Jan. 16, 2003
With a very deep and balanced team that returns three All-Americans and eight All-Atlantic Coast Conference performers, Georgia Tech men’s track and field head coach Grover Hinsdale has lofty hopes for the 2003 season.
“I have extremely high expectations for this team,” says Hinsdale, who earned ACC Men’s Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year honors a year ago. “When I look at this team on paper, it may be the most balanced team with talented depth that we’ve ever had here. We were a very young team last year. That team has grown up and is poised for a big year.”
From a strong sprint and hurdles group to talented middle distance and distance runners and standouts across the board in the jumps and throws, Hinsdale sees a team that has all the components needed to capture the first men’s track ACC title and improve its standing on the national level.
“The main goal of this team is to win an ACC championship, and I don’t see that changing,” said Hinsdale. “That’s what we’re training for. But also I think this team is capable of being a top 20 or top 10 team at nationals – both indoor and outdoor. We have the talent here to get that done. The key is to stay healthy as a team. If we can get them to the line healthy and fit, finishing that highly is a real possibility.
“I’m as excited about the 2003 season as I have been in my entire career. I just keep looking at this team, and we’re covered in all areas of the track team. And not just covered in bodies but covered in talented young men.”
SPRINTS
Headlining Tech’s group of short sprinters will be sophomores Donald Beamer and Dennis Davis. Beamer enjoyed a successful indoor season before missing outdoor competition due to injury. Indoors he posted the team’s fastest marks both the 55 (6.76) and 200 meters (22.13).
“Donald had some physical problems last year but seems to have gotten through that,” said Hinsdale. “He’s had an outstanding fall of training. We’re really looking forward to seeing Donnie blossom into the collegiate runner we know he can be this year.”
Davis will once again return to the track after playing as a defensive back on the Yellow Jacket football team this past fall. He made a quick transition last year, placing fifth in the 60 meters at the ACC Indoor Championships after limited practice time. He also saw some action during the outdoor season, posting the team’s top mark in the 100 meters (10.73).
“Dennis scored in the conference meet last year after just a few short weeks of training,” said Hinsdale. “I really see Dennis as having the ability to be a great college sprinter.”
Senior All-Americans Sharif Azim and Bryan Swarn lead the Jackets’ always-solid group of 400-meter runners. Swarn earned All-America honors and won an ACC title in the outdoor 400 meters and owned team’s top mark both indoors (47.55) and outdoors (45.68) last year.
Azim was fourth in the 400 at the ACC Indoor Championships.
“Bryan and Sharif have had outstanding careers thus far,” said Hinsdale. “I think their senior campaign will be fantastic. They are both having great training this fall and are showing great leadership.” The third standout 400-meter performer is sophomore Brian Ford, the 2002 ACC Indoor Rookie of the Year. Ford took sixth in that event at the conference indoor meet.
Freshman Matt Trester, who won the 2001 Colorado state high school title in the 400 meters, is also expected to make an impact this season.
“Matt is adjusting to the collegiate work load and is doing a great job of preparing for the season,” said Hinsdale. “I am excited about what he brings to the table.”
MIDDLE DISTANCE
All-American junior Brendon Mahoney will once again anchor Tech’s efforts in the middle distance events. He is coming off a tremendous 2002, in which he earned All-America honors in the indoor mile with a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships. He also earned ACC Indoor MVP accolades with a win the 800 meters and a runner-up finish in the mile at the conference indoor meet.
During the outdoor season, Mahoney took second in both the 800 and 1500 meters at the ACC outdoor meet and reached the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 1500 meters. Mahoney also set a school record in the mile, clocking a time of 4:00.29 at the New Balance Maine Distance Festival.
“I’m very proud of Brendon not only for what he has done on the track but for the leadership he has provided for this program,” said Hinsdale.
Joining Mahoney in the middle distance races will be juniors Barton Crist, Tim Johnson and David Schmidt. Each of these three made solid contributions in 2002 are expected to leave their mark this season.
“I’m really excited about seeing all three of these men compete in 2003,” said Hinsdale.
DISTANCE
Junior Kyle Rabbitt and sophomore Neil McDonagh are expected to lead Tech’s efforts in the distance events this season.
A year ago, Rabbitt owned the Jackets’ top indoor marks in the 3000 (8:26.18) and 5000 (14:50.06), as well as Tech’s best efforts in the outdoor 5000 (14:32.55) and 10,000 (31:22.36).
With Rabbitt well rested after redshirting this fall’s cross country season, Hinsdale expects even better performances in 2003. “Kyle is a very talented distance runner. He redshirted in cross country this year mainly to prepare for the 2003 indoor and outdoor track seasons. I saw in Kyle last year glimpses of what we think he can be as a collegiate runner and I think this is going to be his breakout year.”
A versatile runner that can contribute from 1500 to 5000 meters, McDonagh saw limited action last season due to injury but is also poised to have a breakthrough season this year.
“Neil has had nagging injury problems but he’s healthy now and having an outstanding fall of training,” said Hinsdale.
Other veterans expected to contribute in the distance events include seniors Jimmy DeYonker and Joe Poliseo, as well as junior Dan Moss.
Hinsdale also sees a strong group of young distance competitors that are trying to establish themselves on the collegiate level. Included in that group are Adam Jones, Rob Kuhn, Mark Luffel, Gaben Moore, Brian O’Neill, Clark Rivers, Michael Sinagra and Eric Southard.
HURDLES
Discussion of Tech’s hurdlers must start with sophomore Montrell Person, who returns to the program after a one-year hiatus. As a freshman, Person earned All-ACC honors with a third-place finish in the 110-meter hurdles and posted the team’s top mark in the 400-meter hurdles.
“Montrell showed flashes of talent and ability in the 400 hurdles his freshman season,” said Hinsdale. “He’s back full strength this year and is going to be an outstanding talent in the 110 hurdles and 400 intermediate hurdles. We’re delighted to have him back. His training this fall has been nothing short of fantastic. His attitude is phenomenal. He goes out every day and just gets better and better. I think he’s going to be a force to be reckoned with in the conference this season.”
Joining Person in the 400 hurdles will be newcomers Cory Painter, Nate Smiga and Ameer Solomon, a sophomore transfer from Alabama State.
“These are talented young men that have some work to do,” said Hinsdale. “But I think will develop into talented hurdlers on the collegiate level.”
RELAYS
As usual, the Jackets’ top relay should be the 4×400, which captured both the ACC indoor and outdoor titles a year ago. Seniors Bryan Swarn and Sharif Azim, as well as sophomore Brian Ford return from that unit. Hinsdale expects sophomore hurdler Montrell Person to round out the talented quartet.
“The 4×400 could be a great event for us this year, providing our main guys are healthy,” said Hinsdale. “If that group is healthy and ready to go they can have a great, great season.”
With a solid group of short sprinters from which to choose, Tech should also enjoy a strong 4×100 relay as well. Donald Beamer, Chris Crawley, Dennis Davis, Brian Fraser, I-Perfection Harris, Reuben Houston and Montrell Person are all viable options for this relay.
“That’s a good stable of short sprinters that can all do a great job,” said Hinsdale. “That’s probably as good a selection as we’ve ever had for a 4×100.”
Tech’s distance medley relay could also be strong with Brendon Mahoney, Barton Crist, David Schmidt, Tim Johnson and Neil McDonagh on the 800, 1200 and 1600-meter legs. According to Hinsdale, any of the 400-meter standouts could do great job on that leg.
JUMPS, POLE VAULT
Tech will be led in the long jump by seniors Chris Crawley, who had the team’s top marks in both in the indoor and outdoor seasons, and Brian Fraser.
“Chris and Brian have shown flashes of being really solid long jump performers in their careers,” said Hinsdale. “Both have been working very hard this fall on this event.”
Joining this veteran duo is freshman I-Perfection Harris, a 15-time high school All-American. “He had an outstanding high school career in the long jump,” said Hinsdale. “We are excited about having him be a part of this family and expect big things from him during his career here.”
The Jackets return a pair of All-ACC competitors in the triple jump in sophomore Reuben Houston and Crawley. Houston, Tech’s third football player that does double duty on the track team, placed second in the event at the ACC Indoor Championships a year ago. His mark of 49’7.00″ was a season best. Crawley took third also at the indoor meet.
Adding depth in the triple jump will be junior Spencer Irvine, who also scored at both the ACC indoor and outdoor meets a year ago.
“Spencer seems to get better and better each and every year,” said Hinsdale. “He is a very hard worker and has a great attitude. I’m excited about seeing his continued development.”
Tech lacks depth in the high jump but more than makes up for it with the talent of junior Michael Massey, the Jackets’ top performer a year ago. He was fifth at the ACC Outdoor Championships and eighth at the conference indoor meet. Massey cleared a career-best height of 6’11.00″ during the outdoor season.
“Michael is one very, very talented high jumper,” said Hinsdale. “He just started showing signs in his second season last year of being a very competitive jumper. He’s probably had the best fall of training of his career.”
Sophomore Alex Berardi returns as the Jackets’ top pole vaulter. He placed ninth at the ACC Outdoor Championships with a career-best mark of 15’9.00″.
“Alex made the most progress of anyone on our team last year from the start of the season until the end,” said Hinsdale. “He did that with a great work ethic, a great attitude and a yearning to get better. He went from a 14’0″ in high school to a 15’9″ vault in his first year here, which is amazing progress.”
Freshman Chase Sasser and junior David Smith add depth in the event.
THROWS
Sophomores Zeb Sion and Jonathan Spillman return as Tech’s top talents in the shot put. Sion earned all-conference accolades with a second-place finish in the event at the ACC Indoor Championships and placed sixth at the outdoor meet. Spillman was fourth outdoors and fifth indoors.
“Zeb and Jonathan are going to end their careers here as two of the finest shot putters in this history of the program,” said Hinsdale. “I have a very strong feeling that one of those guys is going to end up on our record board with the shot put mark this season.”
Sion and Spillman should also make their marks in the discus this season, but classmate Ian Brewer is expected to be Tech’s top competitor in the event. He led the Jackets with a mark of 161’10.00″ last season.
Brewer also set school records in both the weight and hammer throws last season. He recorded a toss of 52’2.00″ in the weight throw during the indoor season and established a new mark of 186’10.00″ in the hammer throw during the outdoor campaign.
“As Ian continues to develop physically, he’s going to be a force on the ACC and national levels,” said Hinsdale.
Classmate Jonathan Chihoski adds depth in the hammer and weight throws.
Sophomore Anthony Hoover is Tech’s lone competitor in the javelin for 2003. He comes off a fifth-place finish in the event at the ACC Outdoor Championships.
“He had a very solid freshman year,” said Hinsdale. “But he has some big shoes to fill with the departure of All-American Chris Sinotte.”
Decathlete Scott Carlton may also see some action in the javelin.
DECATHLON
Tech has a pair of solid decathletes in sophomore Greg McCormick and senior Scott Carlton, who is coming off a redshirt year. McCormick was seventh in the decathlon at the ACC Outdoor Championships.
According to Hinsdale, both have been impressive in fall training and should do well this spring.
