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Brandeis University's Community Newspaper — Waltham, Mass.

Track shines at NCAA’s

Published: March 17, 2006
Section: Sports


Three Brandeis track members were scheduled to compete in the NCAA Division III indoor track and field championships at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., but Ryan Parker 06 was unable to compete due to illness. He would have been vying for his third All-American honor in the 800-meter run. Parker was theonly member of the men's team scheduled to compete.

On the other hand, two members of the Lady Judges faired well on Saturday. Anat Benun 09 received her first All-America honor by finishing in second place in the triple jump. Benun was seeded third entering the meet. She won her preliminary flight with a distance of 38 feet, 3 1/2 inches.

Benun was one of only two athletes to attain over 38 feet in the preliminary round. In the finals she improved her distance to 38-6 1/4. She finished 9 1/2 inches behind Junior Alecia Watson, from City College of NY. Watson achieved a Tostrud Center record on her second flight.

Benun was very pleased with her performance. I don't think I could have hoped for anything better [Saturday]. I'm glad I was able to be at my best exactly at the right time. Being an All American is a great honor to me, she said.

Tri-captain Jane Farrell 06 narrowly missed out on earning All-America honors for the second time in her career. Farrell's height of 11 feet, 3 3/4 inches was the eighth-best height of the day, but a tie-breaker forced her into a tie for ninth-place, just out of the scoring ranks. She tied with Washington University's Morgan Leonard-Fleckman, who also beat Farrell for UAA champion honors in the same fashion.