Jan. 29, 2004
ATLANTA – The men’s track and field team will travel to Gainesville, Fla., for the annual Gator Invitational Sunday, Feb. 1. The indoor track and field meet will host a number of ranked teams on both the men and women’s side, led by host Florida who stands at No. 3 and No. 9, respectively. Atlantic Coast Conference foe Florida State will be among the participants this weekend and rank 19th on the women’s side.
“For the second weekend in a row, we will be involved in a very competitive meet,” said men’s head coach Grover Hinsdale. “The Gator Invitational has always been an excellent competition and it’s a very good facility. We look forward to this trip each year as we continue our preparations for the ACC Championships on Feb. 20-21.”
Headlining the men’s draw this weekend will be No. 3 Auburn and the ninth-ranked Gators. The women’s draw contains five ranked teams-No. 3 Florida, No. 12 Georgia, No. 14 Miami, No. 19 Florida State and No. 23 Georgia Tech.
“We go to Gainesville every indoor season,” said women’s head coach Alan Drosky. “It’s a great venue and always provides great competition. There will be a good mix of ACC and SEC teams, along with future ACC member Miami (Fla.). The meet provides another opportunity for our athletes to get better for the ACC Championships.”
Reigning ACC Indoor Performer of the Week (Jan. 17, Jan. 24) Montrell Person and senior Michael Massey (Asheboro, N.C.) will lead the Tech men this weekend. Person holds the third fastest time in the nation in the 60-meter hurdles (7.76) and will go head-to-head with Florida’s Josh Walker who ranks second in the nation with a time of 7.73.
Massey has not lost a high jump event in all three meets this year, clearing a season-best 7′ 1.50″ last weekend at the Clemson Invitational to earn his first NCAA provisional mark of the season.
In the women’s draw, All-American sophomore Chaunte Howard (Riverside, Calif.) will be the favorite in the high jump heading into this weekend’s events. Howard tied a school record back on Dec. 6 in the high jump and holds the nation’s top mark with a clear of 6′ 2.25″.
Also ranking amongst the nation’s leaders for the Tech women are juniors Dana Rogers (East Point, Ga.) and Shanta Smith (Miami, Fla.), along with freshman Ashlee Kidd (St. Petersburg, Fla.). Smith ranks second in the ACC and fifth nationally with a school record triple jump of 43′ 4.50″ at the Clemson Opener (Dec. 6).
Kidd posted a NCAA provisional time of 54.01 in the 400 meters at the Kentucky Invitational on Jan. 17 and holds the top time in the ACC. Her mark currently stands ninth in the country.
Rogers leads the ACC with a top time of 8.37 in the 60-meter hurdles. She tallied the NCAA provisional time at the Clemson Invitational en route to finishing second in the event. Rogers’ time stands 10th nationally.
Competing for the Yellow Jackets at the Clemson Pentathlon on Friday, Jan. 30, will be junior Lauren Reimer (New Braunfels, Texas) and sophomore Alexandra Van Heuven (Burke, Va.).
