Dec. 5, 2008
ATLANTA – The Georgia Tech men’s and women’s track & field teams will begin the 2009 indoor season at the Middle Tennessee State Christmas Invitational in Murfreesboro, Tenn., this Saturday.
Sixteen competitors will represent Tech at the invitational, which will begin at 4 p.m. at the Murphy Center.
“We are taking a small group to Murfreesboro this weekend,” men’s head coach Grover Hinsdale said. “This will give us an opportunity to evaluate our level of conditioning in a meet environment as it will be our only opportunity to do so prior to the Christmas break. We’re excited about getting started.”
The men’s squad, which finished second at the 2008 ACC Indoor Championships, will include All-ACC performers Matt DiDia, Hunter Clasen, Alphonso Jordan, DeMario Johnson and Nigel Orr, among others.
Freshmen Jhanelle McLeod and Melanie Akwule will represent the women’s team this weekend, as both make their collegiate debuts.
“Melanie [Akwule] and Jhanelle [McLeod] will have an opportunity to get a taste of their first college competition before the break,” head women’s coach Alan Drosky said. “They have been working all fall on new stuff with coach [Nat] Page and this is a great opportunity for them to put it all together in an arena setting.”
The six-team field will also include host Middle Tennessee State, Belmont, Milligan College, Tennessee State and Western Kentucky.
Results will be available at the conclusion of the meet on RamblinWreck.com.
