March 27, 2003
ATLANTA – After posting 10 NCAA Regional qualifying marks on the first day of the outdoor season, the Georgia Tech men’s and women’s track and field teams look for continued success this weekend at the Florida Relays at the Gators’ Percy Beard Track and Field Complex.
Action opens Friday at 8:30 a.m. and concludes 2:35 p.m., while Saturday’s events open at Noon and wrap up at 7:20 p.m. with the men’s 4×400-meter relay.
NCAA East Regional qualifiers Jessica DeFreitas, Brandy Depland, Chaunte Howard and Shanta Smith will anchor the women’s efforts in the jumps. DeFreitas and Depland will go in the long jump, Howard in the triple jump, and Depland and Smith will compete in the triple jump. Freshman Andriane Lapsley, who is competing in the triple jump, will join this group in Saturday’s Invitational field events.
Tech’s men will also be led by a trio of Regional qualifiers as senior Brian Fraser, junior Michael Massey and sophomore Zeb Sion are set to compete in the Invitational field events. Fraser will compete in the triple jump, while Massey goes in the high jump. Sion, who set a school record of 59’5.00″ in the shot put last weekend, will be joined by sophomore Jonathan Spillman in the shot. Classmates Ian Brewer will compete in the weight throw, and Anthony Hoover is set for the javelin.
The Jackets will also field several relays Saturday, led by the women’s 4×100, which met the Regional qualifying standard last weekend at Clemson. That team consisted of Lapsley, DeFreitas, junior Amandi Rhett and sophomore Dana Rogers, who will also compete in the 100-meter hurdles Friday.
Several of Tech’s distance runners are also set to compete for the first time this outdoor season. Junior Brendon Mahoney, who will race at 800 meters Friday, is expected to lead the way. Tech’s talented 400-meter group of Sharif Azim, Brian Ford and Bryan Swarn will also compete Friday.
Following this weekend’s action, the Jackets host their first home meet of the season when the 2003 Yellow Jacket Invitational comes to George C. Griffin Track, Saturday, April 5.
-GT-
