April 1, 2009
Meet Schedule | Start Lists | Alan Drosky, who serves as the meet director. “It’s head-to-head competition, it’s Georgia versus Georgia Tech, it’s a compact three hour schedule under the lights with the Atlanta skyline as a backdrop and it’s all good stuff.”
Thursday will be the first time in 17 years that the two schools will go head-to-head, the last being April 4, 1992 in Athens, Ga. The Jacket and Bulldog men tied, 81-81, in that meet, while the Tech women fell to the Georgia women, 85-60.
That was also the same year the men’s 4×400 meter relay squad of Octavius Terry, Julian Amedee, Derrick Adkins and Derek Mills became NCAA Outdoor Champions in Austin, Texas.
Senior Alana Clooten is coming off a second-place mark in the hammer throw at the Yellow Jacket Invitational last Friday with a personal-best distance of 194’00”. The hammer throw was the lone event completed at the meet due to its cancellation because of severe weather in the Atlanta area.
Despite competing in just one complete meet on the season, the Tech women hold 11 top-five performances in the ACC, and have qualified for the NCAA Regional Championships in six events.
“Our women expect intense competition, to fight for every point, and at the end of this meet there will be a winner and a loser,” Drosky added. “And we want to win.”
Looking to make their outdoor season debut for the men, will be junior Indoor triple jump All-American Alphonso Jordan, 2009 Indoor ACC shot put champion Steve Marcelle, and senior high jumper Jerome Miller. Jordan and Marcelle will be competing for the first time since the NCAA Indoor Championships in the middle of March, while Miller will be competing outdoors for the first time since the 2007 season.
Sophomore Omar Morrison currently has the men’s lone regional spot, with a personal-best mark of 49’3.50″ in the triple jump at the Hurricane Invitational two weeks ago.
“It has been many years since we locked up with Georgia in a dual meet,” men’s head coach Grover Hinsdale said. “Our respective conference championships are about four weeks apart, and it has been difficult to find a date which worked for both sides. However, Coach [Alan] Drosky (GT) and Coach [Jeff] Pigg (UGA), through much thought and hard work, made it happen. Georgia will be a great challenge for our team and we’re very excited about hosting this great meet.”
After the meet, the Jackets will head to the Auburn Tiger Track Classic, which begins April 3 in Auburn, Ala.
