Lack of depth hurts UA track

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Junior Amy Skieresz won for the second year in a row the women's 5,000-meter at the NCAA Indoor National Championship. Skieresz finished more than 25 seconds ahead of the field. Overall, the women's team placed 21st.

With just six athletes - four men and two women - the Wildcats weren't able to challenge strong opponents like Texas, which won the women's competition, or Arkansas, which did the same on the men's side.

"With four of the six athletes scoring we had a pretty good result, since we are a much stronger team outdoors than indoors," UA head coach Dave Murray said.

Junior Amy Skieresz was once again the outstanding Arizona athlete, going into the championships as the defending champion over the 5000-meter. Although she had to cope with a sore knee, she repeated last year's win, finishing more than 25 seconds ahead of the field. Her strongest challengers - Marie McMahon and Sarah Dupre of Providence - kept in touch with Skieresz over the first 1000, but weren't able to maintain her pace in the middle part of the race.

Another female athlete, senior Shanna Griffin, couldn't advance to the final heat in the 800, which left Skieresz' win the only points on the women's side for a 21st place finish.

Senior Dominic Johnson justified Murray's high expectations by placing second in the pole vault competition. Johnson cleared 18-2 1/2, a new school record. It was the same height as the winner, but Johnson finished second since he had more misses on previous attempts. Johnson's runner-up finish in the event was the best an Arizona athlete has ever achieved at the NCAA Indoors.

The throwers, on the other hand, who dominated meets throughout the season, were the big disappointment. Senior Chima Ugwu, considered as one of the best returning throwers this year, finished in sixth place with an attempt of only 61-10 1/2. Teammate Doug Reynolds, a senior, fouled on all his throws.

Junior Abdi Abdirahman, who qualified for the NCAAs at the last possible meet after missing the entire season due to academic problems, had a decent result in the 5000. In a relatively slow race he finished in seventh place.

"For his first tournament at this level and with this great field of athletes, it was a very solid performance," Murray said.

Arizona's men's team finished in 18th place.