Lee Rankin extended Colby's string of NCAA hammer throw participants to five consecutive years. The River Side, R.I., sophomore recorded a season's best throw of 180' 5" while placing second at the NESCAC and New England Div. III Championships and sixth at the NEIAAA meet hosted by the University of Connecticut.

Colby's Rookie of the Year Nat Brown of Wellesley, Mass., who ran at the 2000 NCAA Cross Country Championships in Spokane, Wash., had great success in the 3000-meter steeplechase during the spring season. In only his fourth race over the 28 hurdles and seven water jumps, he ran 9:32.95 to place third at the NE Div. III Championships. His time was only two seconds away from the NCAA qualifying mark.

Lee and Nat epitomize the wealth of young talent that forms the nucleus of Colby's track and field team. They will be joined for the 2002 seasons by several noteworthy members of the Class of 2005. Xavier Garcia, Stoneham, Mass., captured the triple jump title at the Massachusetts State Open Meet with a mark of 46' 7", clocked 38.41 to win the New England 300-meter intermediate hurdle race and he emerged victorious at the 2001 Bay State Decathlon Championships. Rich Downing, Stow, Mass., placed first at the Central Massachusetts Cross Country Championships and won the mile run (4:21.28) at the Eastern Massachusetts Class A Indoor Championships. Pat Harner, a track and field/football athlete from West Greenwich, R.I., recorded a personal best of 22' 9 1/2" to win the State of Rhode Island long jump title. Mike Miller, an outstanding decathlete from Plymouth, N.H., will join Pat on the gridiron and on the track. Ryan Hollett, a 50.10 400-meter dasher and a 13' vaulter from Nova Scotia, will also participate in two sports, soccer and track and field.

All of these student-athletes will get a jump on the 2002 outdoor season during our annual spring trip to San Diego, Calif.