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Five Owls to Compete at NCAA Track & Field Championships

Janel Haggerty is one of five   KSC Owls competing this weekend.
Janel Haggerty is one of five KSC Owls competing this weekend.

KEENE, N.H. 3/9/11 - Keene State College has qualified five athletes for the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championship that take place this weekend (March 11-12) at Capital University in Bexley, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus.

Named USSTFCCA New England Region field athlete of the year on Wednesday, senior Bryan Kolacz (Brentwood, N.H.), competing in the weight throw, will get things going for the Owls on Friday.

Kolacz, who earned All-America honors with his sixth-place finish in the event last year, brings the top qualifying mark (65’-9”) into the meet ( second all- time in Division III).

Despite being hampered by a mild shoulder injury, Kolacz is looking forward to competing against a very strong field. “I tend to rise to the occasion in big competitions,” he said. “I want to end my indoor college career on a good note.”

“I like his chances,” said KSC throwing coach John Napolitano. “I have no doubt that when Bryan gets there and the adrenaline starts pumping, he’ll do just fine.”

Four members of the KSC women’s track team join Kolacz at the championships. Senior Amy Knoblock (Plymouth, Mass.), junior Paige Mills (Keene, N.H.), and sophomores Maggie Fitter (Branford, Conn.) and Janel Haggerty (Guilford, Conn.) will be competing at the national meet for the first time.

Keene State track coach Peter Thomas has tried to play down the magnitude of the meet. “I try to tell them it’s just larger than other meets they have been to this season, but you can’t blame them for being nervous,” he said.

Knoblock will be busy on Friday, racing in the trials of the mile and two hours later in the distance medley relay. Seeded fourth in the mile with a time of 4:55.04, Knoblock says she is both nervous and excited. “I’m going to approach it like any other race,” she said. “I’m hoping to do well and earn All-America.”

“Amy has worked hard and really blossomed this past year,” said Thomas. “She’s adapted well to the mile and has become more aggressive in her races.”

Over the years, Keene State runners have had success in the DMR, earning All- America honors four times (2002, 2003, 2006, and 2008), including the national championship in 2006.

Seeded seventh with a time of 11:53.88, the Owl DMR team of Knoblock, Fitter, Haggerty, and Mills should be right in the thick of the battle for All- America. The 10 teams are separated by seven and a half seconds. “If everyone does their part, they’re certainly capable of getting All-American,” said Thomas.

“The bigger the meet, the more excited I get,” said Haggerty. “I feed off the energy.”

“We work well together,” said Fitter about her DMR teammates. “We all trust each other and know we’re going to do our best.”

The Owls hope to have two runners competing on Saturday. Knoblock is expected to reach the finals in the mile and Mills will be competing in the 5,000-meter race.

After missing the first nine weeks of the season, Mills qualified for the nationals in the final meet of the season, posting a time of 17:09.96 at last weekend’s ECAC championship. “I feel so lucky,” said Mills, who was competing in a 5K indoor race for just the second time in her career. “I just kept thinking about the NCAAs as I sprinted toward the finish line.”

Seeded sixth among the 15 entries, Mills can’t wait to get back on the track. “Running indoors is still new to me, but I’m feeling more confident and comfortable with every race,” she said.

“This could be a nice weekend,” said Thomas. “Everyone is up for the big challenge.”

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