Eagles Ready to Defend their SoCon Outdoor Crown

STATESBORO, Ga. – Teamwork makes the dreamwork, but seeing is believing and the Georgia Southern track & field team witnessed a first in school history a year ago, winning its first-ever Southern Conference track & field championship. The time has finally arrived as the Eagles have waited all season for this weekend’s SoCon Championships in Cullowhee, N.C. where they will get the chance to defend their crown.

On the women’s side, the first meet was held in 1987. Only four schools have won: Appalachian State (15), Western Carolina (4), Georgia Southern (1) and East Tennessee State (1).

Last seasons dream was turned into reality, but the Eagles know this year’s journey is going to be much more difficult. They also realize that it’s harder to stay on top then it is to get there and that this weekend at the SoCon Championships everyone will be out to get them.

“This year is going to be a battle until the end,” said GSU coach Natalie Smith. “It is not going to be handed to any team. All of the teams are really stacked this year. We do not have athletes competing in every event, but we do have some events where I think up to four different people will score points and if we do that I believe that we have a great chance of winning.”

This year’s squad has turned in a number of top performances, which is what makes Smith so amped up for this weekend’s meet. The Eagles have broken two school records this season under the second year coach. Earlier this season, Shauntel Jennings (Stone Mountain, Ga.) turned in a school best 2:16.76 in the 800m at the highly competitive Pepsi Florida Relays. This past weekend GSU senior Shamyria Ortiz (Newnan, Ga.) found the record books when she cleared a distance of 9’11.75 in the pole vault at the Irwin Belk Invitational.

Three Georgia Southern triple jumpers had NCAA Regional qualifying jumps at the Shamrock Invitational last month. GSU jumpers Lynndsey Hyter (Dallas, Texas), Shaunta Hamilton (Macon, Ga.) and Demetrise Anthony (Manchester, Ga.) finished first, second and third, respectively, at the meet hosted by Coastal Carolina. Hyter leaped 40’09.50” to earn the title, while Hamilton jumped 40’08.75 and Anthony recorded a mark of 40’07.75”.

Hyter was tabbed as the Southern Conference Track & Field Athlete of the Week for her performance at the Shamrock Invitational, while Anthony earned the award after the Irwin Belk Invitational.

The jumpers have also enjoyed success in the long jump event. Hyter has placed first in two of the five meets with a top distance of 20’00.25” at the Irwin Belk Invitational. She has already qualified for the NCAA Regional meet. Hamilton had a first place finish at the CCU Invitational with a leap of 19’1.50”, while Anthony has a top distance of 19’06.00” this season.

GSU ranks first, second and third in both the long and triple jump in the Southern Conference standings.

Sprinting and hurdling will also surely help the Eagles this weekend in Cullowhee. Anthony has the fourth best time (12.00) in the conference this season in the 100m dash, while Carla Ballard (Morrow, Ga.) ranks third in the 400m with a season best 56.60. Senior Amber Wilson (Calhoun, Ga.) ran a 14.76 in the 100m hurdles at the Pepsi Florida Relays, giving her the best time in the conference. Ballard and junior Kristin Olson (Senoia, Ga.) are first and second, respectively, with times of 1:01.21 and 1:03.83 in the 400m hurdles, while Wilson ranks fourth in the event.

The field events have been a key component and add a lot of depth to this year’s unit.  Last year’s Southern Conference Freshman of the Year, Jessica Irizarry (Kennesaw, Ga.), ranks second in the conference in the javelin with a throw of 126’02”, while Melanie Trumbo (Lilburn, Ga.) ranks fourth. Senior Jennifer Charles (Green Cove Springs, Fla.) has the top distance in the shot put with a mark of 44’07”.

Georgia Southern’s relay teams have competed exceptionally well all season. The 4x400m team of London Ryles (Decatur, Ga.), Jennings, Ashley Bush-Hardy (Fayetteville, Ga.) and Ballard moved into third place in the record books recording a time of 3:48.91 at the Irwin Belk Invitational. GSU’s 4x800m relay team posted one of the school’s best times led by Kellie Wesson (Douglasville, Ga.), Abby Bloom (Snellville, Ga.), Ballard and Jennings, earning a time of 9:22.58 at the Pepsi Florida Relays.

“In order for us to repeat the girls need to believe that it’s possible,” said Smith. “We have definitely put the work in this year and we have had a lot of adversity throughout the season. I feel that our underclassmen have really stepped up all year, which puts us in great position because they know that the upperclassmen cannot do it on their own and if they will all hold their weight we will see victory at the end. We are all very excited and ready to go. I pray that we will be driving back late on Sunday as champions.

The 2008 Southern Conference Men’s & Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be held Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27 at the at the Catamount Athletics Complex in Cullowhee, N.C. Western Carolina University will be the host institution for the event.

Category: Track & Field

Published on Thursday, 24 April 2008 00:21