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 Western Carolina track & field travels to SoCon Championships this weekend in Johnson Cityk, Tenn. |
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Feb. 23, 2005
Click HERE to follow the SoCon Indoor Championships
Cullowhee, N.C. - The Western Carolina Track & Field teams will compete in the 2005 Southern Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships this Friday and Saturday at the Memorial Center in Johnson City, Tenn. The two-day meet will feature 17 events such as the 60-meter dash, mile run, long jump, 4 x 400 meter relay, shot put, men's heptathlon, and women's pentathlon.
Last season, Western Carolina's men's squad returned to prominence, winning the team title for the first time since 1999. Catamount head coach Danny Williamson was tabbed as the Coach of the Year and James Gregory was named Freshman of the Year for his performance in the meet.
Entering this year's championship meet, Western Carolina's women sit atop the SoCon's power rankings, leading second-place Appalachian State by just over eight points. Three WCU female student-athletes earned back-to-back-to-back SoCon Performer of the Week honors earlier this year. The Catamount men trail Appalachian State by 19 points in the power rankings, which are developed over the course of the regular season and based upon individual performances.
Individually, Western holds 11 overall top times - six on the women's and five on the men's - from this season.
Freshman Raquel Ramseur recorded the top time in the 200-meter dash this season, blistering the course with a time of 55.73 at the season-opening Appalachian Invitational (Dec. 4). She also is a part of the 4x400-meter relay team with senior Leslie Martin, sophomore Asia Davis, and senior Jennifer Spivey that set the SoCon's best time of 3:46.75 at the Niswonger Invitational, an event held at the same site as the SoCon Championships, back on January 21-22. Martin holds an individual seasonal best of her own, crossing the stripe in 2:12.47 in the 800-meter dash at ETSU in early February. She is closely followed by freshman teammate Kerrie Savery on the SoCon's list.
Like Ramseur, senior Laura Tieszen holds a pair of the SoCon's best times this season. Already a NCAA provisional qualifier, Tieszen soared over 12-feet, 11.5 inches to rank as the best in the league this season. She also has compiled a SoCon-leading 2,618 points in the pentathlon, followed by fellow Catamount Rachel Glasgow.
For the men, freshman Zeb Johnson turned in the best overall performance in the 400-meter dash, crossing the stripe with a time of 48.61 at the Appalachian Invitational. Additionally, Johnson ranks third in the 60-meter dash times from this season. He also ran a leg of the SoCon's best in the 4x400-meter relay, teaming with senior James Barr, junior Charleton Grant, and last year's rookie of the year, James Gregory to turn the fast time of 3:15.23.
Junior Lawrence Briscoe maneuvered the 60-meter hurdles with the quickest time this season, leading the league with a time of 8.17, milliseconds ahead of teammate Michael Malone (8.25). Western's distance medley relay team of Briscoe, sophomores James Irwin and Jamar Frazier, with freshman Fred Cameron, setting the top time of 10:35.85 at the Niswonger Invitational.
Finally, a trio of Catamounts hold the best scores in the heptathlon from the regular season. Senior Bobby Robinson leads sophomore Matt Harlfinger and freshman David Bowles in overall scoring. Western also holds three of the top four positions in the 35-lb. weight throw competitions from the regular season, and despite setting a school record, junior Adam Puett ranks second in the mile run with a time of 4:11.47.
The action gets under way early Friday morning with the men's heptathlon and women's pentathlon events beginning around 8:30 am.
Fans can keep track of the meet by visiting www.CatamountSports.com or www.SoConSports.com. The event times can be found at the following link: http://www.soconsports.com/article.asp?articleid=66741
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