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DATE: Wednesday, April 4, 2007 BYLINE: By BRUCE MEADOWS THE PRESS DEMOCRAT SECTION: SPORTS SSU TO DROP WOMEN'S TRACK, ADD GOLF CONDITION OF TRACK MAIN REASON FOR DECISION; SEAWOLVES' CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM WILL CONTINUE ROHNERT PARK -- Last May, Sonoma State coach Jim Hiserman said he felt the future of his women's track and field team was in jeopardy. Less than a year later, his biggest fears have been realized. SSU is expected to make the official announcement today, that women's track, reinstated in 1996 after a four-year absence, is being eliminated, replaced -- because of gender equity requirements -- by women's golf. ``This very difficult decision was based on the fact that our track is deteriorating and it has severely impacted our ability to recruit student-athletes to attend SSU,'' said SSU athletic director Bill Fusco. ``We do not have access to the necessary resources we would need to replace the track.'' Fusco indicated that the women's cross-country team will continue to compete at the NCAA Division II level and in the CCAA championships under a part-time head coach. Hiserman, head coach for both cross country and track since 1996, will not be returning to the program in 2007-08. Hiserman chose not to comment on the situation, but his supporters felt otherwise. ``I heard about it from him (Hiserman) last week,'' said Vanessa Fuchs, a former track athlete and assistant coach at SSU. ``I was surprised and disgusted.'' She said disbanding the program had been discussed, ``but I had no idea this was coming.'' Fuchs, a middle-distance runner, graduated in 1998 and assisted Hiserman through 2006. ``We were SSU's ugly step-child,'' said Fuchs, who works for the Sonoma County Probation Department. ``We'd walk through campus and nobody knew we had a track team.'' A major part of the problem was the facility in a stadium that previously also served the school's football team, that program being dumped in 1995. Hiserman, 56, has referred to the overgrown track area as the ``Wild Kingdom ... a disgrace, embarrassing.'' Recruiting with a substandard facility has been difficult. ``After this year,'' said Hiserman last spring. ``I can't in good conscience recruit track athletes ... parents (of freshmen) ask me if the track will still be here in four years and I can't honestly give them an answer.'' Hiserman said it was years too late to resurface, calling the disintegrating track ``6,000 yards of Type 2 toxic waste.'' Fusco said the general plan includes a soccer facility in the stadium area, but not necessarily a new track, which he estimated would cost $3.5 million. He said the stadium area may be reconfigured and used for recreational activities. It might also include a field for the softball team, which along with the soccer teams, will be displaced from their present fields by academic buildings in the near future. Of the 17 student-athletes on the SSU track roster, two of them are seniors, and Fusco said, ``We have no idea right now how many will stay.'' ``I hope some of the kids do go elsewhere,'' said Fuchs, who puts out a newsletter to keep former track athletes in touch. ``SSU is still a great school educationally, so leaving would be a tough decision.'' Luke Oberkirch, the Seawolves' women's soccer coach, was outraged at the move. ``This is sad, frustrating,'' said Oberkirch. ``The decision to eliminate women's track is a slap in the face to all student-athletes and coaches here.'' He points out the track team ``consistently had the highest overall GPA of any team in the department and achieved many CCAA and NCAA honors.'' And, added Oberkirch, ``they have done this without being able to host a home meet because the facility is so poor ... I can't imagine telling my student-athletes they will be playing 20 games but none at SSU.'' Hiserman has definitely done a lot with very little at SSU. He's developed seven All-Americans, five conference champs, 14 all-league athletes in track and cross country. In Hiserman's 12 years at SSU, his student-athletes have earned 19 Academic All-America awards, 105 in conference. ``We have a small program, but Jim was able to provide special attention,'' said Fuchs. ``He developed athletes ... he showed recruits stats of other kids who came here at one level and left at a much higher one, academically and athletically.'' She finds it unacceptable the school ``does not recognize what Jim has done for so many people ... he is an educator, a mentor, not just a coach.'' Fusco said he fully realizes Hiserman's accomplishments. ``Without Jim Hiserman as head coach, our women's track and field program would have ceased to exist many years ago,'' said Fusco. ``His complete dedication to the program yielded many successes both academically and athletically.'' Alena Cook, who went to nationals in the 300 hurdles last season and is assisting Hiserman this season, wasn't encouraged about SSU's track future but enjoyed the experience. ``We have a poor facility and we're treated like third-class citizens,'' she said last spring. ``We did what we had to do.'' Hiserman recalls those seeing the track for the first time ``asking me if the place was abandoned, or maybe our practice track ... SSU is all about outward appearance and we are definitely kept out of sight.'' April Montgomery, an outstanding member of the 2007 team, said last spring she was worried about the future of SSU's program. ``When I saw the condition of the track,'' she said. ``I thought it might be the last year.'' You can reach Staff Writer Bruce Meadows at 521-5263 or bruce.meadows@pressdemocrat.com Top all-time marks by SSU women's track and field performers. 100--Lillian Campbell, 12.24, 1984; Carol Toorap, 12.44, 1987; Crystal Johnon, 12.44, 1986; Annette Spear, 12.46, 1989; Timobe Wiley, 12:50, 2001. 200--Wiley, 25.14, 2001; Spear, 25.34, 1990; Elizabeth Kain, 25.53, 2006; Jennifer Parker, 25.64, 1989; Toorap, 25.64, 1987. 400--Kain, 56.73, 2006; Barbara Friedsam, 57.94, 1984; Roxanne Sechler, 58.32, 2006; Darlene Love, 58.40; 1985; Parker, 58.54, 1989. 800--Laurie Hollingsworth, 2:12.64, 1988; April Montgomery, 2:14.17, 2006; Kim Roberts, 2:17.01, 2000; Love, 2:17.18, 1985; Jolly Earle, 2:17.24, 1989. 1,500--Hollingsworth, 4:22.42, 1988; Nora Doyle, 4:29.88, 1986; Earle, 4:30.44, 1989; Michelle Anderson, 4:35.54, 1983; Barbara Kozlowski, 4:41.77, 1991. 3,000--Hollingsworth, 9:25.64, 1988; Earle, 9:37.34, 1989; Anderson, 9:44.57, 1983; Doyle, 9:59.14, 1986; Kozlowski, 10:01.24, 1990. 5,000--Hollingsworth, 17:06.14, 1988; Kathy Lenno, 17:15.64, 2001; Earle, 17:30.60, 1989; Julie Dyson, 18:06.31; Jenny Hunt, 18:22.21, 2000. 10,000--Lenno, 35:45.80, 2001; Hunt, 37:22.91, 2002; Dyson, 37:56.14, 1991; Maribeth Duffy, 38:03.43, 1986; Annette Shearer, 38:05.94, 1982. 100H--Spear, 14.22, 1990; Tammy Wessendorf, 14.70, 1988; Alena Cook, 14.72, 2006; Deanne Malvino, 14.74, 1984; Shannon Lindquist, 15.49, 2003. 400H--Cook, 60.88, 2006; Spear, 60.91, 1989; Malvino, 61.66, 1984; Teri Smith, 62.57, 2006; Lindquist, 63.83, 2003. 4x100--Amy Stuart, Parker, Jennifer Crockett, Spear, 48.45, 1989. 4x400--Kain, Smith, Montgomery, Sechler, 3:51.95, 2006. TJ--Wessendorf, 39-3, 1986; Wiley, 37-8 1/2 , 2001; Carolyn Willis, 37-0 1/2 . 1989; Shannon Hartnett, 36-4, 1988; C.Johnson, 36-2, 1986. LJ--C.Johnson, 18-10 3/4 , 1986; Malvino, 18-2 3/4 , 1984; Spear, 17-8 1/2 ; Hartnett, 17-2 3/4 ; Wessendorf, 17-0, 1988. HJ--Malvino, 5-8, 1984; Kerry Lemos, 5-4, 1989; Melissa Hansell, 5-3 1/4 ; Sandy Kacharos, 5-3, 1981; Tara Sharriff, 5-2, 1991; Wessendorf, 5-2, 1988. PV--Liz Erra, 10-4, 2001; Carr, 9-9, 2002; Amy Erdos, 9-9, 2003; Gina Scagliola, 9-6 1/4 ; Jamie Henderson, 9-2 1/4 , 1999. SP--Hartnett, 43-2 1/2 , 1989; Keely Borck, 42-3 1/4 ; Gretchen Volz, 41-3 3/4 ; Jennifer Wright, 39-11 1/2 , 1998; Allison Surbridge, 37-10, 1997; Shannon Harrington, 37-10, 1997. DT--Jennifer Barrett, 132-9, 1997; Hartnell, 130-4, 1988; Borck, 128-8, 2004; Wright, 128-5 1/2 , 1998; Volz, 119-3, 1982. Javelin (old implement)--Melissa Costa, 151-8, 1998; Hartnett, 137-9, 1988; J.Parker, 128-4, 1989; Kacharos, 127-9, 1983; Katie Fleming, 126-8, 1997. Javelin (new implement)--Costa, 153-1, 2000; Colleen McCoy, 122-7 1/2 , 2001; Jessi Wright, 120-2, 2002; Ashley Hendrickson, 112-4, 2003; Liz Carr, 106-5, 2001. Heptathlon--Malvino, 5,039, 1984; Wessendorf, 4,475, 1988; Hartnett, 4,474, 1989; Kacharos, 4,388, 1983; Pam Gordon, 4,355, 1982. Hammer--Becky Zachau, 167-3, 2002; Borck, 164-9, 2004; LaToya Washington, 146-2, 2003; Allie Maguire, 144-5, 2006; J.Wright, 137-5, 1998.
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