Troy University Athletics
Trojans Host Coach O Invitational Saturday
4/22/2009 3:45:00 PM | Track & Field
That moment in time where the Troy University track and field program gets to shine in front of its home crowd is upon us.
This weekend, the Trojans will host the annual Coach O Invitational at the J.O. Colley Track and Field Complex on Saturday beginning at 10 am. And if this year is anything like last year, it will be an explosive meet with records falling to the wayside.
Last year alone, 20 new track records were set - which included 11 on the women's side and nine on the men's side. And most of those athletes will be back for repeat performances.
This year looks to be the same as numerous student-athletes have worked their way into the top four times all-time at the university of have broken school records this season.
Junior Tiphanie Baker is having a tremendous junior season with three new school records, three events in which she has qualified in for the NCAA's and a pair of Sun Belt Conference Field Athlete of the Week awards.
Baker has all ready set new school records in the discus, hammer and shot put in the first six weeks of the outdoor season. She hit a qualifying mark in the all three events three weeks ago at the Auburn Tiger Track Classic, and will challenge several of the track marks this weekend. She will be chasing teammate Monique Jordan in the discus, who set the track record last season with a throw of 47.24 meters.
Meanwhile, senior Agata Cichoszewska has rewritten the record books on the women's side in the triple jump. Having all ready qualified for the NCAA's on four different occasions, she will look to better the mark she all ready owns at the complex of 12.65 meters in the triple jump.
Redshirt sophomore Latoya Ragland has returned this season with a splash, qualifying for the NCAA's in the 100-meter hurdles. She will look to capture the track record this weekend, which is owned by Southern Miss' Raquel Washington (set in 2004).
On the men's side, then-junior Lamar Hicks rewrote the record book on the men's side when he ran a 10.40 time in the 100-meter dash, all but shattering the previous mark 10.58 seconds that he set the season before. All ready this season, now a senior, Hicks has run times near the NCAA Qualifying mark and has run a 10.38 wind-aided 100-meters.
The 200-meter record on the men's side could be in jeopardy this season as Hicks, all ready a NCAA qualifier in the event (as of last weekend's War Eagle Invitational) will look to challenge the time of 21.14 set by Louis Harris back in 2005.
The only other male athlete to qualify for the NCAA's at this point in the season is junior Leander McKenzie who did so in the 110-meter hurdles last weekend at the War Eagle Invitational. After being hampered by an injury all winter, he was able to come back and qualify in the event and will look to break his own track record of 14.01 seconds in the same event.
While the Trojans will be chasing track records this weekend, they will also be looking to better themselves for the stretch run which begins at the conference meet.
The Trojans have several athletes ranked nationally, including McKenzie at 32nd in the 110-meter hurdles, Hicks 89th in the 200, Baker is seventh in the discus and 46th in the hammer, Baker 89th in the shot put, Ragland 31st in the 100-meter hurdles and Cichoszewska 19th in the triple jump.
Admission is free at the J.O. Colley Track Complex this Saturday, and this will be the only chance to catch the Trojans in action as they prepare for the Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships in three weeks.
For all of your updated information on Troy University athletics, make sure to check www.TroyTrojans.com. For ticket information to any and all Troy University athletic event, contact the Troy University ticket office at (877) 878-WINS (9467).
