Feb. 22, 2003
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – With a combined 17 all-conference performances, the Georgia Tech men’s and women’s track and field teams wrapped up an impressive showing at the 2003 Atlantic Coast Conference Indoor Championships Saturday at North Carolina’s Eddie Smith Field House. The Yellow Jacket women placed second with 110.5 points, while the men’s team finished third with 105.5 points.
North Carolina captured the women’s title with 129.5 points. Tech was second (110.5), while Florida State (85) was third. Virginia took fourth (74.5), followed by NC State (66), Wake Forest (53), Duke (40.5), Maryland (37) and Clemson (27).
On the men’s side, Florida State won the meet with 135.5 points, followed by Clemson (111.5) and the Jackets with 105.5 points. North Carolina was fourth (99), NC State (84.5), Duke (36), Virginia (28), Wake Forest (19) and Maryland (5).
The Yellow Jacket women, who posted a school record 10 all-conference performances, were led by junior Amandi Rhett, who claimed her first individual ACC crown with a win in the 60-meter dash (7.42), and sophomore Shanta Smith, who won her second consecutive league title in the triple jump with and broke her own school record with a leap of 42’5.50″. That performance improves Smith’s NCAA provisional mark.
Additionally, senior Jessica DeFreitas earned All-ACC honors in both the triple jump and the 60-meter dash. She was second in the triple jump with a NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 41’10.50″ and was third in the 60 with a time of 7.48. DeFreitas also placed second in the long jump Friday.
In addition to Smith and DeFreitas in the triple jump, freshman Chaunte Howard placed third (41’9.75″) to give the Jackets a sweep the first three positions in the event. Howard’s leap was a NCAA provisional mark, while classmate Andriane Lapsley finished sixth (39’10.50″) to give the Jackets 27 points in the event.
Other all-conference performances for the women came from Smith, who was third in the 400 meters with a season-best 55.15, and junior Melanie Waits, who took third in the 60-meter hurdles in a season-best mark of 8.54. Sophomore Dana Rogers with sixth in that race (8.65), while Rhett was fifth in the 200 meters (24.66).
The Yellow Jacket men did not capture an individual title but showed great depth with runner-up finishes in five events. Senior Brian Fraser, who took second in the triple jump, led the way. His mark of 51’2.75″ met the NCAA provisional qualifying standard.
Also finishing second and earning all-conference honors were sophomore Ian Brewer, who had school record toss of 59’0.75″ in the weight throw, junior Brendon Mahoney, who clocked a time of 4:09.84 in the mile, senior Bryan Swarn, who went 1:53.81 in the 800 meters, and sophomore Dennis Davis, who went 21.84 in the 200 meters.
Junior Kyle Rabbitt took third in the 3000 meters with a time of 8:20.74 to all-conference honors in his second event. Additionally, sophomore Alex Berardi set a school record with a mark of 15’9.75″ in the pole vault, which was good four fourth place.
Also scoring valuable points for the men Saturday were senior Sharif Azim, who was fourth in both the 200 (21.97) and 400 meters (48.86), sophomore Reuben Houston, who was fourth in the triple jump (49’9.25″), junior Michael Massey, who was fifth in the high jump (6’9.75″) and Davis, who was also fifth in the 60-meter dash (6.85). Mahoney was also fifth in the 800 meters with a time of 1:54.95.
Tech’s women were second in the 4×400-meter relay, while the men took fourth.
The Jackets had four all-conference performances Friday, as Howard and senior Jamie Ostov posted All-ACC finishes in the high jump, as did DeFreitas in the long jump. For the men, Rabbitt was Friday’s lone all-conference honoree, placing second in the 5000 meters.
Tech will now have three weekends to improve their qualifying standards for the 2003 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, which are scheduled for March 14-15 in Fayetteville, Ark.
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