Feb. 12, 2009
TysonInvitational Events Schedule ISU Classic Events Schedule Tiger Paw Invitational Events Schedule Sheets
In final preparations for the 2009 ACC Indoor Championships, the Georgia Tech men’s and women’s track and field teams will split into three groups to compete at the Tyson Invitational, Tiger Paw Invitational and Iowa State Classic this weekend.
“This is a big weekend for our track & field program,” head men’s coach Grover Hinsdale said. “This will be our final weekend of competition prior to the ACC Indoor Championships (Feb. 26-28 in Blacksburg, Va.). I am very pleased with our approach to competition and what we have accomplished thus far in the season. We look forward to the opportunity ahead.”
“We’re competing at a number of meets this weekend so that we can make sure we’re in the right competitive environments heading into the conference championships in a couple of weeks,” head women’s coach Alan Drosky said. “We’ve seen some consistent and solid performances from the women throughout the season, and right now we’re looking for many of them to reach another level.”
Headlining the trio of meets will be the prestigious Tyson Invitational at the Randall Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark.
Competing among the nation’s best for the men will be seniors David Ford (60m hurdles), E.C. Gibbs (mile run), and Jerome Miller (high jump), juniors Alphonso Jordan (long jump and triple jump) and Billy Mateker (800m), and sophomores Antonio McKay Jr. (400m), Hunter Clasen (400m) and Mark Mendrek-Laske (Mile run).
Miller, who currently has the best high jump mark in the nation, set the Tech indoor record with a jump of 7-05.00 at the Virginia Tech Elite Meet last weekend. Jordan is also coming off a career-best of his own, landing a 52-06.75 mark in the triple jump one week ago. His tally is currently the eight-best among collegiate ranks.
Competing for the women will be junior Tiffany Grant, sophomore Jenae Anderson and freshman Mary Kate DuBard. Grant will compete in the 400-meters and 200-meters, Anderson in the 60-meters and the 200-meters, and DuBard in the 3000-meter run.
The 2009 Tyson Invitational will be broadcast Sunday, Feb. 15, 5-7 p.m. on ESPN.
The largest group of the performers – 34 to be exact – will head to the Tiger Paw Invitational in Clemson, S.C. The meet, which features over 20 schools from around the Southeast, will start at 5 p.m. Friday. The first day of action can be viewed online on ACC Select, beginning at 6 p.m.
Most of the throwers head to Ames, Iowa, for the Iowa State Classic. Junior Steve Marcelle and senior Andy Powlen currently have the second- and third-best shot put marks in the ACC, respectively, and will look for career records this weekend. Freshman Bailey Wagner and sophomore Megan Manning will also look to set personal bests in a field consisting of over 80 teams from around the country.
Complete results and a recap will be available following the conclusion of each day at www.RamblinWreck.com.
