Trio of University of Delaware Track & Field Standouts to Compete at NCAA East Regionals Thursday
May 25, 2011
Photos: John Viotto (top) and Jim Schwendtner (bottom)
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The University of Delaware will be well-represented when the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track & Field East Regionals get underway at Indiana University’s Robert C. Haugh Track & Field Complex Thursday afternoon.
For the Blue Hen men, senior John Viotto (Dayton, N.J./South Brunswick HS) will be competing in the shot put and junior Jim Schwendtner (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Shenendehowa HS) will take part in the hammer throw. On the women’s side, sophomore Vicky Caruso (Stockholm, N.J./Walkill Valley HS) will compete in the 400 meter dash.
Viotto, who captured the Colonial Athletic Association shot put and discus titles two weeks ago, is rated No. 35 among all shot putters with a UD record toss of 17.15 meters and will compete in the event Thursday at 1 p.m. The top-rated thrower is Auburn’s Stephen Saenz.
Viotto, who also earned All-East honors earlier this month when he placed eighth in the discus and ninth in the shot put at the IC4A Championships, has captured 14 career outdoor meet titles, including nine this season.
Schwendtner, who captured the CAA hammer throw competition for the second straight season earlier this month, owns the 31st best distance in the meet with a throw of 59.78 meters. Marcel Lomnicky of Virginia Tech had the best throw at 75.84 meters. The hammer event will take place on Friday at 11 a.m.
Schwendtner, who captured the hammer title at the Penn Relays in April, has won eight career meet titles in the hammer.
Caruso, the 2010 CAA Rookie of the Year who captured the 400 meter dash and the 4 x 400 meter dash at the CAA meet two weeks ago, is ranked No. 25 in the 400 meters with a season-best time of 53.86. She will compete in the preliminaries of the 400 meters on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Should she advance, she will compete in the quarterfinals Friday at 5:30 p.m. Joanna Atkins of Auburn has posted the lowest time this season with a time of 51.83.
Caruso, who also captured the ECAC Championship in the 400 meters earlier this month, has won 23 meet individual and relay titles during her two-year career.
The trio of Delaware standouts are among 50 student-athletes from CAA schools competing at the three-day event.
The top finishes from each race will continue on to the NCAA Division I Championships on June 8-11 at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
