Temple University Athletics
Indoor Track Teams Open Season On Friday at Jack Pyrah Invitational
11.30.06 | Men's Track and Field
Nov. 30, 2006
PHILADELPHIA - The components to a strong track and field program are beginning to fall into place at Temple University. Both the men's and women's teams now have enough athletes to compete in every event, from the sprints to the distance events and from the throws to the pole vault. Add in two new assistant coaches, Mathis Harrison and Todd Witzleben, and the Owls are on the right track to compete for an Atlantic 10 Championship.
Now in her third season, head coach Stefanie Scalessa has two recruiting classes under her belt and wants to speed along the process of building a program. Vying for an Atlantic 10 Championship may be a few years away, but finishing among the top several teams is certainly within reach.
One hurdle Scalessa must clear is the overall inexperience of her team. Only two seniors occupy spots in the program, one each on the men's and women's teams. Out of a combined 73 athletes on the two teams, 55 are either freshman or sophomores.
"We're looking for the underclassmen to perform like upperclassmen," Scalessa said. "It is a lot to ask but we feel that it is something that many of them are capable of."
The two seniors, Tynisha Gardner and Dave D'Addario, have grown into leadership roles and are doing their best to bring along their inexperienced teammates. Gardner is a three-time Atlantic 10 Champion in the indoor 400m, indoor 500m and outdoor 400m and is closing in on several school records. D'Addario set a new school record in the indoor 3000m last season and is coming off the best cross country season of his career.
"Dave is a great leader and has a great attitude," Scalessa said. "We really expect great things from Tynisha in her final season."
On the men's side, junior Marcos Edghill, and sophomores Bryce Buffaloe and Joshua Louis will lead the Owls. Buffaloe set a new school record and was an IC4A qualifier in the indoor weight throw and scored in the shot put, discus and hammer throw at the A-10 Outdoor Championships. Edghill holds down the short sprints and hurdles and expects to be a force at the conference championships. Louis, who like Buffaloe walked onto the football team this past fall, was fifth in the 110m hurdles and sixth in the high jump at outdoor A-10s.
"Marcos will see time in all kinds of events, from the hurdles to the sprints to the jumps, and should have a good year," Scalessa said. "Josh had a nice finish last season after missing some action early on due to injury."
Another athlete to watch is junior Andrew Fries, who finished second in the javelin at A-10s last season. "We expect him to really compete for the conference title in the javelin," Scalessa said.
A bevy of distance runners from the recently reinstated cross country team will help the Cherry and White score points in events that it did not even compete in a few years ago. Sophomore Adin Mickle had his best cross country season yet, leading the Owls in their final three races of the season. Freshman Dan Rinehart led TU in his first three races and will be joined by D'Addario, sophomore Adam Moffit and Travis Gerhardt in the middle distance and distance events.
"All four distance runners have really only started to tap their potential," Scalessa said.
Several multi-event athletes add a new dimension to the men's track team, with four having impressive high school showings in the decathlon or pentathlon. Pole vaulter Joe Starecky returns to give Scalessa balance in every event, something that has been missing in recent Temple history.
"We're more rounded than we've ever been," Scalessa said. "But we're just scratching the surface as far as depth."
For the women, juniors Cheryl Anscombe, Shanice DePass and Noelle McKenzie will aid Gardner in pacing the team. McKenzie set a new school record in the indoor 1000m and finished sixth in the event at A-10s. "Noelle fought through some injuries during cross country but is healthy and ready to contribute in the middle distance for us," Scalessa said.
Anscombe holds down the short sprints and finished seventh in the outdoor 100m at A-10s. "If she stays healthy, she can make a real impact in the sprints," Scalessa said.
DePass was consistently Temple's #2 runner in cross country and is even more comfortable on the oval, scoring at A-10s in the indoor 500m and outdoor 800. "She looks better than ever and will be able to expand on what she's already done," Scalessa said.
Scalessa is also excited about another junior, transfer Kimberlyn Hill from Widener. A NCAA Division III qualifier in the triple jump, she also won the 2006 conference and ECAC Indoor and Outdoor Championship in the triple jump. Juniors LaJonel Brown and Natashia Gehr are also expected to improve upon last year's showing.
Sophomore Devon DuPont returns after a standout freshman season in which she finished second in the heptathlon and seventh in the long jump at outdoor A-10s. "I'd like to see her win the outdoor heptathlon and really help us in the long jump and hurdlers as well," Scalessa said.
Classmate Amanda Cole is back in the throwing events after setting a new school record in the outdoor hammer throw. A pair of high school teammates, sophomores Brittani Adams and Brittany Cooper, are both back with another year of experience under their belts. Two freshmen, Melissa Gale in the pole vault and Joanna Duffey in the distance events, will give the Temple women depth in events where it rarely before even competed.
Scalessa added two new coaches in the fall and both made an immediate impact. Witzleben, a six-time Atlantic 10 Champion as a distance runner at La Salle, is directing the cross country and distance runners while Harrison, a former Duquesne assistant, works with the sprinters.
"Todd is a very knowledgeable cross country runner with a ton of experience and success," Scalessa said. "He's also been outstanding as a recruiter and will really start to shine as a coach as we continue to build up the cross country programs.
"Mathis is a tremendous recruiter and motivator for our team," Scalessa said. "Everyone on our team will be able to meet their potential with him on our staff."
Temple opens its indoor season on Friday, December 1 at the Jack Pyrah Invitational at Haverford. The Atlantic 10 Indoor Championship is February 17 at Rhode Island while the A-10 Outdoor Championship is May 5-6 at Charlotte.
