 7th as a sophomore … was 6th in indoor 3000m as a sophomore … competed in NCAA Cross Country Championships this season and NCAA Outdoor Championships in steeplechase last year … along with steeplechase records, owns ESU's #6 time in 3K, #6 time in 5K and #8 time in 10K … indoors, ranks 3rd in mile, 2nd in 3K and 3rd in 5K … Academic All-District selection.

Lauren Ventrella (junior): ranked 5th in 100m hurdles (14.72) and 21st in 200m (26.47) … leads off for school-record 4x100m relay … lowered school record in hurdles at Lafayette on April 1 … holds both indoor and outdoor hurdles records … PSAC indoor champion in 60m hurdles as a freshman, also placing 3rd in 60m dash … placed 4th in PSAC in 100m hurdles as a freshman (then-school record 14.73) and 8th as a sophomore, when she was returning from injury … placed 4th in 60m hurdles (9.00) during indoor season … holds school record in 8.94 seconds … member of six place-winning relays … 2nd team All-PSAC East and scored 9 goals as a forward in field hockey in 2011.

Aniyah Williams (junior): ranked 9th in 100m hurdles (15.32) and 17th in long jump (16-11 1/4) … will look to score in the hurdles for the first time … placed 7th in long jump last year at 16-5 3/4 … has ESU's #3 time in 100m hurdles (15.10) and #2 time in 60m hurdles indoors (9.29).


Women's Top Field Qualifiers

Devyn Emerich (senior): tied for 1st in high jump (5-7) … one of two NCAA provisional qualifiers in the field and tied for 16th nationally … three-time NCAA provisional qualifier and six-time scorer at PSAC championships … cleared 5-7 last Saturday at Lehigh, the #5 mark in school history … placed 3rd during indoor season (5-4 1/4) … also tied for 3rd indoors in 2009 and 2011 … 5th indoors in 2010 … 4th outdoors in 2009 and 2010.

Christina O'Connor (freshman): ranked 3rd in high jump (5-5 3/4) … won ESU's All-American Meet on April 21 … placed 4th during indoor season at 5-4 1/4 and was NCAA provisional qualifier with mark of 5-6.

Laura Beimfohr (sophomore): ranked 4th in pole vault (11-7 1/4) … broke her own school record at the All-American Meet … mark is a half-inch off the NCAA provisional qualifier ... holds indoor (11-6 1/2) and outdoor school records … provisional qualifier indoors for two straight years … has placed in top 4 at three straight PSAC championships … tied for 3rd (11-3 3/4) during indoor season .. placed 3rd indoors as a freshman … tied for 4th (11-2 1/2) outdoors last year.

Lauren Hannan (junior): ranked 10th in triple jump (36-0 3/4) and 22nd in long jump (16-7) … triple jump mark is 7th in school history … ran on 4x100 relay the last two years … has ESU's #6 mark in indoor long jump (17-4, freshman record) and #10 mark outdoors (17-4 3/4).

Liana Ercan (freshman): ranked 10th in discus (120-8) … PSAC qualifying mark came at ESU's All-American Meet on April 21.

Theresa Horn (sophomore): ranked 4th in heptathlon (3,709 points) and 7th in high jump (5-3 3/4) … recorded heptathlon score at Kutztown's Mondschein Multis on April 12-13 and hit PR in high jump at All-American Meet … placed 8th in pentathlon at PSAC Indoor Championships with 2,819 points.


Men's Top Track Qualifiers

Ian Melhorn (senior): ranked 4th in 200m (21.87) and 5th in 100m (10.89) … anchored PSAC's top time in 4x100m relay (41.30) … also member of 4x400 relay for third straight year … PSAC indoor champion in 200 (21.96) and placed 4th in 60 (7.02) … five-time PSAC champion on relays … member of four relays that currently hold school records – indoor 4x2 and 4x4 and outdoor 4x1 and 4x2 … ran ESU record 20.8 split on 4x200 relay last Friday at Penn Relays … placed 6th in 100 and 200 and ran second leg on 2nd-place 4x100 relay at last year's PSAC Championships … member of PSAC champion 4x100 relay in 2010 … relay earned All-America status at NCAA Outdoor Championships … outdoors, holds ESU's #2 time in 200 (21.53) and #5 time in 100 (10.70) … indoors, holds school record in 60 (7.00), ranks #3 in 200 (21.89), #2 in 300 (34.98) and #6 in 400 (49.95).

Brandon Mercer (freshman): ranks 4th in 100m (10.88) … leads off for PSAC's top 4x100m relay … 100m dash time is 9th in school history and five-hundredths off the freshman record … placed 6th in 60m dash at PSAC Indoor Championships (7.04) … holds ESU freshman record and #3 time overall in 60 (7.02).

Keith Parker-Washington (sophomore): ranks 10th in 200m (21.87), 8th in long jump (22-1) and runs on 4x100m and 4x400m relays … two-time PSAC champion in relays … last year, placed 3rd in 200 in 22.23 … led off for 2nd-place 4x400 relay at this year's PSAC Indoor Championships … ran on PSAC champion 4x400 relays both indoors and outdoors as a freshman … outdoor 4x400 squad set school record in 3:13.91 … also ran on 2nd-place 4x100 relay outdoors.

Damien Boham (freshman): ranks 11th in 400m (49.17) and anchors 4x400m relay … ran 47.5 split to anchor 4x400 relay at All-American Meet … ran on 2nd-place 4x400m relay and DMR at PSAC Indoor Championships … tied for 9th outdoors and ranked 7th indoors on ESU's 400m lists … also owns #10 time in outdoor 800 (1:55.12).

Sam Janssen (senior): ranks 7th in 800m (1:53.92) … ran time at All-American Meet which ranks #4 in school history … member of 2nd-place DMR at this year's PSAC Indoor Championships … two-time placewinner in 800 … placed 7th indoors in 2010 and 6th outdoors in 2009 as a freshman … ran on 2nd-place 4x800 relay indoors as a sophomore … ranks #8 at ESU in indoor 800 (1:56.83).

Mike Saparito (junior): ranks 9th in 800m (1:54.22) … PSAC indoor champion in 800 and anchored winning 4x800m relay as a sophomore … holds both school records in 800, 1:52.96 outdoors and 1:53.19 indoors … has finished in the top 5 in 800 in all four PSAC championships in his career … missed 2012 indoor season due to injury … placed 5th outdoors in 2011 (1:53.08) after setting school record in prelims … was 3rd indoors and 5th outdoors as a freshman … also ran on 2nd-place 4x800 relay as a freshman.

Amr Aldeen (junior): ranks 11th in 800m (1:55.44) and 23rd in 1500m (4:02.52) … placed 6th in 1500 outdoors as a freshman … 5th in mile indoors as a sophomore … member of PSAC champion and school record 4x800 relay during 2011 indoor season … has ESU's #9 time in outdoor 1500 (3:57.56) and #5 time in 3K (8:47.02) … ranks #6 in mile (4:15.86) and #10 in 1000 (2:33.62) on indoor list.

Frank Fezza (sophomore): ranked 6th in 5K (14:59.32) and 19th in 1500m (4:01.63) … placed 4th in 3K and ran on 2nd-place DMR at PSAC Indoor Championships … missed 2011 season due to injury … 6th in 3K and ran on 2nd-place 4x800 relay indoors as a freshman in 2010 … holds school record in indoor 3K (8:30.45) and ranks #4 in mile (4:15.59) … outdoors, ranks #5 in 800 (1:54.02), #10 in 1500 (3:57.76) and #9 in 5K (14:59.32) … two-time All-PSAC and All-Region in cross country … placed 12th in PSAC and 18th in Region last fall.

Greg Laraia (senior): ranks 8th in 5K (15:14.59) and 13th in 10K (32:43.12) … has ESU's #9 time in 3K (8:53.36) on outdoor list … two-time All-PSAC and All-Region in cross country … placed 19th in PSAC and 25th in Region last fall.

James Romano (sophomore): ranks 6th in 3000m steeplechase (9:28.90) … time ranks #7 in school history … also has #7 time in 3K (8:51.27) … two-time scorer in NCAA Regional in cross country.


Men's Top Field Qualifiers

Dan Johnson (senior): ranks 1st in decathlon (6,495 points) and 1st in high jump (6-6) … only NCAA provisional qualifier in field in decathlon and ranks 18th in DII … achieved both PSAC-leading marks at Charlotte in season opener … PSAC indoor champion in heptathlon (4,866 points) and tied for 3rd in high jump (6-3 1/2) … PSAC Men's Indoor Field Athlete of the Meet and Field Athlete of the Year … holds school records in heptathlon (4,866) and decathlon (6,516) … has scored in multis at all seven PSAC Championships in his career (all in top six) … six-time scorer in high jump … placed 3rd in decathlon and heptathlon as a junior … runner-up in decathlon as a sophomore … six-time NCAA provisional qualifier in multis.

Kyle Soden (junior): tied for 2nd in high jump (6-4 3/4) and ranks 8th in 110m hurdles (15.39) … PSAC indoor champion in high jump (6-5 1/2) and placed 4th in 60m hurdles (8.49) … has scored in high jump at all five PSAC Championships in career … 3rd both indoors and outdoors as a sophomore … tied for 4th outdoors as a freshman … has also scored three times in the hurdles … ranks #5 at ESU in 110 hurdles (14.78) and tied for 9th in high jump (6-6 3/4) … ranks 3rd in 60m hurdles (8.37) and 6th in high jump (6-8 3/4) on indoor list … NCAA provisional qualifier in high jump during indoor season.

Donovan Tolbert (freshman): ranks 2nd in triple jump (47-9) and tied for 8th in high jump (6-2 3/4) … one of three NCAA provisional qualifiers in triple jump in field and ranks 29th nationally … hit mark on April 13 at Bloomsburg in third career meet … mark is #7 on ESU's outdoor list.

Brandon Hillman (senior): ranks 7th in triple jump (44-10 3/4) and 11th in long jump (21-6 1/4) … eight-time scorer at PSAC Championships – four times in the triple jump, twice in the long jump and twice in the hurdles … placed 3rd indoors and 4th outdoors in triple jump as a freshman … 7th outdoors in long jump last season … was NCAA qualifier in triple jump with mark of 49-4 1/4 but did not compete due to injury … ranks #3 outdoors and #4 indoors (47-8) on ESU's triple jump lists.

Matt Tholis (junior): ranks 4th in javelin (209-4) with NCAA provisional qualifying mark … one of six provisional qualifiers in the field and ranks 10th nationally … hit mark on April 1 at Lafayette, 7th-best in school history … threw 208-4 to finish 3rd at Penn Relays last Saturday … won ESU's All-American Meet on April 21 at 205-8 … NCAA Division III national qualifier at Rowan in 2010 … competing in first PSAC Championship meet.

Russell Hedrick (junior): ranks 6th in javelin (196-9) with NCAA provisional qualifying mark … one of six provisional qualifiers in the field and ranks 24th nationally … hit mark last week at Lehigh … also hit provisional mark with throw of 194-5 at All-American Meet … NCAA provisional qualifier as a sophomore … placed 6th in PSAC at 193-5 last spring.

Casey Ciaston (freshman): ranks 8th in discus (139-2), 14th in shot put (46-7 1/4) and 16th in hammer (149-6) … ranked #7 at ESU in hammer.

Joseph Thieme (freshman): ranks 11th in discus (138-0) … has ESU's #8 mark in hammer (137-10), just missing PSAC qualifying mark.

Travis Toth (freshman): ranks 10th in hammer (155-0), 10th in discus (138-3) and 20th in shot put (43-5 1/4) … ranks #6 at ESU in hammer … has #4 mark in indoor weight throw (51-2 3/4) and holds freshman record.