01:00 AM EST on Tuesday, January 20, 2004

While we were thawing out over the weekend, local runners were scorching indoor tracks in the region and field athletes were flexing their muscles.

At the Women's Challenge Cup at Brown on Saturday, URI won, Brown was second and Providence College finished fourth. (Holy Cross was third). But the big news was the record-breaking performance of PC junior Kimberly Smith of Auckland, New Zealand. She ran the fastest 3,000 meters in the world this winter, winning easily in 9:04.90. She finished 1 minute and 15 seconds ahead of second-place Nora Sullivan of Brown.

Smith, who ran second at the NCAA Cross Country Championships last fall, qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships.

Two other Friars won distance events. Mary Cullen of Sligo, Ireland, ran a 4:48.81 mile, a provisional NCAA qualifying time, and Fiona Crombie of Christchurch, New Zealand, ran 2:58 in the 1,000 and qualified for the Big East and ECAC Championships.

URI junior Rachel Oakes of Scotia, N.Y., led the Rams. She won the 55 (7.4) and the 200 (25.94), qualifying for the New Englands, and ran a leg on the winning 4 x 200 relay team.

Senior Pascale Delaunay of Claremont, Calif., won the long jump (18-2) and triple jump (38-9). Freshman Amber Price of Westerly won the 400 (59.96) and qualified for the New England meet. She also ran a leg on the winning 4 x 400 relay team. Senior Colleen Jones won the 800 (2:19.03) and qualified for the New Englands.

Also qualifying for the New Englands were Destiny Woodbury of Providence, second in the 500 (1:18.48), and Jen Strysko of Hillburn, N.Y., second in the 55 hurdles (8.84).

Junior Christina Bizon of Warwick was third in the weight throw (48-2.5), senior Kelly Hagner of Clifton Park, N.Y., third in the shot (38-6) and freshman Caitlin Hurley third in the 55 (7.51).

For Brown, second-place finishers included Jen Donohue of Winter Park, Fla., in the weight throw (14.97 meters), Lauren Linder of Atlanta in the 55 (7:48), freshman Vanessa VanDoren of Norwood, Mass., in the high jump (5-3) and senior Katherine Kosub of San Antonio in the 1,000 (3:00.02). Caci Cambruzzi of Cincinnati was third in the 1,000 (3:02.93) and Linder fourth in the 200.

The URI men ran away with the Terrier Cup at Boston University. The Rams scored 93.5 points to Maine's 60, BU's 45 and Providence's 40.

Colin Aina of East Providence won the 55 hurdles (7.38, NCAA provisional qualifying) and the long jump (23-1 1/4). Sophomore Eric Groce of Rutland, Vt., took the 55 dash (6.57) and the 200 (22.14). Junior Andre Reid of South Windsor, Conn., won the shot with a put of 57 feet, 5 inches. That toss was 6 feet, 6 inches longer that of the second-place finisher. Junior Sean Bramley of New Paltz, N.Y., was third (49-11 1/4).

The Rams swept the 55 dash. Aaron Hazard of East Providence, Chad Washington of Monticello, N.Y., and Dennis Street of Slate Hill, N.Y., followed Groce. Hazard was third in the 200. URI's Taylor Majewski of Warwick, N.Y., won the pole vault (14 feet). Washington and Street finished 2-3 in the triple jump. The 4x400 relay team won.

Aina is the Atlantic 10 performer of the week. He also ran a leg on that 4 x 400 relay. Street is the rookie of the week. He was second in the long jump (22-6) and third in the triple jump (44-11).

PC's Liam Reale of Hospital, Ireland, won the 800 (1:50.39) and Martin Fagan of Mullingar, Ireland, the mile (4:08.61). Dylan Wykes of Kingston, Ontario, was second in the mile, Darren Brown of Spring, Texas, second in the 1,000, and Adam Sutton of Preston, England, second in the 3,000.

The Brown men finished third at the West Point Invitational. Freshman Michael Pruzinsky of Wayne, N.J., won the 200 (22.11), Brendan O'Keefe of Prospect Harbor, Maine, the 3,000 (8:23.66), Jake Golenor of Redding, Calif., the shot (52-3.25), and Ray Bobrownicki of Avondale, Pa., the high jump (6-9.75).

Rhode Island College sophomore Manny Karngar of Providence made a record-smashing 2004 debut at the Wesleyan University Cardinal Invitational. There were no team scores. He won the 200 (23.14) and 500 (1:05.53), breaking the school RIC record in each event. He is the Little East Conference Men's track athlete of the week.

RIC senior Tim Rudd of Warwick won the 1,000 (2:41.10) and finished second in the 500. Freshman Chris Matteson of Wood River Junction won the 55 hurdles (8.67). Sophomore Nich Palazzo of Providence was third in the weight (44-11.5) and Richard Palazzo of Providence fourth (41-01).

The RIC women also participated in the Wesleyan Invitational. Dana Skorupa of Cumberland broke RIC records in winning the 200 (26.75) and finishing second in the 55 (7.5). She is the Little East Women's track athlete of the week. Kate McCalligett of Warwick was second in the 200.

At the Greater Boston Track Club Invitational at Harvard, a non-scoring meet, Wheaton junior Dan Olson of Voorheesville, N.Y., cleared 7-1 3/4 in the high jump. Freshman Ryan Fitzgerald of Lincoln finished fifth in the shot (41-7.75).

Senior Amber James of Woodbury, Minn., was fifth in the 60 (7.85) and third in the 200 (22.15).

N.E. Conference wrestling This is a big wrestling weekend for Rhode Island College, Roger Williams and Johnson & Wales. The New England Conference Dual Meet Championships are scheduled for Sunday at Bridgewater State.

The Anchormen feature heavyweight Justin Deveau of North Attleboro, ranked second in New England and sixth in the nation at 285 pounds. Joe Fitzsimons of Salem, N.H., at 184 and Jon Egan of West Kingston at 125 lead the Hawks. Tim Ruberg of Harrison, Ohio, at 165 is the wrestler to watch for the Wildcats.

RIC coach Jay Jones is grateful to have RWU and J&W in his backyard.

"It gives us something to shoot for," he said of the New England Conference and Pilgrim League rivals. "We want to own our state. Last year we were undefeated in the league. We got our name on the mat. For us, we want to be the team to be looked at in our state."

Of course, Dave Kemmy of Roger Williams and Lonnie Morris of Johnson & Wales feel the same about their teams.

A real head-scratcher Chris Rotelli of Rumford was the best college lacrosse player in the nation last spring, captain of the University of Virginia Cavaliers, a hero of UVA's 9-7 win over Johns Hopkins for the NCAA championship, first-team All-American, the ACC male athlete of the year and a sixth-round pick in the National Lacrosse League Draft. He also received the Tewaaraton Trophy, the lacrosse equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. Tremendous accomplishments, but evidently not impressive enough for voters who cast ballots for the major awards that Words Unlimited will present at its annual dinner next month.

Players of the week HOCKEY EAST DEFENSIVE: Providence College goalie David Cacciola stopped 42 shots, his career-high, in a 1-1 tie at Northeastern. He is second in the nation with a .940 save percentage.

ECAC NORTHEAST HOCKEY ROOKIE: UMass-Dartmouth forward Kyle McCullough had a goal and an assist in an 8-6 win at Assumption.

ECAC MEN'S TRACK: Wheaton high jumper Dan Olson cleared 7-2 1/2 at the Dartmough Relays, set a Wheaton record, won by nearly 5 inches and qualified for the NCAA Division III Championships.

ECAC WOMEN'S TRACK: Wheaton's Noelle Battista of Warwick pole vaulted to a height of 12 feet, 4 inches at the Dartmouth Relays, shattered the school record by 7 inches and qualified for the NCAA Division III Championships. Amber James won the 400 and finished fourth in the 60-meter dash.

Roundup Kate Johnston of Warwick is a captain of the Penn State women's track team. She holds the school record in the hammer (197-3). . . . Nichols sophomore Matt Pezzullo of North Scituate averaged 12.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists and made the Commonwealth Coast Conference basketball honor roll. Joining him were Roger Williams freshman Brandon Parrish of Lincoln, who averaged 10.3 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists, and Salve Regina sophomore Matt Coute, who averaged 22 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assist. . . . Salve Regina's men's hockey team saw both sides of the puck last week. The Seahawks lost to New England College, 8-0, and pounded Johnson & Wales, 11-4. . . . The Seahawk women, although outshot, 49-27, won their first hockey game, 5-2, over MIT. Goalie Kristen Suslowicz made 47 saves and was at her best late in the game when MIT pulled its goalie and six skaters attacked the Salve net.

Jason Wilson of Johnston was the SUNYAC hockey player of the week last week after scoring three goals and assisting on two in a 2-0-1 week for Cortland. He leads the Red Dragons with 16 goals and 23 points. Wilson has hockey genes. His father is Brad Wilson, Providence College Hall of Famer. His uncle is Ron Wilson, PC Hall of Famer and U.S. Olympic team and NHL coach. His grandfather was Larry Wilson, former coach of the R.I. Reds. Jason attended Bishop Hendricken and graduated from Northfield Mount Hermon. He is a dean's list student at Cortland. . . . PC freshman swimmer Andrew Zockoff of Dover, Mass., won the 200 IM, the 100 breaststroke and the 200 breaststroke in a victory over Maine.

Brown's sports information office has begun a campaign to promote goalie Yann Danis for the Hobey Baker Award. Check out yanndanis.com. . . . Brown tailback Nick Hartigan was the leading rusher in Division I-AA football with a 149.8 yards-per-game average. Jamaal Branch of Colgate led all season, but stumbled in the NCAA championship game against Delaware and finished third at 145.38. San Diego's Evan Harvey was second at 147.5. . . . Andrew Viana of Bristol helped stake the Roger Williams basketball team to a 13-point halftime lead against Anna Maria last week, which triggered the Hawks to the first of three consecutive wins that boosted their overall record to 8-4 and their Commonwealth Coast mark to 3-1. They lead the CCC South. . . . Josean Vega of Pawtucket leads the 8-5 Wheaton men's basketball team in scoring (21.2). Point guard Sean Kelly of Providence is averaging 7 assists.

Mike Szostak can be reached at mszostak [at] projo.com