Track and Field Heads to SoCon Indoor Championships
2/26/2011 12:04:00 AM
STATESBORO, Ga. - The Georgia Southern Track and Field team heads back to the Clemson Indoor Track and Field Complex Saturday-Sunday, February 26-27th, for the Southern Conference Indoor Championships. Twenty-five Eagles will compete in 15 events as the team looks to continue its success at this facility this year. This is Georgia Southern's fourth trip to the Clemson Indoor Track and Field Complex this season as it has competed in the Orange and Purple Classic (Dec. 4), the JRF Invitational (Jan. 28), Tiger Paw Invitational (Feb. 12) and the Tiger Tuneup (Feb. 19).
The Eagles finished third in last year's championship with senior Lynndsey Hyter claiming Most Outstanding Field Performer honors for the second straight year in 2010. The Dallas, Texas, native was honored for the second time this year as the SoCon Field Athlete of the week following two straight weeks of exceptional performances.
"Our conference is getting tougher and tougher every year - no one can take events or points for granted, we have to earn what we get," said Eagles Head Coach Natalie Smith. "When we reach the point where everyone has prepared and our team can just go and flat out compete, great performances are the result. I am so excited for the team and I do believe that we have them ready to go for this weekend."
The first event to be contested this weekend is the Pentathlon, featuring Hyter, the two-time defending champion in the event. Stephanie Hicks (Trenton, N.J.), who has the second-best point total in the SoCon, and newcomer Kwajelin Holsendolph (Hinesville, Ga.) join Hyter in the five-event competition.
Hyter will also participate in the 60 meter Hurdles and 60 meter Dash, as well as her two field events, the Long Jump and Triple Jump. She leads the SoCon in both jumps events with a 6.04 meter distance in the Long Jump and 12.25 meter distance in the Triple Jump.
Sophomore Ebony Carter (Rome, Ga.) currently holds the top SoCon time in the 60 meter Dash and is one of three Eagles in the top six with Hyter checking in at third (7.74) and Holsendolph at sixth (7.77). Georgia Southern is stocked with talent in the 60 meter Hurdles with Hyter, Jasmine Billings (Lawrenceville, Ga.), Hicks, Holsendolph and Dana Edwards (Athens, Ga.) competing in the event. Four of the top five times in the SoCon are owned by Eagles.
Posting her best time of the 2010-11 season, Carter has a 25.99 in the 200 meters for 13th in the SoCon standings. Carter, Billings and Cherrelle King (Elmont, N.Y.) will race in this event for the Eagles.
Ray Toomer's (Savannah, Ga.) 59.82 time in the 400 meters from the Tiger Tuneup last weekend moved her to 13th in the conference standings. Morgan Jefferson, Deanna Edwards (Athens, Ga.) and Kristiana Towns (Decatur, Ga.) will join the junior in the 400 meter race. The 800 meter Run features freshman Asea Mayfield (Marietta, Ga.), Talisha Rice (Stockbridge, Ga.) and Azura Robillard (Altamonte Springs, Fla.). Mayfield took over the Eagles' top spot at the Tiger Tuneup as she posted a 2:22.87 mark at the Tiger Tuneup last weekend.
Sophomore Sara Curry (Lawrenceville, Ga.) set the University record in her first 5,000 meter Run, and then reset her own record at the JRF Invitational at the Clemson Indoor Complex at the end of January. Amanda Tennyson (Grayson, Ga.) will compete in the Mile Run for the Eagles this weekend with experience in two previous races this year.
Georgia Southern is well represented in upper echelon of the conference's standings in several field events with three of the top five distances in the Long Jump and an additional top-20 performance alone.
Posting her best distance in the Long Jump at the Tiger Paw Invitational, Millicent Brooks-Millender (Douglasville, Ga.) is one of three Eagles in the top five of the SoCon in that event. She possesses the third-longest Triple Jump (11.96m) in the league standings behind Hyter (12.25m). Brianna Charles (Lithonia, Ga.) will be the Georgia Southern's final competitor in the Triple Jump with her top-20 SoCon ranking.
Alex Cassagnol (Augusta, Ga.) tied her best effort in 2010-11 last weekend with a mark of 1.65 meters in the High Jump. Cassagnol's 5'5" height is fifth overall in the SoCon and ranks as the best for an Eagle this year.
Three Georgia Southern student-athletes will compete in the shot put with Natasha Creasy (Christianburg, Va.) returning for the championships. Creasy's 13.15m toss from January's Mountaineer Open placed her sixth overall among the other SoCon competitors. Ashley Thomas (Lawrenceville, Ga.), ninth overall, who threw the top distance for the Eagles in the 20-lb. Weight Throw (14.70m) is included in this event for GSU as well. Charnelle Wray's (Jamaica, N.Y.) distance of 12.17 in the Shot Put also ranks in the top 20. Both Thomas and Wray will compete in both the Shot Put and Weight Throw at championships.
"We have a young squad and they have really grown up over the last couple of weeks," Smith said. "I am extremely proud of the way they have stayed focused and been willing to go all out for their team. We have ladies from every classification who are ready to pull their load and help lead this team through their performances."
Live results from the indoor championships can be found on SoConSports.com and results for Eagles will be posted at twitter.com/GSScores. Up-to-date information and results for the Georgia Southern Track and Field team can be found at GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com/track&field and short updates are available at twitter.com/GSAthletics or facebook.com/GSAthletics.
