Men's Indoor Track and Field Southern Conference

SoCon Track and Field Championships Slated For This Weekend

Western Carolina women look for a three-peat as App State men go for second straight title

ASHEVILLE, NC - The 2001 SoCon Indoor Track and Field Championships start on February 23 in Johnson City, TN as the Western Carolina women go for their third straight title. The Appalachian State men will look to repeat after capturing the 2000 crown.

Four of the 2000 individual champions return to defend their crowns but are expected to be challenged by a host of younger competitors. ETSU senior Even Hawkins will attempt to defend his title in the 400-meter dash and enters the meet as the conference leader in the event. App State senior Ben Bissette will also try to win his second title in the 3000-meter and is currently second in the event in the conference rankings behind Chattanooga senior Curtis Gadula. Fellow Mountaineer Ryan Linebarger enters the meet as the top runner and defending champion in the 55-meter hurdles and will try to hold off a pack of challengers, which includes the top four finishers from 2000. VMI senior John Chisholm goes after his second straight title in the weight throw. Chisholm finished the 2000 meet with the second-most overall points and, with the graduation of Nic Crider who finished ahead of Chisholm, could take the points-total title.

Also returning for this years Championships is the 2000 Freshman of the Year, Derrick High of Western Carolina. High finished last years meet second in the 400-meter dash and sixth in the 200-meters. He enters the meet ranked second in both events and will battle for his first conference title.

On the womens side, App State All-American Mary Jayne Harrelson returns to the SoCon championships after taking time off last year to train for the Olympics. Harrelson finished fifth in the 1500-meter and sixth in the 800-meter at the Olympic Trials in Sacramento, CA. She will look to regain her title in the 800-meters and mile after winning both events in 1999.

All but three of the womens individual champions are back this year. ASU senior Shonte Pinkston returns to defend her titles in the 55-meters and 200-meters, entering the meet as the top runner in the 55-meters and second in the 200-meter. ETSU junior Roseline Addo returns as the reigning champ in the 400-meters and will attempt to hold off fellow Buc Jennifer Howard, who ranks just behind Addo in the standings and finished second in the event last year. Lauren Campbell, a junior from ETSU, holds the title in the 800-meters and will have to fight off Addo and Harrelson to defend her title. Both runners rank just ahead of Campbell in the conference rankings. Becky Slick will also have to fend off Harrelson to defend her title in the mile. In the field events, Ashley Herndon will look for her second crown in the shot put. ASUs LaShanna Poole is second behind Herndon in the premeet rankings and finished second in the 2000 championships. Senior Lady Catamount Valerie Jalajas enters the meet as the top pole vaulter after winning the crown in 2000. She would set a conference record if she matches her mark of 12 2.50" from the Tennessee Indoor Classic. Rounding out the field event returnees is Virginia LaCombe of WCU. LaCombe won the high jump title last year and ranks just behind ASU freshman Nancy Hinson in the league rankings.

The most outstanding performer from 2000, Rosalyn Hood of Western Carolina, also returns to defend her titles. Hood won the 55-meter hurdles, long jump and triple jump, finishing the meet as the womens athlete with the most overall points. She will have her hands full with the top six performers from last years 55-meter hurdles returning and four of the top six in the long and triple jump chasing her for those crowns.

App State leads this weeks mens power rankings with 98 points followed by VMI and Western Carolina. Western Carolina leads the womens rankings with 88 points, with App State and Chattanooga fighting for the second spot.

The Southern Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships will begin at 9:00 a.m. Friday, February 23 and continue through Saturday at East Tennessee States Memorial Center.