Saint Xavier University - News

[Women's Track & Field] SXU�s Dean Named CCAC Women�s Track Athlete of the Week

Rob Huizenga — Fri, 03 May 2013 13:45:00 -0600

CHICAGO – Helping her team achieve two "A" standard qualifying times at the Gina Relays at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Mich., last week, Saint Xavier University senior Rachael Dean (Lindenhurst, Ill./Judson University/Lakes) has garnered Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) Women's Track Athlete of the Week honors for the seven-day period ending April 28 when it was announced Thursday. She set a school record with her "A" standard qualifying time of 4:36.53 in the 1500-meter run last Friday. In addition, Dean anchored the 4x800 meter relay team that won the event at the Gina Relays with a stellar time of 9:18.40, an "A" standard qualifying time as well.

[Women's Track & Field] Saint Xavier�s Shares Breaks Record, Qualifies for Nationals

Rob Huizenga — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:00:00 -0600

Romeoville, Ill. – Senior Ashley Shares (Palos Park, Ill./Moraine Valley CC/Stagg) hit a "B" standard qualifying time and set a school record in the 10K (10,000 meters) to highlight the Saint Xavier University women's track team's weekend at the Chicagoland Outdoor Championships hosted by Lewis University in Romeoville, Ill. Shares finished second overall in the event with a time of 37.41.77, nearly 32 seconds under the national qualifying mark of 38:13.00. Another key highlight for the squad from the meet was the near qualification of the 4x800 meter relay team consisting of seniors Jackie Ott (Island Lake, Ill./Marian Central Catholic) and Rachael Dean (Lindenhurst, Ill./Judson University/Lakes) as well as junior Leslie Rosario (Fort Myers, Fla./Neosho County CC/Fort Myers North) and freshman Christa Pitts (Franklin Park, Ill./Leyden, Ill.). The relay team just missed the qualifying mark by .21 seconds with a time of 9:32.21.

[Women's Track & Field] Saint Xavier�s Mancha Qualifies for Nationals in Race-Walk

Rob Huizenga — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 12:50:00 -0600

Goshen, Ind. – Senior Mercedes Mancha (Elgin, Ill./Streamwood) qualified for the 2013 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships in Marion, Ind., last weekend to highlight the Saint Xavier University women's track team's first meet of the outdoor season at the Maple Leaf Track & Field Invitational hosted by Goshen College in Goshen, Ind. Mancha turned in a "B" standard qualifying time of 28:06.19 in the 5,000-meter race-walk. She is a two-time NAIA All-American in the event. Other key SXU performers for the opening meet included senior Rachael Dean (Lindenhurst, Ill./Judson University/Lakes) winning the 1500-meter run with a time of 4:50.18 and senior Jackie Ott (Island Lake, Ill./Marian Central Catholic) finishing second overall in the 800-meter run with a 2:20.18 clocking.

[Women's Track & Field] Dean Named World Hyundai-Saint Xavier Athlete of the Month

Rob Huizenga — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 19:15:00 -0600

CHICAGO – Finishing fourth overall in the indoor mile with a school record time of 5:01.97 and claiming All-American honors at the 2013 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships last week in Geneva, Ohio, Saint Xavier University senior Rachael Dean (Lindenhurst, Ill./Judson University/Lakes) of the Saint Xavier University women's track team has been selected as the World Hyundai-Saint Xavier February Athlete of the Month when the honor was announced Monday. Dean, a nursing major at SXU, will be publicly honored with a certificate from World Hyundai-Matteson prior to this Tuesday's 7 p.m. men's volleyball match against Clarke College (Wis.) at the Shannon Center in Chicago. In addition to her impressive feat in the indoor mile, Dean also ran a leg of SXU's Distance Medley Relay (DMR) at the national meet helping the team to a 10^th place finish and a school record time of 12:20.76.

[Women's Track & Field] Dean Named All-American; SXU Women's Track Completes Nationals

Rob Huizenga — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 15:05:00 -0600

Geneva, Ohio – Senior Rachael Dean (Lindenhurst, Ill./Judson University/Lakes) finished fourth overall and earned All-American honors in the indoor mile Saturday in the final day of competition at the three-day 2013 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships in Geneva, Ohio. Dean turned in a stellar school record time of 5:01.97 in the event to capture the prestigious recognition. In addition, senior Jackie Ott (Island Lake, Ill./Marian Central Catholic) took 10th overall (3:00.70 - school record time) and just missed qualifying for the finals in Friday's preliminaries of the 1,000 meter run, senior Ashley Shares (Palos Park, Ill./Moraine Valley CC/Stagg) claimed ninth in Saturday's finals of the 5,000 meter run (5K) with a time of 18:06.70 and senior Mercedes Mancha (Elgin, Ill./Streamwood) took 10th in the 3,000 meter race walk in a lifetime best time of 16:28.92. SXU also had its distance medley relay (DMR) team take 10th overall in Thursday's prelims with a school record time of 12:20.76.

[Women's Track & Field] Shares Shines, DMR Sets Record for SXU Women�s Track

Rob Huizenga — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 13:25:00 -0600

Geneva, Ohio – With the first of three days of competition in the books for the 2013 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships in Geneva, Ohio, the Saint Xavier University women's track team had a couple of noteworthy highlights. First, senior Ashley Shares (Palos Park, Ill./Moraine Valley CC/Stagg) took fifth place in her preliminary heat and ninth overall to qualify for the finals of the 5,000 meter run (5K) with a time of 17:59.96. Second, SXU's distance medley relay (DMR) team set a new school record and finished third in its heat and 10^th overall with a time of 12:20.76. The team just missed qualifying for the finals with the top eight teams advancing. Juniors Leslie Rosario (Fort Myers, Fla./Neosho County CC/Fort Myers North) and Anna Galvez (Glenview, Ill./Oakton CC/Maine East) as well as seniors Jackie Ott (Island Lake, Ill./Marian Central Catholic) and Rachael Dean (Lindenhurst, Ill./Judson University/Lakes) made up the DMR squad.

[Women's Track & Field] Saint Xavier Women�s Track Excited For Indoor Nationals

Rob Huizenga — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 21:30:00 -0600

CHICAGO – With the 2013 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships set to kick off next Thursday, the Saint Xavier University women's track team is excited about its prospects heading into the event. The Cougars have four individual national qualifiers and its distance medley relay (DMR) team set to compete at the national meet, and with the national seedings for each event being released Friday, SXU women's track coach Lisa Ebel feels confident that her runners are ready to represent Saint Xavier University well on the national stage. Senior Rachael Dean (Lindenhurst, Ill./Judson University/Lakes) is seeded fifth in the mile run (5:06.07) for the Cougars, while senior Ashley Shares (Palos Park, Ill./Moraine Valley CC/Stagg) takes the No. 7 seed into the 5,000 meter run (17:57.80). Senior Jackie Ott (Island Lake, Ill./Marian Central Catholic) is seeded No. 9 in the 1,000 meter run (3:01.75) and senior Mercedes Mancha (Elgin, Ill./Streamwood) brings the No. 13 seed into the 3,000 meter race-walk (16:50.31).

[Women's Track & Field] Dean, Shares Improve; SXU Women�s Track Looking Strong

Rob Huizenga — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 12:50:00 -0600

Bloomington, Ill. – Seniors Rachael Dean (Lindenhurst, Ill./Judson University/Lakes) and Ashley Shares (Palos Park, Ill./Moraine Valley CC/Stagg) both improved their "A" standard qualifying times to highlight the Saint Xavier University women's indoor track performances at the Bob Keck Invitational hosted by Illinois Wesleyan University this weekend at the Shirk Center in Bloomington, Ill. Dean won the indoor mile and set a new school record with an impressive time of 5:06.07. Her previous best clocking was 5:10.41. Shares finished second overall in the 5,000 meter run with her "A" standard qualifying time of 17:57.43. Her previous best time in the event this season was 18:14.04. The 2013 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships is held Thursday, February 28, to Saturday, March 2, at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio.

[Women's Track & Field] National Qualifiers Continue to Pile Up for SXU Women�s Track

Rob Huizenga — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 13:45:00 -0600

Findlay, Ohio – Senior Jackie Ott (Island Lake, Ill./Marian Central Catholic) had the unique privilege of helping the Saint Xavier University women's indoor track team qualify nationally in two separate events over the weekend with the team taking part in the University of Findlay Classic at the Malcolm Athletic Center in Findlay, Ohio. Ott qualified individually for the 2013 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships in the 1000 meter run breaking her own school record time and posting the third highest reported time currently in the NAIA with an "A" standard clocking of 3:01.75. Ott also ran the third leg (800 meters) of SXU's Distance Medley Relay (DMR) team, which also qualified Saturday with an "A" standard time of 12:35.06, setting a new school record in the process for the event. The NAIA national meet is held Thursday, February 28, to Saturday, March 2, at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio.

[Women's Track & Field] Saint Xavier�s Shares Qualifies in 5K at Lewis Invitational

Rob Huizenga — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 12:30:00 -0600

Romeoville, Ill. – Just a couple of months after wrapping up her impressive senior season on the women's cross country team, Saint Xavier University senior Ashley Shares (Palos Park, Ill./Moraine Valley CC/Stagg) impressed again this past weekend winning the 5,000 meter run (5K) and qualifying for the 2013 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships with a "A" standard time of 18:24.57 at the Lewis University Invitational in Romeoville, Ill. Shares' time also set a new school record for the indoor 5K. The 2013 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships is held Thursday, February 28, to Saturday, March 2, at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. Senior Rachael Dean (Lindenhurst, Ill./Judson University/Lakes) qualified for SXU the previous week in the indoor mile with a time of 5:12.84.

[Women's Track & Field] Dean Qualifies; Saint Xavier Women Runs Well at Lewis Open

Rob Huizenga — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 12:45:00 -0600

Romeoville, Ill. – In its first competition of the indoor season, the Saint Xavier University women's track & field team had some impressive performances at the Lewis University Open Friday night at the Recreation Center Fieldhouse in Romeoville, Ill. Senior Rachael Dean (Lindenhurst, Ill./Judson University/Lakes) highlighted the meet for the Cougars winning the mile run and turning in a "B" standard national qualifying time of 5:12.84 in the event. Her time was less than a second from the "A" standard time of 5:12.00 and puts her in great shape early in the season of competing at the 2013 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships, which starts Thursday, February 28, in Geneva, Ohio.

[Women's Track & Field] Saint Xavier�s Shares Qualifies for NAIA Nationals in Marathon

Rob Huizenga — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 13:25:00 -0600

Schaumburg, Ill. – Saint Xavier University senior Ashley Shares (Palos Park, Ill./Moraine Valley CC/Stagg) qualified early for the marathon for the 2013 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships in May by completing the Schaumburg Half Marathon in Schaumburg, Ill., this past Saturday in an "A" standard qualifying time of 1:24:15. Shares was the fourth female finisher in the field and 28^th overall. She also set a new school record with her qualifying time. Shares recently wrapped up her collegiate cross country career earlier this month by finishing 66^th overall out of 320 runners at the 2012 NAIA Cross Country National Championships with a time of 19:07 in the 5K (5,000 meters) event.

[Women's Track & Field] Two All-Americans Highlight SXU Women's Track at National Meet

Rob Huizenga — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:45:00 -0600

Geneva, Ohio –Juniors Mercedes Mancha (Elgin, Ill./Streamwood) and Rachael Dean (Lindenhurst, Ill./Judson University/Lakes) both represented the Saint Xavier University women's indoor track team well over the weekend by earning NAIA All-America honors in their respective events at the 2012 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships in Geneva, Ohio. Mancha finished sixth place overall in the 3,000-meter race walk with a time of 17:05.17 to earn the first All-American recognition of her collegiate career. Dean took seventh place in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 10:25.58 to claim her fifth career All-American award (twice for cross country, twice for indoor track and once for outdoor track). As a team, the Cougars finished 35^thout of 50 squads competing at the national meet. It was the highest finish for any of the four teams competing from the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC).

[Women's Track & Field] Saint Xavier's Ott Qualifies Nationally in 1000 Meter Run

Rob Huizenga — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:30:00 -0600

CHICAGO – Saint Xavier University junior Jackie Ott (Island Lake, Ill./Marian Central Catholic) qualified for the 2012 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships in the 1000 meter run at the Margaret Bradley Invite hosted by University of Chicago over the weekend. Ott won the event with a time of 3:03.85 coming under the NAIA's "B" standard qualifying mark of 3:04.00. It is the first time she has qualified for the national meet as an individual in her three-year collegiate track career. She will also represent the Cougars at Nationals as a member of the Distance Medley Relay (DMR) team where she will run the third leg (800 meters).

[Women's Track & Field] Saint Xavier Women's Track Qualifies for Nationals in DMR

Rob Huizenga — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:30:00 -0600

Naperville, Ill. - The Saint Xavier University women's track and field team had its distance medley relay (DMR) team qualify for the 2012 NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships this past Friday at the Chicagoland Indoor Track Championships hosted at North Central College in Naperville, Ill. The relay team consisted of junior Rachael Dean (Lindenhurst, Ill./Judson University/Lakes), freshman Kayla Droessler (Rockford, Ill./Boylan Catholic), senior Jackie Ott (Island Lake, Ill./Marian Central Catholic) and senior Jacina Sims (Park Forest, Ill./Rich East). The group ran an "A" standard time of 12:41.06 in the event to earn the national qualification. Sims ran the 400 meter leg of the relay and Ott completed in the 800 meter portion. Droessler finished the 1200 meter leg, while Dean wrapped up the 1600 meter leg.