May 26, 2004

Toledo, OH - Senior Briana Shook (Tiffin, OH) and junior Ebba Stenbeck (Norrkoping, Sweden) will represent the University of Toledo in the 3000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Mideast Track & Field Regional in Baton Rouge, LA this Saturday, May 29. The women's steeplechase is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. (8:00 p.m. ET). Stenbeck will run in the first section, Shook will run in the second.

For Shook, the regionals are the first hurdle in her quest for a national championship in the steeplechase. Shook, considered one of the top American women's steeplechasers, is seeking her first NCAA crown. She has won 11 Mid-American Conference titles and been named an All-American twice in her career.

Shook will almost certainly advance to the NCAA Championship Meet in Austin, TX (June 9-12) where she will likely face 2003 steeplechase champion Kassi Andersen of Brigham Young. Shook defeated Andersen at the U.S. Championships last June, but Andersen outpaced Shook last month in a meet in Palo Alto, CA.

The top five qualifiers from each of four regions make the NCAA Championships. In addition, another six to eight runners will qualify based on times run throughout the season, virtually assuring Shook a place in the finals.

"Briana's goals are to focus on national championships and the U.S. Olympic Trials. She doesn't have to finish in the top five at the regionals," said Toledo coach Kevin Hadsell. "Mostly, I want her to work on hurdle and water jump technique. But she's been training hard. She's very competitive and I think she will try to win the regionals.

"Ebba is running in the first section. Her goal is to win the section and finish with a faster time than runners in the second (faster) section."

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