Feb. 22, 2006
ATLANTA – The Georgia Tech men’s and women’s track and field teams will travel to Blacksburg, Va., for the 2006 Atlantic Coast Conference Indoor Championships, Feb. 23-25, on the campus of Virginia Tech.
“We are looking forward to our trip to Blacksburg for the opportunity of competing in the ACC Indoor Championships,” said head men’s coach Grover Hinsdale. “Virginia Tech has a wonderful facility that will offer us the chance to compete on a banked track for the first time this season. Although we are young, I feel this team is ready for the challenge.”
The men’s team has four consecutive top-five finishes at the indoor ACC meet. Tech finished fifth a season ago with 50 points in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Sophomore All-ACC high jumper Jerome Miller will try and capture his first ACC title this weekend. Miller, a native of Stafford, Va., ranks second in the conference with a school-record tying clear of 7 feet, 1 ¾ inches. Freshman Juan Cave is third in the ACC with a mark of 6 feet, 11 ½ inches.
Sophomore Derek Hoye holds the ACC’s second-fastest time in the 400-meter dash with a mark of 47.33. He ranks eighth in the 800 meters with an indoor season-best time of 1:53.90. Freshman E.C. Gibbs ranks sixth in the 800 with a time of 1:52.81.
On the women’s side, Tech is searching for its second indoor ACC title in five seasons. The Jackets have been in the top three at the meet in each of the last five seasons and have numerous athletes inside the league’s top 10 this year.
“We expect an exciting, competitive meet,” said head women’s coach Alan Drosky. “The conference is deeper than ever. And we’re prepared, healthy, and ready to go. Last year’s meet was a three-way battle with Miami, North Carolina, and us. We expect the same this year, although Maryland and Virginia Tech also have excellent squads.”
ACC indoor 60-meter dash champion Andriane Lapsley will try and defend her title this weekend. Lapsley, a senior from San Antonio, Texas, holds the league’s top mark with a NCAA Provisional time of 7.39. She also ranks fourth in the 200-meter dash with a NCAA mark of 23.90, and stands seventh in the 60-meter high hurdles (8.49).
Junior Ashlee Kidd holds the league’s top mark in the 200-meter dash with a NCAA Provisional time of 23.51. Kidd, a native of St. Petersburg, Fla., ranks second in the 60m (7.47) and 400m (53.89/NCAA Provisional).
Senior Brandy Depland broke the school record in the triple jump with a NCAA Automatic qualifying mark of 44 feet, 2 inches. Depland, a native of Katy, Texas, currently stands second in the nation with that mark.
Junior Fatmata Fofanah heads into the ACC meet with the second-fastest time in the 60m hurdles, clocking a NCAA Provisional time of 8.27. Sophomore Shantia Moss is fourth with a NCAA Provisional time of 8.33.
Live stats for the meet will be run by Virginia Tech on VT’s Website.
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