Troy University Athletics
Troy Headed to Auburn Tiger Track Classic
4/3/2009 5:00:00 AM | Track & Field
TROY, Ala. - For the first time this outdoor season, the Troy University track and field program will get to compete on a dry surface as they head to Auburn for the Tiger Track Classic this weekend.
The Trojans have competed in three meets this season, and in all three meets the weather has been a nuisance. In the first meet of the season, Mother Nature did not cooperate as she flooded Birmingham with downpours all throughout the Southern Invitational; causing the meet to finish at 9 pm. The next weekend, the Trojans were hampered by rain again, this time at the Georgia Relays. And just last week, the Trojans were hit by rain for three days at the FSU Relays causing the meet administrators to change the meet to a rolling meet instead of a scored meet.
However, after a week of rain in the state of Alabama, the storms have pushed off to the East Coast and allowed for cooler temperatures to invade the state just in time for the fourth outdoor meet of the season for the Trojans.
Troy has three student-athletes ranked in the nation and several others leading the charge in the Sun Belt Conference thus far. They also have several student-athletes ranked in the Top 10 in the conference. Unfortunately for Troy, they will not field a fill a full squad this weekend due to some student-athletes needing rest and others recovering from an illness that ran rampant through the team over the last three weeks.
The Trojans are led by Redshirt sophomore Latoya Ragland is currently ranked 10th in the nation in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.58 seconds, just 0.03 seconds away from being ranked fifth in the nation. She is currently the second-fastest female in the sport in the Mideast Region, trailing only Kimberley Laing of Alabama at 13.57 seconds.
Junior Tiphanie Baker currently ranks third in the nation in the discus with a throw of 52.28 meters. The reigning Sun Belt Conference Field Athlete of the Week is just 0.43 meters away from the second-longest throw in the nation, and she currently holds the best mark in the Mideast Region. The closest competitor from the region is Emily Pendleton from Michigan with a throw of 51.91 meters.
Senior Agata Cichoszewska is ranked third in the triple jump with a distance of 12.76 meters. The three-time Sun Belt Conference Field Athlete of the Week (twice in indoors) is second in the Mideast Region, with the leader - Seidre Ford from Louisville - leading the country with a jump of 12.95 meters set March 21.
On the men's side, senior Lamar Hicks leads the Sun Belt Conference in the 100-meters with a time of 10.38 seconds run at the FSU Relays this past weekend. He is not ranked in the nation however due to the wind factor being too high during the meet. He is followed closely by Antonio McLeod in second with a time of 10.58 seconds run at the FSU Relays with the same wind factor.
Junior Matavis Madden, who has returned to full strength this season, is currently third in the 400-meters with a time of 48.54 seconds run at the Georgia Relays two weeks ago, while teammate Shane George is ninth in the conference with a time of 49.49 run at the FSU Relays this past weekend.
Senior Mike Conley and junior Leander McKenzie are both ranked in the Top 10 in the conference in the 110-meter hurdles, with Conley coming in at seventh with a time of 15.03 and McKenzie at 10th with a time of 15.37 seconds - both run in the Decathlon at the FSU Relays last weekend. Sophomore Michael Alexander is ranked sixth in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 56.16 seconds run at the FSU Relays, while Conley is 10th with a time of 56.96 run at the Georgia Relays.
Lamontrey Stamper is ranked third in the long jump with a distance of 7.32 meters at the FSU Relays. He is joined by Terrell Irons in sixth with a jump of 6.82 meters at the FSU Relays, and by Conley who is ranked ninth with a jump of 6.49 meters at the FSU Relays. Stamper is also ranked in the triple jump, coming in at fourth this week with a jump of 14.52 meters at the Georgia Relays. He is joined by Irons in the triple jump conference rankings with a jump of 13.97 meters at the FSU Relays, placing him sixth overall.
The meet starts on Friday and concludes on Saturday, with live results posted throughout the meet by clicking on the link above.
