Track and field concludes season at NCAAs

Amanda Walker and Anthony Bonura’s senior trips consisted of spending last weekend in… Amanda Walker and Anthony Bonura’s senior trips consisted of spending last weekend in Sacramento, Calif., for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Unlike a typical senior trip however, this one was all business. Business became mixed with pleasure when the results came in, however, as both seniors left California with souvenirs.

Representing Pitt for the last time, Walker and Bonura went out with a bang, both achieving All-American status. Bonura finished ninth in the javelin throw to become a first time All-American. Walker, who also received All-American accolades at the NCAA Indoor Championships, became an NCAA Outdoor All-American by finishing in seventh place in the shot put. Walker was an integral part of the 2004-2005 women’s team, who swept the Big East and Eastern College Athletic Conference indoor and outdoor championships this season. In her illustrious career at Pitt, Walker has set numerous Pitt and Big East records, has been a Big East champion while being named the Most Outstanding Field Performer and has now repeated as an All-American athlete.

The other competing Pitt athletes fared reasonably well at nationals. The women’s 4×100-meter relay team of Lamoy Stephens, Kimberly Lyles, Shanea and Shantea Calhoun finished in 13th place. Sophomore Justin Clickett, who previously achieved All-American status at the NCAA Indoor Championships, failed to make the finals and finished in 25th in the preliminaries.

Freshman pole-vaulter Keith Higham cleared the opening jump but didn’t move on to the finals and finished in 14th place. Senior Tamara McGill closed out her Pitt career with a personal best 12th-place finish in the heptathlon while sophomore Julianna Reed was disqualified in 400-meter hurdles for a hurdle infraction and did not finish.

The remaining competitions left in the 2004-2005 track and field season are the U.S.A. Junior and Senior National Outdoor Championships, held next weekend at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Freshman Martina Hallman and the Calhoun sisters will compete at the junior event. Hallman qualified in the long jump, triple jump and 400-meter hurdles, while the Calhoun twins qualified in the 100- and 200-meter dashes.

Another freshman, pole-vaulter Nicole Pitchford, looks to meet the qualifying mark and join the other girls at the junior event. Senior Tony Bonura and junior Marissa Dudek plan on attending a “last chance” meet with the hopes of qualifying for the senior event, held at the same venue.

With the NCAA championships behind them, the Panthers have now all but closed the book on one of the most successful seasons in team history. Along with the four freshman, two sophomores and junior who competed at nationals, the Panthers will be returning many more talented athletes in late summer, as well as welcoming new recruits to the team.