By: by Scott Lipsky
KENNESAW, Ga. - The Kennesaw State Owls’ women’s track and field program begins its fifth season of competition on Saturday when they travel to Boone, N.C. to compete in the Appalachian State Invitational.
The Owls finished second at the Atlantic Sun Indoor Track and Field Championships last season, their best finish since they began A-Sun competition in 2005-2006. This will be the first season that the team, as well as individuals, can qualify for the NCAA Championships, after the athletic program completed the NCAA’s mandatory four-year re-classification process.
Saturday will be the first of five meets that the Owls will compete in during the Indoor Track and Field season, which is immediately followed by the eight meet outdoor season in March. As this is the only meet on the team’s schedule during the month of December, it will serve as a preview of sorts for them, and will give head coach Don McGarey an idea of where his athletes are at this point in the season.
“I am really excited about this weekend. Our squad is loaded with talent, and I am really looking forward to seeing them in action after working so hard leading up to it,” said McGarey, who built the program from scratch in 2005. “In addition to our freshmen who have yet to compete at this level, most of our returning athletes have not competed since last May, so it will be good to be able to evaluate where they are, as well.”
As McGarey mentioned, this will be an opportunity for the Owls’ freshmen to get their first taste of NCAA competition, as all eight of them will be competing in this meet.
None of the distance runners will be competing in this meet, as they are just finishing their recovery period following the cross country season. Senior Caitlin German and junior Kristen Gibson, who ran cross country in the fall, will be competing this weekend, but in middle distance events, as they will be running in the 1-mile and 3000 meter events, respectively.
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS/EVENTS
Decoshia Boswell
400 Meter Dash
Cynthia Davis
55 Meter Dash
200 Meter Dash
Tai Dorsett
400 Meter Dash
200 Meter Dash
Caitlin German
1 Mile Run
Kristen Gibson
3000 Meter Run
Chiquita Hawthorne
Shot Put
Women Weight Throw
Kacey Hightower
Pole Vault
Victoria Jackson
55 Meter Dash
200 Meter Dash
Christie Leverette
High Jump
55 Meter Hurdles
Naomi Mack
200 Meter Dash
Suzee Mills
Shot Put
Weight Throw
Michelle Quimby
High Jump
Pole Vault
Jakia Ragland
High Jump
Teresa Smith
Pole Vault
Laskeshia Stinson
55 Meter Hurdles
55 Meter Dash
Jenae Todd
400 Meter Dash
800 Meter Run
Suzzetee Van-Lare
Long Jump
Triple Jump
High Jump
Morgan Williams
400 Meter Dash
Naquia Williams
55 Meter Hurdles
55 Meter Dash
TEAMS PARTICIPATING (Conference)
Appalachian State (Southern)
Benedict (DII, Southern Intercollegiate)
Charleston Southern (Big South)
Charlotte (Atlantic 10)
Claflin (DII, Southern Intercollegiate)
Davidson (Southern)
East Tennessee (Atlantic Sun)
Gardner Webb (Big South)
Guilford (DIII, Old Dominion)
Kennesaw State (Atlantic Sun)
King (DII)
Lees-McRae (DII, Conference Carolinas)
Limestone (DII, Conference Carolinas)
Livingstone (DII, Central Intercollegiate)
Mars Hill (DII, South Atlantic)
South Carolina State (Mid-Eastern)
UNC Asheville (Big South)
Western Carolina (Southern)
Winthrop (Big South)
