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Bates hosted the New England Division III Track and Field Championships and Justin Easter '03 (Jay, Maine) wrapped up his illustrious career by defending his national title in the 3,000-meter steeplechase to highlight the 2002-03 season. The Bobcats finished tied for 27th at the outdoor national championships after the majority of the top athletes had to deal with nagging injuries during the indoor season. In all, four program records were set in the spring, while two were recorded during the indoor season.
Easter became Bates' first student-athlete to compete in 12 national championships. He garnered seven All-America awards and two national crowns, both in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. For the second consecutive year, he won by the smallest of margins -- .56 seconds. Joe Northrup '05 (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) also earned All-America honors at the outdoor championships, placing eighth in the decathlon. He set the school record in the event at the New England Division III Championships, amassing 6,402 points. Northrup also set the school record in the pentathlon during the winter season, breaking a 20-year old record with 3,204 points. The distance medley relay team of Malcolm Gray '03 (Bronx, N.Y.), Stephen Gresham '03 (Milton, Mass.), John Bauer '06 (Concord, Mass.) and Andrius Staisiunas '05 (Panevezys, Lithuania) broke a 21-year old record with a time of 10:04.10 at the Open New England Championships. Jesse Carney earned All-America honors during the indoor season with an eighth place finish in the weight throw at nationals.
On top of Easter's and Northrup's performances during the spring season, Matt Ondra '05 (New Tripoli, Pa.) cleared the bar at 15-3 in the pole vault to set a school record and win the NESCAC title. Dustin Gauthier '05 (Amherst, N.H.) broke the school record in the shot put with a mark of 54-3 1/4 and finished second at the Open New England Championships. Seven student-athletes earned All-Conference honors along with two relay teams.
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 The Bates coaching staff, headed by Al Fereshetian, is one of the finest and most experienced coaching staffs in New England. The 1998 New England Division III indoor track and field Coach of the Year, Fereshetian is a 1983 graduate of the University of New Hampshire. He was an assistant for the women’s track and field team at UNH before assisting at the University of Kansas from 1984 to 1988. As head coach at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C., from 1989 to 1995, Fereshetian’s men’s track and field teams won eight Southern Conference championships. Fereshetian earned the Southern Conference cross country coach-of-the-year honors three times and was named the track coach-of-the-year four times.
Throwing coach Joe Woodhead is regarded as one of the premier throwing coaches in the nation. During his 18-year tenure at Bates, he has produced 25 All-Americans and three national champions in the 35-pound weight throw and the hammer.
Assistant coach Todd Goewey, in his fourth year at Bates, works with the distance and middle distance runners. As an athlete at Appalachian State University, he ran the 1,500 meters in 3:45. Goewey is also an assistant cross country coach. |
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