COLLEGE PARK, Md.— After breaking a total of eleven indoor and outdoor school records last season, the Maryland track and field team will open the 2019-2020 season Jan. 11 at the Nittany Lion Challenge in State College, Pa.
The indoor season will run through March 13 at the 2020 NCAA Indoor Championship, leading the Terps into the outdoor season.
Who to watch:
Women
The senior jumping duo of Leah Blackall and Mikella Lefebvre-Oatis are looking to finish their last year strong. Blackall is the fourth-best indoor triple jumper in Maryland's history, with a mark of 12.37m (40-07.00). She had a podium finish at both the indoor and outdoor Big Ten Championships last indoor season. Lefebvre-Oatis was one of five athletes who qualified for the 2019 Outdoor NCAA Championships. She will look to jump to new heights in the high jump this season and leave her legacy amongst an event that has seen elite performances by many Terps in the past.
Cheyenne Jones, Xahria Santiago, Venida Fagan and Destiny Ward are all steady performers on the 4x400m relay and the open events ranging from 200m-400m. Jones was a Big Ten scorer in the indoor 400m last season, and will look to continue to add to these accolades. Ward and Fagan posted impressive times in the 200m dash in addition to the longer sprints. Santiago will focus on the flat races during the indoor season as she gears up for the long hurdles outdoors.
After setting top-10 60m dash times last winter, Bria Mack and Jaida Smith will serve as the Terps' dynamic duo in short sprints this year. Mack is entering her second season with the Terps, after transferring from the University of Florida in 2018 and Smith is in her sophomore season. Sophmore, Imani Gray will join her classmate in the 200m dash.
Junior Nadia Hackett will be the Terp to watch in the 60m hurdles this season. After seeing improvements with each season she has been in the program, Hackett has her eyes set of breaking into the record books in this event.
Gwendolyn Zeckowski will continue to strive towards new heights in the pole vault after setting personal best marks in this event last season. She will be joined by freshman, Whitney Snyder in their 2020 pole vaulting debut.
The Terps' throw squad is ready to show their strength. Alice Barnsdale (weight throw), Kamryn Henderson (shot put), Bayli Smith (shot put, weight throw) and newcomer Sarah George will compete in various throw events throughout the season. Barnsdale set the outdoor school record in hammer (205-10) and is a top-ten Maryland weight thrower.
Carrying on from a successful cross country season are seniors Brittany Lang, Kathryn Gearhart, Caroline Augelli, Anna Latzko, and Paige Novak. Lang ended her cross country season with All-Region honors at the 2019 Cross Country Mid-Atlantic Championship. Newcomers, Sarah Daniels, Claudia Dolan, Camryn Streib, and Kira Freedman will take the track in the longer distances as well. Returners, Jasmine Tiamfook, Emily McAllister, Courtney Mann, and Molly Barrick will continue to build their performances in a range of distance events.
Canadian natives, Christine Laurie and Mackenzie Morgan will add strength to the middle distance events ranging from 800m to the Mile. Freshman additions, Anna Coffin, Samantha Facius, and Alexandra Hargrett will also compete in these events. Returners, Julia Reicin, Kirstin Walz, and Maria Castellanos are looking forward to transitioning onto the track.
Freshman, Chloe Royce is joining the Terps this year as a multi-event athlete that will also specialize in the hurdles. Royce will be seen in many events throughout the season in preparation for the Pentathlon. Mid-Year enrollee, Ashley Germain, will also join the Terps on the indoor track this season in the multi events, specializing in the jumps.
Men
Senior Kameron Jones set three school record times last season in the 300m (34.10), 600m (1:15.32) and contributed to the indoor 4x400m relay record time of 3:09.77. Sophomores Dashawn Morris and Colin Rowe had stand out freshmen campaigns. They both were also on the record holding 4x400m relay team, searching to set additional records this season. Morris holds the school record for the indoor 400m dash (46.91) and is the second best indoor 200m runner, rightfully earning the nickname "dash."
Junior Aaron Robinson ended his sophomore season as a part of the outdoor 4x400m relay team, and is a top-ten runner in the 600m dash.
Cameron Vereen is entering his second year with the Terps, proving to be a driving force in short sprints. Vereen is tied with the fifth-best 60m time for Maryland (6.89).
Adding to the sprints roster this year are freshmen Joseph Ewan, Caleb Dean, Maxwell Myers and Drake Murphy. Ewan earned two regional championship titles in the 55m and 300m in during his time at the Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School in Baltimore. Myers graduated from Howard High School as the indoor and outdoor 800m and 4x400m relay record holder. Both Dean and Murphy will focus on competing in hurdles. Adetomiwa (Tommy) Adebayo will join the Terps this winter, competing in sprints and hurdles.
In throws, the Terps have Andrew Birgin and Ryan Brown. Birgin transferred from the University of Rhode Island last season, and Brown is entering his second season with Maryland.
William Jones, Chase Mcgeehan, Shane McGuire and Brady Snelson are the Terps driving force for the men's middle distance events. Rylan Flint will tackle the longer distances from 3k to 5k.
Chris Spiess earned a personal best last season in the pole vault and looks to continue to add to this success. Sophomores Kaithon McDonald and Nate Moore will represent the Terps in the horizontal and verticle jumps. Gerald Norgbe will join up with this group in the triple jump.
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