May 14, 2003
ATLANTA – In one of the last chances to post qualifying marks for the 2003 NCAA East Region Championships, the Georgia Tech men’s and women’s track and field teams host the annual Georgia Tech Invitational, Friday and Saturday at George C. Griffin Track.
Joining the Jackets at the meet will be several of the nation’s top teams, including Atlantic Coast Conference rivals Clemson, Florida State and North Carolina. Action gets under way Friday with field events at 7 p.m., as well as the 1500 meters, 3000-meter steeplechase and 5000 meters on the track beginning at 8 p.m. Saturday’s field events begin at 11 a.m. with running events opening at 5 p.m.
Tech’s men and women have already combined for 25 regional qualifying performances this season and will hope to improve these performances this weekend.
Multiple qualifiers for the women include freshmen Brandy Depland (long jump, triple jump) and Chaunte Howard (high jump, long jump), as well as junior sprinter Amandi Rhett (100, 200 meters) and sophomore Shanta Smith (400 meters, triple jump). Rhett is also a member of Tech’s qualified 4×100-meter relay. On the men’s side, junior Brendon Mahoney, who ran the ACC’s best mark in the 1500 meters at last weekend’s Cardinal Qualifier, is qualified in both the 800 and 1500 meters. Additionally, seniors Bryan Swarn and Sharif Azim have met the qualifying standard in both the 400 meters and the 4×400-meter relay.
Other qualifiers for the women include: Jessica DeFreitas (long jump), Andriane Lapsley (100 meters), Jamie Ostrov (high jump), Simone Parker (discus) and Dana Rogers (100-meter hurdles). Rogers, Lapsley and DeFreitas also join Rhett on the school-record 4×100-meter relay.
Other men to watch who have already met the regional qualifying marks include ACC champions Ian Brewer (hammer) and Brian Fraser (triple jump). Also qualified are Michael Massey (high jump), Neil McDonagh (1500 meters), Zeb Sion (shot put) and Jonathan Spillman (shot put).
Following this weekend’s action, Tech will take next weekend off the prepare for the Regional meet, May 30-31 in Fairfax, Va. Top performers at regionals advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, June 11-14 in Sacramento, Calif.
-GT-
