Men's and Women's Track & Field

March 14, 2009

Wildman Tops Pentathlon Field and Tigers Total Four All-America Performances

San Antonio – What a day the Tigers had Saturday at the NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championships!

With just two student-athletes representing Trinity at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, the Tigers won a national championship and earned All-America honors in three other events.

Tiger senior Todd Wildman of Dallas (Jesuit) captured the NCAA men’s pentathlon title, with a score of 3,859 points. Wildman became Trinity second Division III track and field national champion. Former Tiger Christyn Schumann won the NCAA Women’s Outdoor high jump title in 2004, 2005 and 2006, and the indoor event in 2005.

Senior Emily Loeffler of San Antonio (O’Connor) placed fifth in the women’s 5,000 meters (17 minutes, 9.01 seconds) and was awarded All-America distinction.

“Todd had a phenomenal day,” said Tiger first-year track and field head coach David Svoboda. “I think it is a tribute to Todd and Emily. We have some other talented student-athletes, and with hard work they can be at this level.”

Wildman single-handedly helped the Tigers to a No. 6 team finish, with 20 points. He won two of the five pentathlon events, the 55-meter hurdles (7.51 seconds) and the high jump (6 feet, 9 3/4 inches; 2.08 meters). He was runner-up in the long jump (22 feet, 2 ½ inches; 6.77 meters) and was ninth in the shot put (33 feet, 11 ½ inches; 10.35 meters) and the 1,000 meters (2:51.03). The runner-up in the pentathlon was Ted McMillan of Augustana (Ill.), with 3,721 points.

In the high jump competition, Wildman placed second with a mark of 6 feet, 9 ¾ inches (2.08 meters) and was seventh in the 55-meter hurdles (7.70 seconds).  He became an All-American in the three events.

“I knew that if I did the things I was capable of, that I could be at the top of the leader board,” Wildman said. “Our program is getting ready to get big and compete at the national level. I think it puts us up there at our school as a team which can compete at nationals.”

Wildman finished 13^th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships last May in the high jump and 14^th in the 110-meter hurdles, just missing the finals.

Recently, Wildman was named the South/Southeast Region Men’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Year by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

On Saturday, he was named Athlete of the Meet by the USTFCCA.

The versatile Loeffler garnered her third All-America award. Loeffler became Trinity’s first-ever cross country All-American (17^th place at the NCAAs) and earned the honor in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (third place) at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Trinity’s women’s cross country team, coached by Jenny Breuer, placed sixth at the NCAAs last fall. On Saturday, Loeffler, by herself, led Trinity to a tie for 39^th place at the Indoor meet.

“My goal this weekend was to get All-American,” Loeffler said. “I didn’t have it planned, but I ran a personal best in the 5,000 meters. Everyone on our team has worked hard and we are excited about the outdoor season. We are headed on the right track.”

The Tigers’ outdoor season continues next Saturday at the Dr. Pepper Invitational, at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.