Thursday, February 21
Winston-Salem, N.C.
All Day
Radford University
vs
Big South Championships
Photo by: Todd Drexler
TRACK & FIELD GEARS UP FOR BIG SOUTH INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
2/19/2013 8:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field, Track & Field
RADFORD, Va. – After numerous top performances through the first five meets, Radford track and field aims to save its best effort for last as the Highlanders travel to Winston-Salem, N.C. for the Big South Indoor Championships held at the JDL Fast Track, Feb. 21-22.
The men are looking to build upon their success established at last season's conference meet where the squad finished second, while the women strive to improve upon their ninth-place showing. Last February, Radford tallied seven all-conference performers and broke five school records.
SPRINTS/RELAYS
Athletes to Watch… Senior Kaise White has had a tremendous indoor season, posting four top-10 performances. An all-conference selection in the 400 meters and the 4x400 meters last season, White had a pair of runner-up showings at the Liberty Open and the Hilton Garden Inn-vitational in the 400 meters.
Named Big South Track Athlete of the Week earlier this month, the sprinter established a couple personal records—ran a 48.66 in the 400 meters at the JDL Fast Track, which is the sixth-fastest time in program history for the event.
Sophomore Joseph Betts also had an impressive past few months, highlighted by a title at the Hilton Garden Inn-vitational. Betts crossed the line in a personal-best 21.74, which is the second-fastest pace recorded by a Highlander in the 200 meters.
With two runner-up showings under her belt, including one in the 60-meter dash, Lakei Crews has been the lead sprinter on the women's side. The junior broke her individual-record time in the 200 meters at the Hilton Garden Inn-vitational by crossing the line in 27.51.
HURDLES
Athletes to Watch… An all-conference performer in the 60-meter hurdles last season, Vincent Wyatt has had a record-shattering indoor campaign. The sophomore holds all 10 of the top indoor marks for the event in program history, including the school record (7.76) ran at the VT Invitational. His time was the fifth-fastest in the nation and the top mark in the Big South at the time, which earned him Big South Track Athlete of the Week.
Through his four meets, Wyatt has won one title and finished runner-up in the other three outings (all in the 60-meter hurdles).
On the women's side, Courtni Pannell has visited the winner's circle once already. The junior posted an 8.72 sprint (third-fastest time at Radford) in the 60-meter hurdles at the Liberty Kickoff to claim her third title in the event over the last two seasons. She went on to record a runner-up showing at the Liberty Open by crossing the line in 8.89.
MIDDLE DISTANCE
Athletes to Watch… Eric Graves (men), Jake Zimmerman (men), Teresa Williamson (women) and Maggie Wissler (women) lead the Highlanders' middle distance contingent. Graves has established three personal-bests thus far—400 meters (52.61), 500 meters (1:07.17) and 1,000 meters (2:39.19).
Zimmerman enters the championships coming off a 16th-place showing at the VT Challenge. The sophomore was clocked with the eighth-fastest time in 800-meter history at Radford with a 1:55.63 (PR).
Wissler recorded an eighth-place performance at the VT Invitational, completing the 800-meter race in 2:22.50. Running in the same event, Williamson placed 13th with a personal-best 2:26.25.
DISTANCE
Athletes to Watch… The distance group has excelled this indoor season. With numerous individual records posted and top-10 times set, the Highlanders are riding a wave of momentum into Winston-Salem.
Ryan Farnan and Brian Gorwitz have rewritten the record books on the men's side. Farnan returns to the track where he had a banner meet nearly three weeks ago. The sophomore placed third with a personal-best 14:59.13 in the 5,000-meter run, which stands as the third-best time recorded by a Highlander.
Not done there, Farnan was clocked with the eighth-fastest time in the 3,000 meters at Radford (8:42.20) to finish ninth. He ran the fastest mile of his career last week at the VT Challenge, crossing the line in 4:21.71 to place 18th.
With four top-10 showings, including one title, Gorwitz has had an equally impressive indoor season. Following his win in the mile at the Liberty Open with the fourth-fastest time in program history (4:12.71), Gorwitz was recognized as the Big South Track Athlete of the Week.
A week earlier, the junior established a personal record in the 3,000 meters (8:40.05) at the VT Invitational, which marks as the fifth-best run by a Highlander in the event. He also ran the last leg of the distance medley relay at the Hilton Garden Inn-vitational where the group stood atop the podium with the program's second-fastest time (10:16.31) in event history.
On the women's side, Williamson has shined with three top-10 performances and three personal records. The sophomore ran the final leg of the distance medley relay at the Hilton Garden Inn-vitational where the group placed fourth with Radford's eighth-fastest time (12:46.71) in event history.
At the same meet, Williamson completed the women's mile in the eighth-best run on the top-10 chart (5:17.11) to place 25th. She lowered her career-best time in the mile last week at the VT Challenge, crossing the line in 5:08.74 (fourth on top-10 list) to finish eighth.
THROWS
Athletes to Watch… Carrying a streak of three straight top-5 showings to the championships, Curtis Hodge is on a roll in the men's weight throw.
The Oak Park, Calif. native placed third at the Liberty Open with a 17.03-meter toss, then followed that performance with a 17.53-meter effort at the Hilton Garden Inn-vitational to finish fourth. Hodge recorded a third-place mark at last week's VT Challenge with a season-best 17.92-meter throw.
Garrett Knudson has two top-10 showings on his résumé entering Thursday. The junior recorded a sixth-place performance at the Liberty Open with a 14.52-meter mark in the shot put. He finished fourth at the VT Challenge with a season-best 14.87-meter heave.
In addition to capturing the shot put title at the Liberty Open with a career-best 13.04-meter throw, Desi Simmons has logged three top-10 marks in the event this season.
Jazmine Banks, Ashlen Veatch and Jordan Wilson also look to continue their success into the championships. Veatch was the runner-up at the Liberty Open with a season-best 16.22-meter toss in the weight throw.
JUMPS / MULTI'S
Athletes to Watch… An indoor all-conference performer in the high jump last season, Travis Hudson will aim for a repeat when he suits up Friday. Also in the mix will be Cory Dunn, who has a pair of top-10 performances on the year.
Striving to build upon his sixth-place showing in the long jump at the 2012 Big South Indoor Track and Field Championships, Chris Henry has set a couple individual-best marks this season.
Jamiecka Baker is peaking at the right time for the women's contingent. She placed second at the VT Challenge last week with a triple jump of 11.63 meters (PR). At the Liberty Open, Baker set her high jump standard at 1.60 meters to win her first event of the season.
Freshman Lora Wilson is poised to be a key factor for Radford as well. She charted a career-best third-place finish at the Liberty Open in the long jump with a 5.27-meter leap.
The men are looking to build upon their success established at last season's conference meet where the squad finished second, while the women strive to improve upon their ninth-place showing. Last February, Radford tallied seven all-conference performers and broke five school records.
SPRINTS/RELAYS
Athletes to Watch… Senior Kaise White has had a tremendous indoor season, posting four top-10 performances. An all-conference selection in the 400 meters and the 4x400 meters last season, White had a pair of runner-up showings at the Liberty Open and the Hilton Garden Inn-vitational in the 400 meters.
Named Big South Track Athlete of the Week earlier this month, the sprinter established a couple personal records—ran a 48.66 in the 400 meters at the JDL Fast Track, which is the sixth-fastest time in program history for the event.
Sophomore Joseph Betts also had an impressive past few months, highlighted by a title at the Hilton Garden Inn-vitational. Betts crossed the line in a personal-best 21.74, which is the second-fastest pace recorded by a Highlander in the 200 meters.
With two runner-up showings under her belt, including one in the 60-meter dash, Lakei Crews has been the lead sprinter on the women's side. The junior broke her individual-record time in the 200 meters at the Hilton Garden Inn-vitational by crossing the line in 27.51.
HURDLES
Athletes to Watch… An all-conference performer in the 60-meter hurdles last season, Vincent Wyatt has had a record-shattering indoor campaign. The sophomore holds all 10 of the top indoor marks for the event in program history, including the school record (7.76) ran at the VT Invitational. His time was the fifth-fastest in the nation and the top mark in the Big South at the time, which earned him Big South Track Athlete of the Week.
Through his four meets, Wyatt has won one title and finished runner-up in the other three outings (all in the 60-meter hurdles).
On the women's side, Courtni Pannell has visited the winner's circle once already. The junior posted an 8.72 sprint (third-fastest time at Radford) in the 60-meter hurdles at the Liberty Kickoff to claim her third title in the event over the last two seasons. She went on to record a runner-up showing at the Liberty Open by crossing the line in 8.89.
MIDDLE DISTANCE
Athletes to Watch… Eric Graves (men), Jake Zimmerman (men), Teresa Williamson (women) and Maggie Wissler (women) lead the Highlanders' middle distance contingent. Graves has established three personal-bests thus far—400 meters (52.61), 500 meters (1:07.17) and 1,000 meters (2:39.19).
Zimmerman enters the championships coming off a 16th-place showing at the VT Challenge. The sophomore was clocked with the eighth-fastest time in 800-meter history at Radford with a 1:55.63 (PR).
Wissler recorded an eighth-place performance at the VT Invitational, completing the 800-meter race in 2:22.50. Running in the same event, Williamson placed 13th with a personal-best 2:26.25.
DISTANCE
Athletes to Watch… The distance group has excelled this indoor season. With numerous individual records posted and top-10 times set, the Highlanders are riding a wave of momentum into Winston-Salem.
Ryan Farnan and Brian Gorwitz have rewritten the record books on the men's side. Farnan returns to the track where he had a banner meet nearly three weeks ago. The sophomore placed third with a personal-best 14:59.13 in the 5,000-meter run, which stands as the third-best time recorded by a Highlander.
Not done there, Farnan was clocked with the eighth-fastest time in the 3,000 meters at Radford (8:42.20) to finish ninth. He ran the fastest mile of his career last week at the VT Challenge, crossing the line in 4:21.71 to place 18th.
With four top-10 showings, including one title, Gorwitz has had an equally impressive indoor season. Following his win in the mile at the Liberty Open with the fourth-fastest time in program history (4:12.71), Gorwitz was recognized as the Big South Track Athlete of the Week.
A week earlier, the junior established a personal record in the 3,000 meters (8:40.05) at the VT Invitational, which marks as the fifth-best run by a Highlander in the event. He also ran the last leg of the distance medley relay at the Hilton Garden Inn-vitational where the group stood atop the podium with the program's second-fastest time (10:16.31) in event history.
On the women's side, Williamson has shined with three top-10 performances and three personal records. The sophomore ran the final leg of the distance medley relay at the Hilton Garden Inn-vitational where the group placed fourth with Radford's eighth-fastest time (12:46.71) in event history.
At the same meet, Williamson completed the women's mile in the eighth-best run on the top-10 chart (5:17.11) to place 25th. She lowered her career-best time in the mile last week at the VT Challenge, crossing the line in 5:08.74 (fourth on top-10 list) to finish eighth.
THROWS
Athletes to Watch… Carrying a streak of three straight top-5 showings to the championships, Curtis Hodge is on a roll in the men's weight throw.
The Oak Park, Calif. native placed third at the Liberty Open with a 17.03-meter toss, then followed that performance with a 17.53-meter effort at the Hilton Garden Inn-vitational to finish fourth. Hodge recorded a third-place mark at last week's VT Challenge with a season-best 17.92-meter throw.
Garrett Knudson has two top-10 showings on his résumé entering Thursday. The junior recorded a sixth-place performance at the Liberty Open with a 14.52-meter mark in the shot put. He finished fourth at the VT Challenge with a season-best 14.87-meter heave.
In addition to capturing the shot put title at the Liberty Open with a career-best 13.04-meter throw, Desi Simmons has logged three top-10 marks in the event this season.
Jazmine Banks, Ashlen Veatch and Jordan Wilson also look to continue their success into the championships. Veatch was the runner-up at the Liberty Open with a season-best 16.22-meter toss in the weight throw.
JUMPS / MULTI'S
Athletes to Watch… An indoor all-conference performer in the high jump last season, Travis Hudson will aim for a repeat when he suits up Friday. Also in the mix will be Cory Dunn, who has a pair of top-10 performances on the year.
Striving to build upon his sixth-place showing in the long jump at the 2012 Big South Indoor Track and Field Championships, Chris Henry has set a couple individual-best marks this season.
Jamiecka Baker is peaking at the right time for the women's contingent. She placed second at the VT Challenge last week with a triple jump of 11.63 meters (PR). At the Liberty Open, Baker set her high jump standard at 1.60 meters to win her first event of the season.
Freshman Lora Wilson is poised to be a key factor for Radford as well. She charted a career-best third-place finish at the Liberty Open in the long jump with a 5.27-meter leap.
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