Junior Aaron Megazzi picked up his fourth All-American honor with a third place finish in the men’s 5,000 meter final at the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships which concluded on Saturday at Fresno Pacific University. Megazzi also placed third in this event two years ago as a freshman, but struggled with injury last year and finished in eighth place.

“Aaron was determined to be an All-American again after what he felt was failing to do so last year,” said head coach Russell Smelly. “He had a good game plan to keep moving with the front and he followed that really well on a very hot and difficult day. Aaron is a unique competitor. He can be vexing in some areas, but when it comes to competition, he is all heart, determination and talent.”

[results]

Junior Anna Stumbo has given Westmont Track and Field back-to-back national championships in the women’s marathon at the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Fresno. Stumbo won the event in a time of 2:51:31, more than four and one-half minutes ahead of the second place finisher. Junior Lisa Greigo also competed for Westmont, finishing in eleventh place with a time of 3:13:43. It was the first time either athlete had run a marathon.

Junior Leanne Riggin began the event, but was forced to withdraw after more than 17 miles due to breathing difficulties. Riggin, who struggles with asthma, was a top-ten finisher the previous two seasons and had hoped to find a place in the top-six this year, thereby earning all-American status.

[results]

Click here for more photos.

Aaron Megazzi and Jeff Thompson each qualified on Friday to move on to the finals in their respective events at the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships which are being held at Fresno Pacific University. Megazzi placed fifth in the second heat of the men’s 5,000 meter semifinals with a time of 15:06.55. The top six runners in each heat, plus the next four fastest times, advanced to the finals.

“It was a strategic race like most prelim races,” said Megazzi. “I tried to stay in a spot where I knew that I could hold it off until the end. In that last lap, someone started to pull away. I heard that we were in a pack of seven, so I knew that no matter what I was going to qualify to advance. So I turned it down a little bit but got fifth place just to be sure. I felt really happy about it.”

[results]

Westmont junior Lindsey Connolly, a native of Carpinteria, earned recognition as an All-American Friday afternoon at the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships held at Fresno Pacific. In 93 degree heat, Connolly finished sixth in the 3,000 Meter Race Walk in a time of 17:31.23 which was 36 seconds better than her best previous mark.

“I was definitely feeling the effects of the heat,” said Connolly. “But I had a goal I really wanted to accomplish so I focused on that more than the heat.”

Connolly, who took up the race walking event in January after returning from a semester in New Zealand, has been steadily improving her time over the 2007 season. The only female collegiate race walker west of the Mississippi to qualify for a national championship this season, Connolly has earned the distinction of being the ‘best in the west’.

Senior Caleb Ambrose qualified for the finals of the 1500 Meters at the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships by finishing sixth in the trials on Thursday with a time of 3:54.78. The finals will be held at 3:10 p.m. on Saturday at the event which is being held at Fresno Pacific University. Also advancing was senior Jeff Thompson who placed second in the second heat of the 400 Meter Hurdle Trials with a time of 54.33. Thompson will compete in the semifinals on Friday at 5:35 p.m.

“I knew where I needed to be,” said Ambrose, “top six and under 3:57. The pack moved around a lot but I got through it and made the splits that I wanted to make. I had to convince myself I could do it about five or six times.”

[men’s results]

Westmont men’s basketball head coach John Moore has announced the signing of Dan Rasp of Camarillo and Evan Haines of Bellevue, Washington for the 2007-08 season. Haines, a 6-8, First Team All-Emerald City League post player from Bellevue Christian, averaged 14.7 points and 11.7 rebounds per game in his senior year. Rasp, a 6-6 forward from Camarillo High School, averaged 18.2 points and 10.8 boards per contest.

“Dan was Athlete of the Year at Camarillo High School,” said Moore, “which tells you he is a high quality young man who is also a capable basketball player. His brother (Derek) played at UCSB and is someone we really liked as a player. Dan has a little bit more size and is probably a little bit more of a rebounder than Derek was. Dan’s up side is through the roof. Our guys really like him and feel comfortable and confident with him.”

When the International Triathlon Union was looking for an athletic trainer to help triathletes in their Elite Athlete Development Project (EADP), they turned to Diana Palmer, Westmont’s head athletic trainer. The EADP program assists triathletes who have shown world class talent but whose national federations do not provide the resources necessary to help them reach their potential.

Palmer, who has been caring for Westmont athletes since the fall of 1989, made her first of four trips this past March traveling to Mooloobaba, Australia. While there, she worked with a team of coaches and trainers to provide assistance to athletes from around the world.

“I worked with athletes from Croatia, Serbia, Costa Rica, Israel, Moldova, Finland, Malaysia and Korea,” said Palmer. “The first day we met with the coaches which the ITU had brought in to help the athletes. They pick coaches who they think have good philosophies and ethics. Also present was the national director, Libby Burrell. We spent the morning getting to know each other and reading athlete bios. We also discussed which of the athletes brought their own coaches and how to work with them. “The rest of the first day we watched the athletes swimming in the pool, looking at their swim and breathing techniques.”