Track and Field Preview
Dec 5, 2019
DUBUQUE, Iowa – The University of Dubuque track and field teams get the 2019-2020 season underway on Saturday, the Spartans return a wealth of talent and will sprinkle in some newcomers to make another push in the American Rivers Conference.
The last few seasons, the Spartans have always seemed to peak at the right time and 2018-19 season was no different as both the women’s and men’s team came away with fourth place finishes at the 2019 American Rivers Conference Championships. UD came away with six conference titles, three for the women and three for the men.
2019 A-R-C Champion and All-American in the 200m dash, Alison Beeman, is back for her senior campaign. Beeman, who already owns the school record for the 200m dash, currently sits in third in the 60m dash. The 2019 NCAA indoor qualifier in both the 60m dash and 200m dash, currently has a best time of 8.05 in the 60m dash, while the school record is, 7.82. In 2019, Beeman was also the A-R-C Outdoor Track MVP and an outdoor All-American in the 100m dash and 200m dash.
The Spartans throws team, led by USTFCCCA 2019 Outdoor Field Coach of the Year, Jake Malm, has racked up the points over the years and that should not change much for the women in 2019. Kayla Slowick returns after qualifying for the indoor national championships in the shot put and outdoor in the shot and discus. Caroline Ferguson missed the indoor championships but found her groove during the outdoor season and became an All-American after a sixth place finish.
Despite not qualifying for either national championship, Jenna Heimark had an impressive junior season. Heimark grabbed Indoor and Outdoor A-R-C Championships Field Performer of the Year for her work in the pole vault and triple jump.
On the men’s side, UD loses two of their three 2019 indoor national championship qualifiers, but return All-American senior Colfay Pointer. Pointer, an All-American in the outdoor 400m, is .42 seconds away from breaking the longest standing indoor school record, the 400m dash which was set in 1988.
Maurice Cushion-Lewis has been as steady as they come over his three seasons. The 2018 A-R-C Indoor Long Jump Champion, has been named conference performer of the week twice in his career, as well as All-Region by the USTFCCCA in 2018, is back for one more season and will look to be a force in the jumps and sprints. Joining Cushion-Lewis in the sprints in 2019 outdoor conference champion in the 100m dash, Jeremiah Steed.
Despite losing national champion, Blaze Murfin, the men’s throwing team will still return a healthy amount of talent. Returners, Austin Feyen and Zachary Naatz come back after grabbing indoor all-conference honors in the weight throw and shot put, respectively.
The Spartans bring in 17 freshman on the men's side and 13 on the women which will look to make their mark.
The Spartans begin the 2019-20 season on Saturday when they host the Battle of the Bluff with field events beginning at 1 p.m. and running at 2 p.m.
Battle of the Bluff Schedule
Field Events
1:00PM
MEN’S HIGH JUMP Followed by WOMEN’S
WOMEN’S LONG JUMP Followed by MEN’S
WOMEN’S POLE VAULT Followed by MEN’S
MEN’S WEIGHT THROW Followed by WOMEN’S
*WOMEN’S TRIPLE JUMP Followed by MEN’S after completion of LONG JUMP
*MEN’S SHOT PUT Followed by WOMEN’S after completion of WEIGHT THROW
Running Events
2:00 PM WOMEN’S 55M HURDLES FINALS
2:10 PM MEN’S 55M HURDLES FINALS
2:30 PM WOMEN’S 55M DASH PRELIM
2:45 PM MEN’S 55M DASH PRELIM
3:00 PM WOMEN’S 800M RUN
3:10 PM MEN’S 800M RUN
3:20 PM WOMEN’S 200M DASH
3:30 PM MEN’S 200M DASH
3:40 PM WOMEN’S 400M DASH
3:50 PM MEN’S 400M DASH
4:15 PM MEN’S 55M HURDLES FINAL
4:20 PM WOMEN’S 55M HURDLES FINAL
4:30 PM WOMEN’S 55M DASH FINAL
4:35 PM MEN’S 55M DASH FINAL
4:45 PM MIXED OPEN 3000M RUN
5:15 PM WOMEN’S 4x400M RELAY
5:30 PM MEN’S 4x400M RELAY
