Jan. 22, 2009
ATLANTA – – The Georgia Tech men’s and women’s track & field teams head to SEC country for the Razorback Invitational this Friday and Saturday in Fayetteville, Ark. The meet kicks off with the heptathlon at 12 p.m. Friday at the Randall Tyson Track Center.
“The Razorback Invitational will present another great opportunity for our team,” head men’s coach Grover Hinsdale said. “The Tyson Track facility at Arkansas is considered one of the finest indoor track facilities in the word and the competition will be outstanding. We look forward to lining up and competing well as we prepare for the ACC Championships in late February.”
The men’s team is coming off a Kentucky Invitational that saw senior Jerome Miller win his second-consecutive high jump title. Miller needed just one jump at 6-10.25 to take first-place at the meet.
Making their 2009 season debuts Friday will be senior tri-captain E.C. Gibbs and junior Billy Mateker. Both Gibbs and Mateker received indoor All-ACC honors last season in the distance medley relay.
“The Arkansas facility is truly one of the best in the world and the competition this weekend will be a very good test,” head women’s coach Alan Drosky said. “This meet is an outstanding opportunity for our women to step their level of performance up a notch or two. We saw some good things last week at Kentucky but overall, not the level of performance team-wide that we need. It’s important this week to see a rise in our team performance.”
Making her collegiate debut for the women will be freshman Mary Kate DuBard. DuBard, who garnered 2008 All-South Region honors in cross country, will compete in the one-mile race Saturday.
The prestigious Tyson Track Center boasts a six-lane banked oval, and is considered by many to be the fastest indoor track in the world due to its steep curves and long straight-aways.
Live results for the Razorback Invitational can be found at ArkansasRazorbacks.com.
Complete results and a recap can be found following the conclusion of each day at www.RamblinWreck.com.
Notes:
*Georgia Tech will be competing in the Razorback Invitational for the first time ever.
Melanie Akwule – Dana Boone Connection
*In her senior year of high school, Tech freshman Melanie Akwule broke current Oklahoma Associate Head Women’s Coach Dana Boone’s 22-year old Virginia High School record in the 100m hurdles (14.32). The two will be in the same building this weekend as Oklahoma and Georgia Tech will compete at the Tyson Track Center.
Two Jerome Miller’s?
*Senior Jerome Miller won’t be the only Jerome Miller competing at the meet. Former Baylor Bears – currently unattached – sprinter Jerome Miller will be competing in the 60 meter dash and 60 meter hurdles.
Possibly the fastest Track in the World
*Eleven of 20 NCAA Championship running records have been broken on the surface of the Tyson Track Center.
