May 28, 2003
ATLANTA – Led by freshman Chaunte Howard, owner of the nation’s best mark in the women’s high jump, nine women and 12 men will represent Georgia Tech at the first-ever NCAA East Region Track and Field Championships, Friday and Saturday at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.
The top five finishers in each individual event and top three relays will automatically advance to the upcoming NCAA Outdoor Championships, scheduled for June 11-14 in Sacramento, Calif. In addition to the automatic qualifiers, at-large selections will round out the NCAA field.
Action at the Patriots’ George Mason Stadium is slated to begin with field events at 9:30 a.m. each day and conclude at 7:30 p.m.
Howard, who finished 10th in the high jump at the NCAA Indoor Championships, owns the country’s best performance this outdoor season with a school-record performance of 6’2.25″ at the Penn Relays. She won her second Atlantic Coast Conference title in as many tries and earned league rookie of the year honors for both the indoor and outdoor seasons.
Pacing the men’s squad will be junior Brendon Mahoney, who is qualified in both the 800 and 1500 meters but will only run the 1500. His season-best mark of 3:43.48 in the event ranks second in the East and 21st nationally.
Other Jackets to watch on the women’s side include junior sprinter Amandi Rhett, who ranks seventh in the region in the 100 meters, 10th in the 200 meters and anchors Tech’s 4×100-meter relay. Sophomore Dana Rogers, who also runs on the relay, enters the meet ranked eighth in the East in the 100-meter hurdles, while classmate Shanta Smith stands third in the East and 12th nationally in the triple jump. Senior Jessica DeFreitas and freshman Andriane Lapsley join Rhett and Rogers on the 4×100 relay, which ranks fourth in the East.
In addition to Mahoney, other highly-ranked men’s competitors include sophomore Zeb Sion, who is fourth in the East in the shot put, senior Brian Fraser, who ranks sixth in the triple jump, and sophomore Ian Brewer, who stands sixth in the region in the hammer throw. The men’s 4×400-meter relay ranks eighth in the region, while senior Bryan Swarn enters 12th in the 400 meters.
GEORGIA TECH'S NCAA EAST REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS PARTICIPANTS:
WOMEN Jessica DeFreitas, Long Jump Brandy Depland, Long Jump, Triple Jump Chaunte Howard, High Jump Andriane Lapsley, 100 meters Jamie Ostrov, High Jump Simone Parker, Discus Amandi Rhett, 100 meters, 200 meters Dana Rogers, 100-meter Hurdles Shanta Smith, Triple Jump 4×100-meter Relay (Rogers, Lapsley, DeFreitas, Rhett)
MEN Sharif Azim, 400 meters Ian Brewer, Hammer Brian Fraser, Triple Jump Spencer Irvine, Triple Jump Brendon Mahoney, 1500 meters Michael Massey, High Jump Neil McDonagh, 1500 meters Zeb Sion, Shot Put Jonathan Spillman, Shot Put Bryan Swarn, 400 meters 4×400-meter Relay (Brian Ford, Azim, Nate Smiga, Swarn)
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