June 22, 2005
INDIANAPOLIS) The Indiana Invaders are headed to the 2005 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California on June 23-26, 2005. This is the Invaders' seventh appearance at the USA Outdoor Championships where over the course of their first seven seasons of competition at USA Track & Field National Championships, the Indiana Invaders have produced 112 athlete appearances and 7 qualifying efforts for USA National Teams.

The Invaders are led into the 2005 championships by Adam Shunk, a graduate of Ball State University, who is currently ranked second in the United States in the high jump, and is one of only four US high jumpers that have met the "A" Qualifying Standard for 2005 World Championship in Helsinki, Finland. Shunk was a 2004 Olympic Trials finalist.

Joining Shunk as Top 10 Ranked meet entries are teammates Dameion Smith and Carri Long. Carri Long, a graduate of Purdue University and a 2004 Olympic Trials Finalist, will compete in the high jump where she is ranked seventh on the meet entry list. Dameion Smith, a graduate of the University of Indianapolis, is ranked seventh on the 2005 US performance list in the hammer throw. Dameion Smith was an Olympic Trials participant in 2004.

Also competing are Francesca Green, Brandon Hon, Jacob Koczman, and Hunter Spencer. Francesca Green, a 2004 Olympic Trials competitor, will compete in the long jump as the 21st ranked athlete in the competition field. Brandon Hon, a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, who will compete in the 110 hurdles. Hon is currently ranked 22nd in the 110 meter hurdles for the 2005 season. Hon qualified for the 2004 Olympic Trials but was unable to compete due to injury. Jacob Koczman ranked 23rd on the meet entry list, a 2004 Olympic Trials Finalist, will compete in the 800. Koczman has a career best of 1:47.06 in the 800. Hunter Spencer, a graduate of the University of Kentucky, will compete in the 1500. Spencer has a career best of 3:40.91 in the 1500.

Invaders Director Greg Harger said, "We have a very strong and diverse group competing at Nationals this year. Shunk has created a great opportunity for another Invaders athlete to make the US National Team and compete at the World Championships." Harger added, "We have several athletes in the meet with low ranked entries that have demonstrated in their preparation that they are likely candidates for big improvements in this competition compared to their rankings. This meet will roll us right into our preparations for 2008 as we especially look forward to building on our performances into the next two years when the US Outdoor Championships are set to be held in Indianapolis."

In 2004, the Invaders placed five athletes in the top 10 at the U.S. Olympic Team Track & Field Trials in Sacramento, California.

2005 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships:
http://usatf.org/events/2005/USAOutdoorTFChampionships/