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Transfer student helps track
team
 By
Greg Doddridge
Staff Writer
Freshman Kristen Truscott has been in the United
States for only two weeks. She transferred from Sydney, Australia, to
Purdue over Winter Break. And tonight at 5:30 in Lambert Fieldhouse
will be her first NCAA indoor track competition. "What was looking like
it was going to be a very weak event for us, the high jump, is all of
a sudden looking very strong for us," Coach Ben Paolillo said.
Last year, former Boilermaker Carri Long won the
Big Ten championship and finished second at the NCAA Indoor national
championships in the high jump. Now Purdue has Truscott.
Furthermore, there is a connection between Long
and Truscott, albeit indirectly. "I found out about Purdue from looking
at the high jump results and Carri Long was at the top," said Truscott
Truscott finished third in the under-20s in Australia
in the high jump while she was in high school. Her personal best of
5-11 1/4 inches would have been good for fifth place at last year's
NCAA Indoor tournament.
Truscott's goal this weekend at the Purdue Open
is to jump 5-7.
Paolillo said the Purdue Open is the first chance
freshmen get to compete at the intercollegiate level.
"This meet was originally put on the schedule
for a couple of reasons," he said. "One is to give everybody
a chance to compete. No. 2 is this meet really helps the freshman."
The Purdue Open allows freshmen to compete against
teams that are not the strongest. However, the level of competition
is still such that it allows for the athletes to test and compare themselves.
Teams like Ball State and Butler will be present.
The meet also allows veterans to see how their
winter practice has gone. Junior Elizabeth Metzinger and senior Katie
Meyer lead in the pole vault. "That's kind of an anchor for us
at this point," said Paollilo.
Senior Tina Johnson is a veteran long jumper and
junior Janelle Johnson will be in the triple jump. In the field events,
senior thrower Serene Ross will provide solid points for the team in
the 20-lb weight throw.
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Stratton
to return for senior season
Boilers
to host Wildcats in Sunday game
Purdue
hopes to stop Iowa
Team
to travel to Ohio meet
Track
season opens Saturday
Transfer
student helps track team
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ext. 251
Sports editor:
Paul Trembacki Assistant sports
editor:
Anne
McLaren
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