May 2, 2003
ATLANTA – The Georgia Tech women’s track and field team returns to Florida’s Percy Beard Track and Field Complex for the second time this season, as the Jackets will compete at the Florida Women’s Track and Field Classic in Gainesville Sunday. Tech enjoyed a successful trip to the Florida Relays early in the outdoor season.
A pair of top-10 teams, third-ranked Florida and No. 10 Florida State, join Tech in the field. Also scheduled to compete are Central Florida, Florida A&M, Florida International and Jacksonville. Action begins with field events at 3 p.m. and running events at 6:15 p.m. The meet will be scored.
Leading the way for Tech will be freshman All-American Chaunte Howard, who has yet to lose a high jump competition this outdoor season. Her school record mark of 6’2.25″ ranks as the nation’s top collegiate performance. Howard is also scheduled to compete in the 100-meter hurdles.
ACC runner-up Dana Rogers will also compete in the 100 hurdles. She posted a regional qualifying mark of 13.74 in the event at the Florida Relays.
Junior Amandi Rhett ranks as the Jackets’ top sprinter with times of 11.41 in the 100 meters and 23.60 in the 200 meters. She currently stands 13th nationally in the 100 and 34th in the 200 meters and is qualified for regionals in both events. Rhett also anchors the 4×100-meter relay, which owns the nation’s 18th-fastest mark this season.
Other top competitors for the Jackets include senior Jessica DeFreitas, who ranks 16th nationally in the long jump with a school record leap of 20’7.75″ at last weekend’s Penn Relays. Sophomore Shanta Smith will compete in both the 200 and 400 meters, while senior Katie Griffin and junior Neta Ezer anchor the distance events and will run both the 1500 and 5000 meters.
Following Sunday’s meet, the Jackets head to the Clemson Orange & Purple Classic, May 10, followed by the team’s second home meet of the year, the Georgia Tech Invitational, May 16-17.
-GT-
