May 4, 2003
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Georgia Tech Freshman All-American Chaunte Howard won the high jump, and senior Jamie Ostrov and sophomore Shanta Smith each posted a pair of top-five finishes to lead the Jackets Sunday at the Florida Women’s Track and Field Classic at Percy Beard Track. Tech finished fourth in the meet with 59 points.
The host Gators won the meet with 275 points, with Florida State (124 points) and Florida International (63) rounding out the top three teams.
Owner of the nation’s top high jump performance this season (6’2.25″), Howard cleared 6’0.75″ to remain undefeated in the event this outdoor season. Smith led the Jackets on the track with a second-place finish in the 400 meters. She ran a season-best time of 53.94, improving her qualifying mark for the NCAA East Region Championships. Smith was also fifth in the 200 meters in 24.46.
Ostrov’s day was highlighted by a season-best 5’8.00″ in the high jump, the Jackets’ 11th regional qualifying performance of the season. She placed fourth in the event and was fifth in the 400-meter hurdles in 1:03.36.
Additionally, freshman Simone Parker broke the school record in the discus with a toss of 144’0.00″ in a sixth-place finish. Her performance eclipsed Be-Atrice Sams’ mark of 139’10.00″ set in 1995.
The Jackets’ 4×100-meter relay team of freshman Andriane Lapsley, junior Amandi Rhett, sophomore Dana Rogers and junior Melanie Waits placed second in 45.50. Waits was also fourth in the 100 meters (12.56), while Rogers was sixth in the 100-meter hurdles (13.96).
Freshman Brandy Depland closed out Tech’s top-five finishers by placing fourth in the triple jump (38’7.00″).
The Jackets return to action May 10 at Clemson’s Orange and Purple Classic.
-GT-
