Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
NCAA Championships
Nowitzke Takes Fifth Place in NCAA Track and Field Championship Finals
6/9/2007 3:11:41 AM | Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
Keppler places 13th in the pole vault
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Eastern Michigan University senior distance standout Corey Nowitzke (Monroe, Mich.-Monroe) closed out an outstanding intercollegiate career with an All-American finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase here Friday, June 8, in the NCAA Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championship. His four points helped EMU to a tie for 53rd in the meet, the top finish by a Mid-American Conference school. Kent State was the only other league school to score in the meet with one point for 69th place.
In addition to Nowitzke’s finish, EMU freshman Janice Keppler (Medina, N.Y.-Medina) also advanced to the finals in the women’s pole vault and jumped 12-feet-9.5 inches for 12th.
Nowitzke followed up his All-American 11th-place finish in the steeplechase finals in 2006 with a clocking of 3:8:34.42 for fifth. That time is third on the EMU career list behind 2004 NCAA national champion Jordan Desilets and fourth-place Olympic Trials steeplechaser Mark Smith.
In the preliminary rounds Nowitzke finished second in his heat and third overall in the steeplechase to make it into the finals. Keppler was among 13 competitors that turned in a women’s pole vault effort of 13-feet-1.5 inches and that group all advanced to the finals.
Three other EMU men’s trackmen did not make it out of prelims at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship as senior Dave Adamek (Ridgeway, Ont.-Ridgeway Crystal Beach) finished 15th overall in the shot put with a toss of 59-feet-2.75 inches, hurdler Eric Alejandro (Pembrooke Pines, Fla.-Flanagan) was clocked in :52.51 in the 400-meter hurdles to finish fourth in his heat and 19th overall, and 3,000-meter steeplechaser Josh Karanja (Ottawa, Ont.-Nepean) was 19th overall in a time of 8:52.91.
EMU Place Finishers - 2007 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championship
3,000-Meter Men’s Steeplechase - FINAL
1. Barnabas Kirui (Mississippi) 8:20.36
2. Andrew Lemoncello (Florida State) 8:27.29
3. Aaron Aguayo (Arizona State) 8:32.40
4. Billy Nelson (Colorado) 8:33.33
5. Corey Nowitzke (EMU) 8:34.42
Women’s Pole Vault - FINAL
12. Janice Keppler (EMU) 12-feet-9.5 inches
3,000-Meter Men’s Steeplechase - HEATS
Heat 1
1. Aaron Aguayo (Arizona State) 8:38.77
Q2. Corey Nowitzke (EMU) 8:39.26 Q
9. Josh Karanja (EMU) 8:52.91 DNQ
In the overall times in the prelims, combing both heats, Nowitzke was third and Karanja was 19th
Men’s Shot Put - PRELIM FLIGHTS
Flight 1
7. Dave Adamek (EMU) 59-feet-2.75 inchesIn overall prelim flights, Adamek finished 15th
Men’s 400M Hurdles - PRELIM
Heat 1
4. Eric Alejandro (EMU) :52.21
