Falcon Track Stars Compete in National Spotlight

South Euclid, OH – May 31, 2005 - The Notre Dame College track & field programs have only been in existence for three complete seasons, beginning as official varsity sports in the spring of 2003.Since then, only one female athlete has been able to qualify for the NAIA National Championship each season of competition.

Petra Munroe, a native of Nassau, Bahamas, sprinted her way into the indoor national meet every year. She finished 11th in the 55-meter dash as a freshman and was sixth as a sophomore, earning the school's first-ever NAIA All-America honor in track. She went on to finish eighth in the semifinals in the event as a junior earlier this year. Additionally, she finished 15th in the 200 during her second year as a Falcon.

This season however, Munroe was not alone. In the indoor championships, she participated in the 200 and freshman April Wanzo (Cleveland, Ohio) competed in the 400. In the outdoor championships held in Louisville, Kentucky this past weekend, she was in good company once again.

Not only did Munroe participate in the 100-meter dash on behalf of the Falcons, but she was joined in the Bluegrass state by Wanzo who competed in the 200 and 400.

Adding to the list of national competitors from Notre Dame was sophomore Jeff Dinovo (Bellefontaine, Ohio)(400-meter hurdles) and freshman Charles Wilson-Brown (Richfield, Ohio)(100-meter dash).

Munroe finished out the weekend as the college's top competitor. She was seventh in the 100, missing out on All-America status by only three one hundredths of a second.

Dinovo was the top finisher on the men's side, finishing 10th in the 400-meter hurdles. He was only one spot away from competeing in the finals.

Despite not earning any medals, the four Falcon athletes did make the NDC record books. The four student-athletes of Munroe, Wanzo, Dinovo and Wilson-Brown became the first group of Falcons to represent Notre Dame at the same national event.

###