JOSHUA A. ECHT'S STUDENT WORK
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My Student Work Page features several clips of my best work at the Daily Kent Stater. Most of the articles are about the track team during the Spring 2005 semester. They can be reached by accessing the Daily Kent Stater archive at http://www.stateronline.com/

Type "echt" in the archive at the search box at the top of the screen and the search engine will provide the articles. Keep in mind the archive only goes back a certain time period (usually a month or two months).

Middle distance runner Mike Inge is one of the top-ranked 800-meter runners in the country.
Running down a dream

Inge's legs, heart propel him to top

by Joshua Echt

February 17, 2005

He has his sights set on the 2008 Summer Olympics.

He has prepared for several years, training constantly and running every day.

Mike Inge is one of the best runners in the United States.

Week after week, month after month, Inge leaves his competition far behind. As of this week, he is ranked sixth in the nation in the 800 meters. He was ranked first just last week.

Inge and the rest of the track and field team will compete in the Kent State Tune Up Saturday at the Field House.

Inge, a junior, is the Kent State track team’s leading 800 meter runner and holds the school record with a time of 1:47.93. His personal best is 1:47.23.

“I enjoy the 800 meters because I know it so well,” Inge said. “I like how you can push your body to the limit.”

Inge started running at age 8. A year later, he participated in his first national meet, running the 400 meters in 65 seconds, a fast time for a 9-year-old. His experience and speed increased as he made his way through junior high and high school.

Brad Hunt, assistant distance coach recruited him to Kent State from Elyria High School after watching him at the Ohio state track meet in 2002.

“It was very apparent he was talented,” Hunt said.

Inge and his teammate, fellow 800-meter runner Ray Armstrong, went to the same high school and use their relationship to push each other. The two began their relationship through another sport altogether.

“I watched him play football in junior high,” Inge said. “He went to a different (junior high) school, so I didn’t get to meet him until high school. Ray is the guy that’s going to push me when I run the 800,” he said.

The two played football in high school but eventually decided to focus on track.

Inge said his current training regimen is more strenuous than high school.

A typical workout for Inge consists of lots of 200 meter sprints run at 800-meter pace, with 30 second rests in between. Sometimes, he will run 1200, 800, 400 and 200 meters at mile pace.

“I push the envelope, but I also evaluate what I could do better next time,” he said.

Inge’s rise to the top has not come without struggle.

“Staying healthy and finding the happy medium of training and running is the key,” he said. “Last year I probably raced too much.”

He said running track in college is more of a lifestyle than anything. Training, eating well, sleeping and managing time are the most important factors, he said.

He mentioned the coaching aspect of the sport and credits Hunt for his development.

“Coach knows how to push me and make me faster,” he said.

Kent State coach Wendel McRaven said Inge is an asset to the team. He said Inge brings a level of maturity and leadership to the table.

“He’s a great example for all of the younger athletes on the team,” McRaven said.

Inge credits his sisters, Angie, a high school state champion in the mile, and Amy, a former triple jumper at Kent State, for his inspiration. He also notes his mother’s contribution to his success.

“She comes to all the meets and is my number one fan,” he said.

In the future, Inge said he plans to go to graduate school after completing his undergraduate work with a degree in sports management. His ultimate goal is to become an athletic director.

In the meantime, he wants the team to be in the top 20 at the national meet in March and an indoor NCAA championship in the 800 meters.

Inge said he liked the team attitude prevalent at Kent State.

“There’s a team atmosphere unlike anywhere else,” he said. “Everyone is supportive of each other. The distance runners cheer on the throwers, the sprinters cheer the vaulters and the team comes together.”

Contact track reporter Josh Echt at jecht@kent.edu.

The Kent State track team held a tune-up track meet at the field house on Saturday. The meet had several schools participating and helped participants practice for real races.
Records fall in track tune-up

By Joshua Echt

February 21, 2005

The Kent State track team broke two school records as it played host to the Kent State Tune-Up at the Fieldhouse Saturday.

Junior Mike Inge’s record performance in the 1,000-meter race with a time of 2:21.02 anchored a solid effort for the men’s team while senior Jennifer Fascione’s effort in the 1,000 (2:50.63) went in the women’s team record book.

“The Tune-Up is meant for individuals to do well and prepare for the Mid-American Conference meet next week,” coach Wendel McRaven said.

The meet is not team-scored. Several events, including the 55 and 600, are not used in the MAC or NCAA meets. Some conferences, like the Big Ten and Big 12, use the 600 and 1,000 for competition.

However, McRaven said the new events are good training races for certain individuals.

“Mike Inge runs the open 800 and also the 1,200-meter leg of the distance medley,” McRaven said. “The 1,000-meter run at the Tune-Up gives him good practice.”

Inge has a hand in four men’s indoor track records at Kent State. He holds the record for the 600, 800 and 1000. Inge is also a member of the distance medley relay team.

Senior Marc Mitchell won the 300 and placed second in the long jump. Sophomores Ryan Schroeder and Ryan Spellman shined in the middle-distance and distance events. Schroeder placed second in the 800 with a personal-best 1:52.36, which is sixth-best all time at Kent State. He said he attributes his success to his team.

“I have a great group of guys to train with,” Schroeder said. “The coaches are great because they give good workouts.”

Spellman placed second in the 5,000 while sophomore Chad Clemons won the high jump and junior Brent Shelby won the shot put. Senior Jennifer Fascione led the women’s efforts with her record-setting 1000 time. Sophomore Stephanie Hunt won the 200 with a personal-best 24.76, which ranks her fifth all time on the indoor list.

“I followed my workout plans,” Hunt said. “There is less mileage, but the workouts are faster.”

Senior Jeanna Fascione placed second in the 800 while sophomore Erin Reese won the long jump and placed second in the 55-meter hurdles.

Junior Jackie Rodgers second-place effort in the pole vault and sophomore Megan Bair’s second-place effort in the high jump gave the field events a good showing. Senior Breann Smith won the shot put with a toss of 50-1.75.

The teams will compete at the MAC Indoor Championships in Mount Pleasant, Mich., Saturday and Sunday.

Contact track and field reporter Josh Echt at jecht@kent.edu.

 

 

Pair makes most of trip to nationals

By Joshua Echt

March 14, 2005

There is more than one way to achieve an All-American title in track and field.

Senior Colleen Ramharak triple-jumped her way into the top eight for an All-American title at Friday and Saturday’s NCAA national meet in Fayetteville, Ark. Ramharak’s seventh-place jump of 43-6 was the second-best jump of her indoor career.

Junior Mike Inge took a more direct route, snatching All-American honors by running the 800 meters.

Inge, who bolted to a 1:47.84 in the 800 meters Saturday, finished fifth. He said the hardest part of competing in the 800 at the national level is getting good position for the last push, the last few hundred meters of the run.

“Everyone has the same relative ability, so it’s harder to make your move because everyone is doing the same thing,” Inge said.

Senior Adrian Ghioroaie, in his first trip to the NCAA meet since 2002, placed 12th in the triple jump with a 50-10.25 performance.

Senior Breann Smith finished 12th in the shot put with a 51-0 throw while junior Pawel Dutkiewicz narrowly missed All-American honors, finishing ninth in the long jump with a distance of 24-11.

The team now prepares for the outdoor season, which starts with the Shamrock Invitational Friday in Conway, S.C. This weekend was the last of the indoor meets.

“Our goals don’t change much when we begin outdoor season,” coach Wendel McRaven said. “As always, the main goal is to battle for the Mid-American Conference Championship.”

The men’s team didn’t win the MAC in the indoor competition last year but went on and took the crown in the outdoor competition.

Contact track and field reporter Josh Echt at jecht@kent.edu.

 

Marc Johnson, Otis Jordon and Adrian Ghioroaie exit their blocks for the start of the men's 60-meter dash. Johnson and Jordon placed third and fourth respectively.
Triple jumpers finish 1-2-3

Men second, women third at MAC meet

By Joshua Echt

February 28, 2005

Good things come in threes.

The Kent State triple jump squad swept the top three spots en route to a second-place finish at the Mid-American Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships Saturday.

The triple threat of senior Adrian Ghioroaie, junior Phil Rickaby and junior Pawel Dutkiewicz, who went 1-2-3 in the triple jump competition. Ghioroaie won the competition with a jump of 49-5.50 while Rickaby scored a 48-6.25 and Dutkiewicz jumped to a 46-9 mark.

Ghioroaie said his motivation for doing well at the MAC meet was based on the lively team atmosphere.

“Getting points for my team was the most important thing for me,” he said.

The men’s team finished with 177.5 points in Mount Pleasant, Mich. Host Central Michigan won the meet with 214 points.

The women took third place at the meet scoring 88.5 points. Akron won the meet with 97 points, holding off second-place Eastern Michigan, with 95.5 points.

Despite not winning the meet, coach Wendel McRaven said he was pleased with the team’s performances.

“I’m proud of how we performed, win or lose,” he said. “We came together as a team.”

Junior Brent Shelby won his first MAC indoor title in the shot put with a throw of 59-1.25, which provisionally qualified him to the NCAA meet in two weeks.

Junior Mike Inge won the 800 with sophomore teammates Ray Armstrong and Ryan Schroeder placing second and fourth, respectively. Inge’s victory is his second MAC Indoor title and fourth overall.

In the women’s competition, two individual victories by seniors Breann Smith and Colleen Ramharak capped the women’s efforts.

Smith won the shot put with a personal-best 51-7.25, claiming her first MAC title and improving her NCAA provisional mark.

“Everyone on the team put forth a great effort, and there was a positive effort from both sides,” said Smith, noting contributions from runners to throwers to jumpers.

Ramharak, who tied her personal-best jump of 42-11.75 in the triple-jump, claimed her second MAC triple-jump title and third overall.

Senior Jeanna Fascione finished second in the mile.

McRaven said the team’s consistency and family-like atmosphere helped them to a solid finish. While McRaven said he sees other teams cheering only while they are leading, the Flashes were cheering each other on throughout the meet.

“Win or lose, our team cheers for each other and has great sportsmanship,” he said.

Contact track and field reporter Josh Echt at jecht@kent.edu.

 


Track battles it out in Michigan

by Josh Echt

February 25, 2005

The Kent State men’s track and field team will look to put an end to Eastern Michigan’s eight-year winning streak today and tomorrow at the Mid-American Conference meet.

Eastern Michigan’s men’s team has won the indoor title every year since 1996. The men’s and women’s teams travel to Central Michigan to contend for the Mid-American Conference indoor title today and tomorrow.

Despite the Eagles dominance, Kent State coach Wendell McRaven expects other teams to challenge for the title. McRaven said the men’s biggest opponent this year is Central Michigan, while the women look to face stiff competition from Eastern Michigan and Akron.

“On paper, Central Michigan’s men’s team looks to be tough this year,” he said.

Twelve women’s teams and six men’s teams will compete at the meet. Kent State’s men’s team finished third last year.The men’s team is led by standout 800-meter runner Mike Inge, who broke the record for the 1,000 meters at last week’s Tune-Up with a time of 2:21.02.

Senior Adrian Ghioroaie leads the jumpers in the triple jump (52-2), which ranks eighth in the MAC and a provisional qualifying mark to the NCAA meet.

The women’s team also finished third last year. Senior Jennifer Fascione’s record 1,000-meter run of 2:50.63 at last week’s Tune-Up and sophomore Stephanie Hunt’s victorious 200-meter effort leads the women’s team.

Sophomore Erin Reese won the long jump and took second in the 55-meter hurdles. Jeanna Fascione, a senior 800-meter runner, is the conference’s top-ranked 800-meter runner, with a time of 2:09.64. The indoor and outdoor triple-jump champion of 2004, Colleen Ramharak, goes for her third MAC triple-jump title. Ramharak is ranked first with a mark of 42-11.75.

Contact track and field reporter Josh Echt at jecht@kent.edu.