Troy University Athletics
Trojans Head to FSU Relays
3/24/2010 3:00:00 PM | Track & Field
The Trojans have won a combined 69 medals, two team titles and two Sun Belt Conference Athletes of the Week; but that will all be set to the side this weekend when the teams line up against student-athletes from Division I powers Florida State, Tennessee and Wisconsin. Several other teams are entered into the meet including, but not limited to, Jacksonville, Missouri Southern, South Florida, Nicholls State, Webber International, Albany State, North Florida, Embry Riddle, Florida A&M and Tampa.
The meet begins on Thursday morning when Grant Bullington hits the track in the decathlon, followed by Chontia Allen in the heptathlon at noon on Thursday. Several other student-athletes will also be in competition that afternoon and evening with events scheduled in hammer (men and women), javelin (women) and the 10,000 meters (women).
Several Trojans are ranked in the top 60 in the East Region, and with the new qualification standards for the NCAA Regions this season that is not a bad place to be. Instead of using the system from past seasons in which athletes could qualify for the regionals based on time, this season the NCAA has gone to a new standard and that is based on an athlete's regional ranking.
On the women's side, freshman Ja-Courteny Alexander will look to improve on her ranking of 46 and looks to better her mark of 12.11 seconds in the 100-meters as she is placed in heat two on Saturday in the event. The freshman is also ranked at 44 in the 200-meters with a time of 24.84, and she will be in heat one of the event on the outside lane - running in lane seven.
Two Trojans who are not in the regional rankings will make their debuts this weekend in their specialty event. Both, Naquita Rowe and Latoya Ragland, have not competed in the 100-meter hurdles this season but the conference medalists will be running together in the same heat on Friday afternoon.
The Trojans will look to improve on their regional ranking in the 4x400-meter relay, having two teams in the top 60 currently. The Trojans sit at 32 and 60 in this week's rankings and have both teams entered in the event on Saturday afternoon.
A pair of student-athletes looks to improve their ranking in the high jump on Saturday afternoon when Hockaday and Veronica Bryant both hit the track. The duo is tied for 46 in the nation with a jump of 1.63 meters and is both in the same flight on Saturday. In other jumping events, Ariel Cavazos will attempt to improve her ranking of 28 in the long jump on Friday afternoon, looking to improve on her jump or 5.63 meters.
Senior Tiphanie Baker returns to action this weekend, beginning with the hammer on Thursday. The senior is currently third in the region with a throw of 55.98 meters and is scheduled to throw in first flight on Thursday. She will then throw in the discus on Friday, an event in which she sits seventh in region with a throw of 48.17 meters. Teammate, Brynn Forsythe looks to improve on her regional ranking of 45 in the hammer when she participates in the second flight on Thursday. The freshman recorded a throw of 48.77 meters earlier this season.
In the women's javelin, freshman Lizzie Clough returns to action this weekend and looks to improve on her regional ranking of 22, as she threw for a distance of 41.46 meters at the Southern Miss Invitational.
Meanwhile, on the men's side, a pair of sprinters looks to improve on their rankings of 22 and 40 in the 100-meters. Junior Antonio McLeod ran a time of 10.68 seconds last week and was followed by freshman Neko Freeman across the line in a time of 10.80 seconds. The duo is entered in the competition this weekend, with McLeod in lane two in the first heat, and Freeman on the outside in heat two.
In the 200-meters competition, a trio of runners will look to improve their regional rankings. Sophomore Payton McGhee is entered in the event, as is McLeod and Stanley Arukwe - all three in the top 60 in the event.
Freshman Enock Kirui returns to the track on Friday night, running the 5000-meters where he is ranked 49th in the region in the event. He ran a time of 15:25.39 earlier this season at the Southern Miss Invitational.
In the relay competition, the Trojans have two teams in the top 50 in the 4x100-meter relay and one other in the 4x400-meter relay; and each of those will be in competition this weekend. The teams will have a different look to them as Director of Track and Field Jill Lancaster will try and find alternates for the teams that qualify for the regional competition.
In the field competition, several Trojans are entered this weekend that are in the regional rankings. Reigning Sun Belt Conference Male Field Athlete of the Week, Cody Bahrke, is ranked 40 in the discus and 56 in the hammer; while teammate Eddy Lynn is ranked 22 in the discus with a throw of 48.71 meters.
Senior Lamontrey Stamper is currently ranked fourth in the long jump and 13th in the triple jump, while teammate Terrell Irons is 29th in the triple jump. Freshman Larry Henry is ranked 29th and tied with teammate Grant Bullington in the high jump; while sophomore Mackenzie Howell is ranked 52nd in the javelin.
A pair of notable names not competing this weekend will be seniors Burke Leonce and Leander McKenzie. Leonce will be in Troy attending an event hosted by Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., for his academic performance as he was awarded the Dr. George Robert Boyd and Mrs. Lucille King Boyd Debate Scholarship; while McKenzie will stay home and rehab an injury and be ready to compete later this season.
The Trojans media relations staff will update the meet as often as possible from the Mike Long Track on the campus of Florida State University throughout the weekend. Results will be posted on TroyTrojans.com when they become available.
