INVADERS’ CARRI LONG FINISHES FOURTH AT WORLD TRIALS

June 25, 2001
(EUGENE, OR) The Indiana Invaders completed the final day of the World Trials with Carri Long placing fourth in the high jump with a 1.79. Long wrapped up the final day of competition for the Invaders with her best finish ever at outdoor nationals. Lamont Dagen also competed on the final day of competition, but did not make the finals of the triple jump.

Overall the Invaders placed 5 in the top ten, had two berths to the US National Team, and saw Olympian DeDee Nathan win the heptathlon for a second year in a row.

"Typically in our sport this is a let-down year after the Olympics; however, we’ve actually grown our numbers with more athletes competing (15 vs. 13), more in the top ten (5 vs. 3), and doubled the number making the National Team (2 vs. 1)," commented Club Director Greg Harger.

Top Ten Performances include:

1 Heptathlon   DeDee Nathan
2 Decathlon    Phil McMullen
4 High Jump    Carri Long
8 Long Jump    Jada Phelps
9 1500         Collette Liss

USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships:
http://www.eugenechamps.com/

For further information on the Indiana Invaders, please contact Greg Harger at 317 289-4018.

INVADERS' 1500 DUO WRAPS UP DAY THREE AT THE WORLD TRIALS
CARRI LONG & LAMONT DAGEN TO COMPETE ON DAY FOUR

June 23, 2001
(EUGENE, OR) The Indiana Invaders' Collette Liss, a Valparaiso, Ind. native, was joined by teammate Priscilla Hein in the 1500 finals on Saturday in front of 9,118 spectators at the 2001 USATF National Championship in Eugene, Ore. Liss finished ninth, Hein finished 11th.

The final day on Sunday of this weekends' competition in Eugene will feature Carri Long, a Brazil, Ind. native, in the high jump. Long finished fourth at the 2001 National Indoor Championships with a jump of 1.82 and has an outdoor best 1.83 this season.

Lamont Dagen, who finished eighth at the 2001 Indoor National Championships, will join Long on the final day with a goal of improving on his PR of 16.45 in the triple jump. Both look to challenge for their best outdoor championship finish.

USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships:
http://www.eugenechamps.com/

For further information on the Indiana Invaders, please contact Greg Harger at 317 289-4018.

INVADERS TAKE TOP SPOTS IN THE MULTI-EVENTS
NATHAN AND MCMULLEN ADVANCE TO THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
June 22, 2001
(EUGENE, OR) Invaders’ Olympian DeDee Nathan won the heptathlon on Friday in front of a spirited crowd of 6,843 at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. Nathan started day two in third place. Her winning jump of 6.33 in the first event, the long jump, moved her into first place. Teammate Phil McMullen also posted big gains in the decathlon on day two in route to his second place PR finish. Both Nathan and McMullen will represent the U.S. at the World Championships in Edmonton, Canada in August.

In addition to her 6.33 in the long jump, Nathan scored third in the javelin (43.41) and sixth in the 800 (2:19.77) with a total of 6174 points. Nathan won the Olympic Trials in 2000 and World Indoor Championships in 1999 as a member of the Invaders.

On day two, McMullen placed ninth in the 110HH (14.72), first in the discus throw (48.89), second in the pole vault with a huge PR (5.20), fourth in the javelin (55.23), and second in the 1500 with a 4:17.04. McMullen finished a mere 21 points out of first place with 8220 points.

McMullen said "Everything went really well and I’m excited to make the team for Edmonton. I PRed in the vault and had a PR for my total score. This is really exciting. I was solid throughout the competition and I’m very pleased." McMullen’s previous decathlon PR was 8097.

"Phil put together a great decathlon. He had trained hard and competed with heart," added coach Aron McGuire.

Tara Loper finished 12th in the hammer throw with a toss of 59.13. "Tara moved up five places [from her pre-meet seeding] and had her second farthest throw of the season," said coach Matt Gaston. Gaston added, "I was very happy with her performance."

Hope Sanders missed a trip to the finals by one place in the 800. Le’gretta Smith failed to advance out of the 400 hurdles to the finals.

USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships:
http://www.eugenechamps.com/

For additional information on the Indiana Invaders, please contact Greg Harger at 317 289-4018.

INVADERS’ NEWCOMER TAKES EIGHTH PLACE AT WORLD TRIALS

June 20, 2001
(EUGENE, OR) At the World Trials in Eugene, Oregon, on June 21 the opening day crowd of 4,726 saw nine Invaders in competition. 2001 Ball State graduate Jada Phelps, a native of Indianapolis, Ind. and a graduate of Heritage Christian H.S., took eighth place in the long jump with a leap of 6.13. Phelps was the only athlete with a final on Thursday.

Invaders’ Olympian DeDee Nathan, a graduate of Indiana University and a native of Fort Wayne, Ind., wrapped up day one of the heptathlon in third place a mere 59 points behind the leader. Nathan placed third in the 100H (13.47), seventh in the high jump (1.71), second in the shot put (14.24), and fifth in the 200 (24.54) for a first day total of 3661 points.

With Nathan in contention in the heptathlon, teammate Phil McMullen ran 11.37 in the 100 for fourteenth place; however, McMullen placed eighth in the long jump (7.06), won the shot put (15.24), and tied for eighth in the high jump (1.98). McMullen finished day one in sixth place with 4019 points.

Coach Aron McGuire commented, “Phil was ahead of schedule in the shot and long jump, but was caught sleeping in the blocks in the 100.” McMullen’s shot put throw was .01 off his PR and literally threw him into 6th place. Both Nathan and McMullen will begin day two of competition on Friday.

1500 trials saw current Indoor National Mile Champion, Collette Liss, and teammate Priscilla Hein advance to the finals on Saturday at 5:00pm PST. Liss finished second in heat one (4:24.84) and Hein was fifth in heat two with a 4:19.34.

In the 400 hurdles Le’gretta Smith advanced to the semi-finals; however, teammate Linise Gordon, a 2001 graduate of Ball State University, did not advance. Kathy Kadziolka and Judy Porter did not advance from the qualifying rounds of the 3000SC.

USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships:
http://www.eugenechamps.com/

For additional information on the Indiana Invaders, please contact Greg Harger at 317 289-4018.

INVADERS HEADED TO THE "WORLD TRIALS"

June 20, 2001
(INDIANAPOLIS) Sixteen Indiana Invaders are headed to their respective World Championship Trials. Fifteen Invaders are headed Eugene, Oregon to compete at the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships (June 21-24). The top three finishers in each event earn the right to compete on the US National Team at the first World Championships to be held in North America in the city of Edmonton, Canada. Kelly French will compete at the Canadian National Championships over the same dates.

Invaders' Olympic Heptathlete DeDee Nathan is considered the favorite in the heptathlon as predicted in the July issue of Track & Field News.

Track & Field News also projects Invaders' Phil McMullen sixth in the decathlon, Carri Long eighth in the high jump, and Collette Liss eighth in the 1500. Liss won the 2001 USATF Indoor Mile, Long and McMullen finished fourth in thier respective events at USATF Indoor Nationals.

The Invaders' list of athletes competing also includes Kyle Baker (5,000), Lamont Dagen (Triple Jump), Shannon Gallagher (Pole Vault), Linise Gordon (400H), Priscilla Hein (1500), Kathy Kadziolka (3000SC), Tara Loper (Hammer), Jada Phelps (Long Jump), Judy Porter (3000SC), Hope Sanders (800), and Le'gretta Smith (400H).

USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships:
http://www.eugenechamps.com/

Canadian Outdoor Track & Field Championships:
http://www.canoe.ca/AthcanNews/010528_adidas.html

For additional information on the Indiana Invaders, please contact Greg Harger at 317 289-4018.

INVADERS ADD OUTSTANDING BALL STATE TRIO TO ROSTER

June 17, 2001
(INDIANAPOLIS) The Indiana Invaders add Linise Gordon (400H), Kathy Kadziolka (3,000 SC), and Jada Phelps (Long Jump) to the roster. The addition of these 2001 Ball State University graduates increases the number of Invaders to 22 that are qualified for their respective national championships.

The Invaders' Ball State trio scored an impressive 77 points to win the 2001 MAC Championship with 187.50 points over second-place Eastern Michigan's 127 points. Gordon and Phelps, a native of Indianapolis, Ind. and Heritage Christian H.S., each scored 28.50 points. Kadziolka, a native of Hobart, Ind., repeated for a second year with her victory in the 5,000 and also went on to win the 10,000.

"We are very fortunate to add these three talented young athletes to our club roster prior to this year's USA Nationals as Ball State's athletic administration declined to support their travel to US Nationals," said Club Director, Greg Harger. Harger added, "We expect them to continue to make great strides in the coming years as they have emerged under excellent collegiate coaching from relative unknowns to national caliber athletes."

Gordon, Kadziolka, and Phelps are the newest members of the Indiana Invaders, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1998, presenting an innovative approach to track & field by providing a resident-based, athlete-centered support system unique to the sport in the United States.

For further information on the Indiana Invaders, please contact Greg Harger at 317 289-4018.

INDIANA INVADERS' COLLETTE LISS CAPTURES USA 5K CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE

June 1, 2001
(INDIANAPOLIS) The Indiana Invaders' Collette Liss will return to Indianapolis with her first USA 5K road championship title. Liss competed in Albany, New York on Saturday June 2, 2001 winning in 15:47 with a solid 11 second lead. Liss's win is her third national title in three years and holds three of the six national titles belonging to Invader athletes.

The championship hosted by Freihofer's, a leading baker of wholesome products has been a 23-year old tradition, has grown to become one of the country's largest all-female events.

Runners World magazine has referred to Freihofer's as "the fastest 5K in the country." - confirmed by Lynn Jennings' American record for a women-only race.

"Liss ran a solid road race averaging 5:06 per mile," said Coach Chris Buhler. "Liss is ready for Outdoor Nationals and will be a factor."

Currently 14 Invaders including Liss are qualified for the USATF National Championships in Eugene, Oregon (June 21-24). Liss will also compete in July with her teammates at the first annual USA National Club Track & Field Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana (July 19-21).

USA 5K Road Championship:
http://www.freihofersrun.com/

For additional information on the Indiana Invaders, please contact Greg Harger at 317 289-4018.