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2002 Season Outlook Cedarville University returns a number of experienced athletes from last year's American Mideast Conference championship team. Eight different Yellow Jackets won events in the conference meet and four have been NAIA All-Americans in the indoor and/or outdoor circuit. "We don't have tremendous depth, but we still have some athletes who have demonstrated themselves to be NAIA All-America caliber," proclaimed nine-year head coach Paul Orchard. "We have good balance in the field events and possess our typical strength in the distance events." The best all-around athlete is senior Mike Marsh. He is a two-time NAIA All-American in the indoor pentathlon and last spring earned the honor outdoors in the decathlon. Marsh claimed the NCCAA decathlon title and was the AMC long jump champion.
No one scored more points for the Yellow Jackets last year than distance specialist Sergio Reyes. In just a little more than one full season at Cedarville, the senior from California is a two-time NAIA Indoor All-American in the 5,000 meters and was an outdoor All-American in the 5K and 10K. Reyes, who will return this fall for his final cross country season after taking last fall off, was a 2000 NAIA All-American in the sport. Senior high jumper Andy Paugh was an NAIA All-American during the indoor season this past winter. Junior 800 meter runner Drew Nelson placed third in the event for indoor All-America honors as well. Carl Traub, another senior, is the defending NCCAA champion in the hammer while junior Kent Ruth adds depth in the throwing events by concentrating on the javelin.
Josh Mark and Justin Whitaker, both juniors, join Nelson as part of the two-time defending AMC 4 x 800 meter relay championship quartet. Senior runner Jody Fox brings experience to Cedarville's distance running corps as the defending AMC champion in the 10,000 meters. He'll be joined in the distance events by classmate Justin Gerber, junior Alan Bruder, and freshmen Andy Goodenough. The Yellow Jackets will not have any home track meets this spring due to the construction of the new Fitness & Recreation Center. Highlighting the schedule is the NCCAA Nationals at Indiana Wesleyan, a trip to the NAIA Nationals, and five meets hosted by NCAA Division I schools. Cedarville's new lighted track & field complex, located at the north end of the campus, will be ready in time for the 2003 spring season. | ||||||||
