Terps Head to ACC Indoor Championships
2/24/2010 7:00:00 AM | Track & Field
Feb. 24, 2010
BLACKSBURG, Va. - The University of Maryland men's and women's track teams will compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference Indoor Championships in Blacksburg, Va. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The teams have set a combined 43 ECAC/IC4A qualifying marks this year in addition to several top ten results all-time in Maryland history.
"We had a really strong showing at the New York Armory Meet, so the key is to just keep the momentum from that meet on to the ACC Championships," said track & field head coach Andrew Valmon. "We're hoping to improve upon our performance from last year."
theACC.com will carry live coverage via video-stream of all action on Friday, beginning at 3 p.m., and on Saturday, beginning at noon.
Women
The women's track and field team boasts 22 ECAC-qualifying marks from 12 different athletes and three relay teams. Led by junior Kiani Profit and senior Christina Nelson, the Terrapins are set for their best conference finish in years.
Profit has set ECAC-qualifying marks in the 400 meters, 60-meter hurdles and long jump. Her time of 54.21 in the 400 is also an NCAA provisional mark and one of the best in the ACC this year. Profit will look to challenge the Maryland record of 53.91 in the 400, set in 2001 by Tia Burley. With her first-place time of 8.49 in the 60-meter hurdles at the Virginia Duals, Profit tied the best mark in Maryland history for that event. With success in so many events, it is not clear which ones Profit will compete in.
"We'll have our last big tune up practice a few days before the meet and make sure that we sit down and meet to talk about what events she'll be most successful in," said Valmon.
Nelson has come up big for the Terrapins in her senior year, setting ECAC-qualifying marks in four events - the 800 meters, 1,000 meters, mile run and the 3,000 meters. Nelson paced her way into the Maryland record books with top-ten times each of those events except for the mile. However, her time of 4:58.17 was good enough for second in the mile when the Terrapins traveled to Blacksburg earlier this season for the Virginia Tech Elite Indoor meet. Six other ACC schools competed at the meet.
Maryland will once again look to field events for a boost in points. Kristen Batts and Moriah Young have posted several marks good enough for top-ten all time in Maryland history in the shot put and 20-pound weight throw. The two throwers finished first and second in the weight throw at the Virginia Duals and have been a formidable pair all year.
Ashley Hendrix, who took first overall at the Terrapin Invitational early in the season, will join Profit in the long jump. Newcomer Arielle Statham will look to make a solid first impression within the ACC in the triple jump after setting an ECAC-qualifying mark of 39-3.25 in her first year with the program.
The 200-meter dash will see three competitors from Maryland who set ECAC-qualifying marks this season. Sophomore DeAnna Brown and seniors Alexis Booker and Melony McKay took second, fourth and fifth at the Virginia Duals. Brown is also the Terrapins' strongest runner in the 60-meter dash, having won that event at the Virginia Duals. McKay will also look to improve upon her ECAC-qualifying mark of 56.98 in the 400.
Joining Nelson in the mile are sophomore Ashley Cromartie and newcomer Julie Fricke, who holds the best time this year for the Terrapins. Fricke took fourth overall at the Virginia Duals in a time of 4:54.47 and is hoping to score points for the team this weekend. All three have qualified for the ECAC meet in the mile.
Men
Much like the women's team, the men have posted 21 IC4A-qualifying marks this year from 13 different athletes and two relay teams. Anchored by strong relays and All-American high jumper Dwight Barbiasz, the Terrapin men will look to improve upon last year's performance at the ACC Indoor Championships.
Barbiasz took first overall at last year's ACC Indoor Championships and could repeat this year after improving his personal best to an NCAA-provisional mark of 7-3.25. Barbiasz placed third in the 2009 NCAA Indoor Championships.
After winning the 4x400 meter relay in 2008, the Terrapins saw a slight drop in performance last year. However, freshmen Shawn David and John Davenport joined veteran Zach Ray and anchor Jeremy Samuels this year to set an IC4A qualifying mark of 3:16.75. This foursome set the best time in the event this season for the Terrapins and would have challenged the 2008 ACC Championship winning time of 3:15.00. One possibility coaches are discussing is inserting middle-distance veteran Tommy Friscia into one of the middle legs.
In sprinting events, junior Legonn Haskins will join Ray in the 60-meter hurdles. The two competitors were neck-and-neck all year and will look to continue their success this weekend.
Maryland running back Da'Rel Scott and sophomore Jarenn Stewart will look to score points for the Terrapins in the 60-meter dash. The duo placed first and second overall at the Virginia Duals and both have already qualified for the IC4A meet.
Middle-distance events will see several Maryland competitors among top finishers. The trio of Greg Jubb, Friscia and Max Bruno has all posted IC4A qualifying marks in the 800.
Senior Greg Kelsey and junior Kyle Gaffney will be the Terrapins' top competitors in the mile on Friday. Twenty-four hours should be enough to recover for the 3,000 on Saturday, where junior Alex Lundy will join them. Lundy posted the best time so far this year for the Terrapins, finishing in 8:20.54 at the Virginia Duals.
The Terrapins are likely to see great success in this year's championships. After a successful season, coaches are optimistic about the team's chances this coming weekend.
"We're looking at the conference standings to see what events our athletes will be most successful in," said Valmon. "We're cranking forward and I feel strong about our prospects for improvement from last year."
The ACC currently has three women's programs in the top 25 nationally. No. 7 Clemson, No. 20 Florida State and No. 21 Virginia Tech will present the biggest challenges for Maryland. On the men's side, No. 13 Florida State and No. 15 Virginia Tech are the favorites. Florida State won the 2009 men's and women's ACC Indoor Championships.
The 2010 ACC Indoor Championships will be broadcast live on ACCSelect.com. Live stats will also be available on TheACC.com. Log on to UMTerps.com for recaps of Maryland finishers throughout the weekend.
