ELEVEN INVADERS TO COMPETE AT USATF INDOOR NATIONALS

February 26, 2003
(INDIANAPOLIS) The Indiana Invaders have 12 athletes qualified, with 11 competing, at the USA Track & Field Indoor National Championships. Eight Invaders' athletes will compete February 28th through March 2nd at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston, MA. Three Invaders will compete March 8-9, 2003 at the Eddie Smith Fieldhouse in Chapel Hill, NC.

This is the fifth competitive indoor season for the Invaders. The team's first appearance at the indoor championships was in 1999 and resulted in Connie Price-Smith (retired) and DeDee Nathan making the US National Team to compete at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Maebashi, Japan. Nathan set an American Record in route to winning the gold medal in the World Championships' pentathlon.

Since 1999, the Invaders have won one indoor title, had three runner-up finishes, placed 10 in the top five, and placed 26 in the top 10.

=============================================
           '03  '02  '01  '00  '99  Total(s)
=============================================
Qualified:  12    4   12    7    5   40   
   Top 10:        4   10    7    5   26*  
    Top 5:        2    4    2    2   10*
      2nd:        -    -    2    1    3*
      1st:        -    1    -    -    1*    
=============================================
*pending '03 results

Eight Invaders will compete this weekend. Tameka Borders is set to compete in the 60 and 200 where she is ranked sixth & seventh on the entry lists. Borders, a graduate of Ball State University, competed in four events at the NCAA Championships while in college (55, 100, 200, & triple jump).

Mary Danner, ranked seventh in the 400 will kick off the action for the Invaders on Friday afternoon in her USATF indoor debut. Danner, a graduate of the University of Cincinnati (UC), is one of two UC graduates competing for the Invaders and was a 2002 Conference USA runner-up in the 400.

Hope Sanders returns for her third appearance at USATF Indoor nationals in the 800 as the fourth ranked competitor. Sanders, a graduate of the University of Illinois and Warren Central HS (Ind.), finished sixth in 2000 and seventh in 1999 at the Indoor Championships in addition to competing at the 2000 Olympic Trials.

Jacob Koczman ranked seventh will race in his inaugural USATF Indoor Championship 800. Koczman, a newcomer to the 800, is a two-time NAIA Champion (400 & 600 indoors).

Donnie Fellows heads into his first USATF Indoor Championship 3,000 ranked ninth. Fellows, a graduate of Purdue University, finished 13th in the 10,000 at the 2002 NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Brandon Hon, a 400 hurdler, will compete in the 60 meter hurdles as the 18th ranked athlete in the field. Hon, a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, is a 2001 Conference USA champion in the 400 hurdles.

USATF veteran, Shannon Gallagher, will compete as the sixth ranked athlete in the pole vault. Gallagher, an eight-time USATF Championships Qualifier, placed 10th at the 2000 Olympic Trials in the pole vault.

Greg Yeldell continues his national re-emergence in the triple jump as the 4th ranked jumper. Yeldell, a three-time member of the US National Team, took the gold medal at the Pan American Games in 1999 and took the bronze medal at the World Junior Championships in 1998.

Carri Long, qualified in the high jump, will not compete due to employment obligations. Team Director Greg Harger said, "Carri has a great job situation at Purdue University with the track & field program. This year's collegiate calendar along with the unique needs of her job at this time made for a difficult situation but it is not a big picture problem for her athletically. In fact, with respect to her training and competing she couldn't have a better environment heading into the best years of her post-collegiate career and a great opportunity over the next few years to make USA National Teams."

Long, with a best performance of fourth at the Indoor Championships, also finished fourth in both the 2001 & 2002 USA Outdoor Championships.

At the 2002 USA National Club Championships, Long captured the national club title in the high jump and led the Invaders to a victory in the Sprint Medley Relay. In addition to competing on the US National Team at the 2001 World University Games, Long was a finalist at the 2000 Olympic Trials.

Four Invaders are currently listed in the top 60 in the world this season - Yeldell (37th - triple jump), Borders (54th - 60), Gallagher (42nd - pole vault), and Sanders (50th - 800).

Next weekend, the USA Indoor Combined Events Championships in Chapel Hill, North Carolina will feature Alex Sprague (Heptathlon), Brendon Falconer (Heptathlon), and Linise Gordon (Pentathlon).

Harger said, "We are generally pleased at having tripled the number of USATF qualifiers that we had last year for indoor nationals. Satisfaction for this group will not be graded until after we finish competing." Harger added, "In most cases, we are headed to nationals with the intent of competing for the privilege to represent USA Track & Field on national teams. That opportunity is a long and challenging path and this championship is a step in that process for these individuals. We have a proud history of playing a role in the advancement of talented athletes to the highest level of competition in our sport. We expect to continue to grow our modest legacy of athlete development."

2003 USA Indoor Track & Field Championships:
http://www.usatf.org/events/2003/USAIndoorTFChampionships/

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

INVADERS TAKE TOP HONORS AT HOOSIER HILLS OPEN

February 23, 2003
(INDIANAPOLIS) Invaders' Shannon Gallagher and Tameka Borders took top honors at the Hoosier Hills Open, hosted by Indiana University, at Harry C. Gladstein Fieldhouse on Saturday, February 22, 2003. Gallagher and Borders won the pole vault (3.90) and 60 meters (7.41), respectively.

Linise Gordon captured second in the 60 hurdles (8.74) and finished fourth in the 400 (56.39). Hope Sanders took third in the 400 (56.31) and Jacob Koczman also took third in the 400 (49.08). Pristina Jones took fifth in the long jump (5.62).

Team Director Greg Harger said, "This weekend was all about having a final tune-up with respect to next weekend's contests in Boston." Harger added, "For the 11 athletes that have qualified our sights are set on the next two weekend's indoor nationals. We are generally pleased having nearly triple the number of USATF national qualifiers that we had last year for indoor nationals. The rest of the team is diligently training for the outdoor season."

The 2003 USA Indoor Track & Field Championships will be held February 28th through March 2nd at the Reggie Lewis Center - Boston, MA.
http://www.usatf.org/events/2003/USAIndoorTFChampionships/

The 2003 USA Indoor Combined Events Championships will take place March 8-9, 2003 at Eddie Smith Fieldhouse, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill - Chapel Hill, NC.
http://usatf.org/events/2003/USAIndoorCombinedEventsChampionships/

Hoosier Hills Open:
http://www.iuhoosiers.com/womenstrackandfield/schedule/

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

INVADERS WRAP UP REGULAR SEASON AT HOOSIER HILLS OPEN

February 20, 2003
(INDIANAPOLIS) The Indiana Invaders are prepared for battle at the Hoosier Hills Open, hosted by Indiana University, at Harry C. Gladstein Fieldhouse on Saturday, Febuary 22, 2003. A small Invaders' contingent looks to improve upon and/or add additional national qualifying marks for the USA Indoor National Championships.

The Invaders entries are led by eight national qualifiers - Hope Sanders (800), Brandon Hon (60H), Alex Sprague (Pentathlon), Shannon Gallagher (PV), Brendon Falconer (Pentathlon), Jacob Koczman (800), Tameka Borders (60, 200), and Linise Gordon (Pentathlon).

Team Director Greg Harger said, "While the majority of our roster is training through the indoor season or their event is not an option indoors, we have a very solid group of 11 athletes headed to nationals and the possibility of one or two more being added this weekend. We have an opportunity for half of our entries to finish in the Top 10 with two to three in the Top 5 and a decent shot at one or two making the USA World Indoor Championship Team. This weekend is all about final preparation for each athlete with respect to next weekend's contests in Boston."

Hoosier Hills Open:
http://www.iuhoosiers.com/womenstrackandfield/schedule/

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

INVADERS' LINISE GORDON TAKES TOP HONORS AT THE CANNON IV CLASSIC

February 17, 2003
(INDIANAPOLIS) Invaders' Linise Gordon, a graduate of Ball State University, took top honors in the pentathlon at the Cannon IV Classic hosted by Butler University on February 15th, 2003. Gordon, with a score of 3806 points, narrowly edged out the University of South Florida's Alexis McGaffagan by one point. Both surpassed the USATF qualifying standard of 3725 points.

Gordon started the pentathlon by winning the 60 hurdles (8.75 - 963 points), tied for second in the high jump (1.63 - 771 points), won the shot put (10.28 - 548 points), and captured top honors in the long jump (5.66 - 747 points). Gordon's razor thin margin of victory came down to the wire in the 800 (2:23.50 - 777 points) where she finished second.

Coach Aron McGuire said, "She is continuing her second year of doing the combined events. She's making real solid progress. In her first pentathlon she hit half of her events well. This time she seemed to put almost everything together. If she can put all five events together she will have a really good score in North Carolina at Nationals." McGuire added, "For her, training for the pentathlon during the Indoor season will help her power outdoors in the 400 hurdles and expand her opportunities in the heptathlon."

Gordon finished eighth in the 400 hurdles at the USA Outdoor Championships in 2002. Gordon also finished in the top three of four events at the 2002 USA National Club Championships (100H, 400H, HJ, and JT) in addition to leading the Invaders to a team title in the 400 meter relay.

Teammates Carri Long and Greg Yeldell also hit national qualifying marks at the Cannon IV Classic in the high jump (1.83) and triple jump (16.30), respectively. Both Long and Yeldell have previously posted USA Indoor National Championship qualifying marks in the 2003 indoor season.

The 2003 USA Indoor Combined Events Championships will take place March 8-9, 2003 at Eddie Smith Fieldhouse, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill - Chapel Hill, NC. http://www.usatf.org/events/2003/USAIndoorCombinedEventsChampionships/

The 2003 USA Indoor Track & Field Championships will be held February 28th through March 2nd at the Reggie Lewis Center – Boston, MA. http://www.usatf.org/events/2003/USAIndoorTFChampionships/

Butler University's Cannon IV Classic - Results:
http://butlersports.ocsn.com/sports/c-track/stats/021603aab.html

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

INVADERS HIT NATIONAL QUALIFYING MARKS AT THE CANNON IV CLASSIC

February 14, 2003
(INDIANAPOLIS) Invaders' Brendon Falconer and Alex Sprague went 1-2 in the pentathlon at the Cannon IV Classic hosted by Butler University on February 14th, 2003. Both Falconer's winning score of 3994 points and Sprague's second place finish of 3944 points qualified for the 2003 USA Indoor Combined Events Championship.

Falconer won the 60 hurdles (8.07 - 964 points) and the long jump (7.22 - 866 points), took third in the shot put (13.26 - 683 points), captured second in the high jump (1.94 - 749 points), and finished second in the 1000 (2:53.23 - 732 points). Falconer, a competitor at the 2000 Olympic Trials, finished fourth at the 2001 Indoor National Championships.

Sprague took second in the 60 hurdles (8.13 - 949 points), third in the long jump (6.68 - 739 points), first in the shot put (14.34 - 749 points), first in the high jump (1.97 - 776 points), and third in the 1000 (2:53.38 - 731 points).

Invaders' Jason Wilson finished in fourth with a combined total of 3336 points. Wilson was fourth in the 60 hurdles (8.70 - 813 points), fifth in the long jump (6.49 - 695 points), second in the shot put (13.70 - 710 points), fourth in the high jump (1.79 - 619 points), and sixth in the 1000 (3:17.92 - 499 points).

Team Director Greg Harger said, "They had a good outing. We're happy they were able to get qualifiers and that they can now focus on training and preparing for nationals."

The 2003 USA Indoor Combined Events Championships will take place March 8-9, 2003 at Eddie Smith Fieldhouse, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill - Chapel Hill, NC.

Butler University's Cannon IV Classic:
http://butlersports.ocsn.com/sports/c-track/spec-rel/042602aaa.html

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

INVADERS SET TO COMPETE AT THE CANNON IV CLASSIC

February 13, 2003
(INDIANAPOLIS) The Indiana Invaders are set to compete at the Cannon IV Classic hosted by Butler University on February 14-15, 2003. The Invaders are led by USATF Indoor National qualifiers Greg Yeldell, Carri Long, Tameka Borders, Hope Sanders, and Jacob Koczman.

Borders, a graduate of Ball State University will compete in the 60 and in the 200. Sanders will compete in the 400. Koczman will lead the Invaders charge in the 800 along with teammates Daniel Walden, Eddie Nehus, and Jeff Minks. Long will make her presence felt in the high jump. Yeldell will make his mark in the triple jump.

Linise Gordon, seeking to emulate World Champion & Olympian teammate DeDee Nathan's success in transitioning from a 400 hurdler to a world class combined event athlete, will compete in the pentathlon (60H, HJ, SP, LJ, & 800). Gordon will be joined in pentathlon competition by combined event teammates Brendon Falconer, Alex Sprague, and Jason Wilson (60H, LJ, SP, HJ, & 1000). The Invaders had three male athletes compete in the pentathlon at the 2001 Indoor National Championships. Nathan won the pentathlon at the World Indoor Championships in 1999.

Donnie Fellows, a gradute of Purdue University, will compete in the 5,000 along with teammate Paul Howarth, a graduate of Butler University, and Mary Duerbeck. In the sprints, Amber Plowden will compete in the 200 and Charlie Smith will race in the 400. In the jumps, Frankie Young and Pristina Jones will long jump.

Team Director Greg Harger said, "This will be a great opportunity to post or up-grade USATF national qualifying marks in our own community. We look to make our presence felt this weekend especially in the multi-events."

The Indiana Invaders, with a group of eight athletes already qualified, are gearing up for USATF Indoor National Championships February 28-March 2, 2003 in Boston, Massachusetts. Current national qualfiers include Tameka Borders (60 & 200), Shannon Gallagher (pole vault), Mary Danner (400), Hope Sanders (800), Jacob Koczman (800), Brandon Hon (60 hurdles), Carri Long (high jump), and Greg Yeldell (triple jump).

Butler University's Cannon IV Classic:
http://butlersports.ocsn.com/sports/c-track/spec-rel/042602aaa.html

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

INDIANA INVADERS ADD TRIPLE JUMPER GREG YELDELL

February 8, 2003
(INDIANAPOLIS) The Indiana Invaders have added triple jumper Greg Yeldell, a three-time member of the US National Team, to the team's roster. Yeldell's best triple jump performance is 16.81. Yeldell finished the 2002 season with a fourth place finish at the USA Outdoor National Championships.

Yeldell finished second in the triple jump for Team USA at the 2002 POWERade North America, Central America & Caribbean (NACAC) Under-25 Track & Field Championships, took the gold medal at the Pan American Games in 1999, and took the bronze medal at the World Junior Championships in 1998. Yeldell broke a 9-year-old US National High School Record in route to winning the World Junior Championships.

In winning the triple jump and long jump at the Big Ten Championships in 2000, Yeldell also set the Big Ten triple jump record. As a two-time All-American in the triple jump for Indiana University, Yeldell was 10th at the 1999 NCAA Indoor Championships and took fourth in 2000. Yeldell finished fifth at the 2000 NCAA Outdoor Championship. Yeldell, selected as the High School Athlete of the Year by Track and Field News in 1998, is also a National Scholastics Indoor & Outdoor High School Champion.

Yeldell more recently qualified for the 2003 USA Indoor Championships with his season opener at Eastern Michigan University on January 4th, with a jump of 15.79.

Team Director Greg Harger said, "Yeldell brings experience, talent, and depth to our growing jumps group. Along with Marc Dzradosi, last year's Drake Relay's Champion in the triple jump, Yeldell will solidify our team's prospects for dominance in the jumps this year and for years to come."

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

INDIANA INVADERS DOMINATE THE DOUG RAYMOND INVITATIONAL

February 8, 2003
(INDIANAPOLIS) The Indiana Invaders dominated Kent State's Doug Raymond Invitational in Kent, Ohio on February 8th, 2003. Overall, the Invaders won five events, had 15 top three finishes, swept the top 3 spots in the men's 800, set three field house records (PV, 400, & 800), and had four athletes hit USATF national qualifying marks (400, 2 x 800, & PV).

Shannon Gallagher, a graduate of Kent State and Springfield High School (OH), led the Invaders charge by setting a field house record in the pole vault with a clearance of 4.20. Gallagher's winning performance is also a USATF national qualifying mark.

Mary Danner, also setting a new field house record, qualified for the USATF Indoor Championships with her winning performance of 54.18 in the 400. Hope Sanders crushed the 800 field with a national qualifying mark of 2:05.54. Jacob Koczman, in setting a new field house record in the 800, led a 1-2-3 sweep of the 800 with his national qualifying mark of 1:49.93. Koczman was followed by teammates Daniel Walden in second and Eddie Nehus in third.

Linise Gordon won the 60 hurdles with a performance of 8.55. Amber Plowden took second in the 60 (7.68) and second in the 200 (24.28), which was a mere 8/100's of a second from qualifying her for indoor nationals. Plowden was closely followed by Gordon who took third in the 200. Brandon Hon took second in the 60 hurdles (8.03) and Tanko Braiham also took second in the 60 with a mark of 6.89. Frankie Young finished third in the long jump (7.28) and Charlie Smith took third in the 400 (49.12).

Team Director Greg Harger said, "We look forward to returning to this meet next year. Kent State has an excellent facility." Added Harger, "I'm very satisfied with how we performed this weekend. We had some very competitive performances."

Currently, seven Invaders - Gallagher (pole vault), Danner (400), Sanders (800), Koczman (800), Tameka Borders (60 & 200), Brandon Hon (60 hurdles), Carri Long (high jump), and Greg Yeldell (triple jump) - are qualified for the USA Indoor National Championships that will be held in Boston, Massachusetts on February 28-March 2, 2003.

Doug Raymond Invitational - Complete Results:
http://dept.kent.edu/athletics/mtrack/mt020803.html

The Invaders will have athletes competing at Iowa State and at the Cannon IV Classic hosted by Butler University next weekend with focus of capturing additional qualifying marks.

Butler University - Cannon IV Classic:
http://butlersports.ocsn.com/sports/c-track/spec-rel/042602aaa.html

Iowa State University - Iowa State T&F Classic:
http://cyclones.ocsn.com/sports/c-itrack/iast-c-itrack-body.html

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

INDIANA INVADERS HEAD TO DOUG RAYMOND INVITATIONAL

February 5, 2003
(INDIANAPOLIS) The Indiana Invaders head into the heart of their indoor season at Kent State's Doug Raymond Invitational in Kent, Ohio on February 8th, 2003.

Shannon Gallagher, a graduate of Kent State and Springfield High School (OH), will take point for the Invaders in the pole vault. Fresh off her most recent USATF National qualifying mark last weekend, Gallagher returns to Kent as the defending USA National Club Champion in the pole vault, an eight Time USA Nationals Qualifier, and as the 10th place finisher at the 2000 Olympic Trials.

Gallagher will be joined in this meet by fellow USATF National Indoor Championships qualifier Brandon Hon. Hon will compete in his qualifying event, the 60 meter hurdles, and also in the 200. Tameka Borders, qualified in both the 60 & 200 for Indoor Nationals, will not compete this weekend along with Carri Long and Greg Yeldell who have national Indoor qualifying marks in their events of the high jump and triple jump, respectively.

Also competing this weekend are long jumper Frankie Young and decathletes Jason Wilson, and Alex Sprague in the long jump. Both Sprague and Wilson will see action in the 60 hurdles and shot put with Wilson also in the high jump. The Invaders have Jacob Koczman, Daniel Walden, and Eddie Nehus in the 800; Amber Plowden in the 60 & 200; Mary Danner in the 400; Linise Gordon in the 60 hurdles and 400; Hope Sanders in the 800; Jeff Minks in the 400; and Tanko Braimah in the 60.

Indiana Invaders athletes with national qualifying marks for the USA Indoor National Championships will compete February 28-March 2, 2003 in Boston, Massachusetts and in the USATF Combined Events Championships March 8-9, 2003, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill - Chapel Hill, NC.

Team Director Greg Harger said, "We look forward to competing at Kent State's excellent facility and kicking off the intense portion of our indoor season for those athletes focused on the USATF Indoor Championships."

Kent State University Athletics:
http://dept.kent.edu/athletics/

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