Lisle, OH…The College of New Jersey men’s and women’s outdoor track and field teams continued action on Friday at the 2006 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships on the campus of Benedictine University. The three-day event will wrap up on Saturday.
           To follow the event on the web, please go to:
http://www.ben.edu/athletics/ncaataf/index.asp
           The Lions have qualified several athletes for the finals in the women’s 400 meters, the men’s and women’s 800 meter runs.
Senior Jeff Zodda (Mercerville, NJ/Notre Dame) opened his final NCAA’s with a stadium record in the trials of the 800 meter run as he posted a time of 1:50.69 to qualify for Saturday’s finals. The time in the trials broke TCNJ’s record, which Zodda held at 1:51.49. Zodda, who won the 2006 NCAA Division III Indoor Championships in the 800 meter run is looking for another NCAA Championship. As a rookie, Zodda picked up a sixth place finish in the 800 meter run at the 2003 NCAA indoor championships and a pair of honors as a sophomore in 2004 taking home sixth at the outdoor championships in the 800 meters and an eighth place finish as a member of TCNJ’s indoor distance medley relay team.
The national runner-up a year ago in the 800 meters at the 2005 NCAA Outdoor Championships and a third place finisher at the 2005 NCAA Indoor Championships in the 800 meters, Zodda is now a five-time All-American in the 800 meters for the Lions. He will compete on Saturday from lane five after recording the fastest time in the trials.
Sophomore Brian Kopnicki (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) competed on Friday in the 3,000 meter steeplechase and placed 16th in 9:56.00, but did not earn All-America honors for his efforts. He was seeded 14th after posting a qualifying time of 9:17.22.
In the women’s 400 meter run, the Lions will have two student-athletes vying for the title and All-America honors as both senior Brittny Boyd (Hackettstown, NJ/Hackettstown) and sophomore Jessica Bonelli (Sewell, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) posted qualifying times. Both finished in second in their respective heats as Bonelli had a time of 56.23 and Boyd recorded a time of 56.17.
Freshman Stephanie Herrick (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) qualified for the finals of the 800 meter run after posting the second fastest time in her heat with a time of 2:12.12. Junior Angela Tecco (Wildwood Crest, NJ/Lower Cape May) also competed in the event, but did not advance to the finals after her performance of 2:13.78 in the trials.
