By: by Scott Lipsky
CONWAY, S.C. – Kennesaw State women’s track and field kicks off their outdoor season this weekend when they compete in the Asics Coastal Carolina Invitational Friday and Saturday.
The meet will be held on the campus of Coastal Carolina, and will give the women a chance to begin the quest for their first-ever Atlantic Sun Conference outdoor title, and improve on last season’s runner-up finish to Jacksonville, who has won four consecutive A-Sun outdoor titles.
This week will feature only a portion of the Owls full roster, as they only took about half of their squad on the season-opening trip.
Overall, the Owls should be expected to do well in outdoor competition this season, as they won five individual events at the A-Sun Championship last season and return the athletes from three of them this season.
With Owls head coach Don McGarey accompanying men’s high jumper Jerome McKinzie to the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. this weekend, sprints and hurdles coach Devin West is playing the lead role in the coaching department. After arriving Wednesday and taking the Owls through their first workout in Conway, West is confident that even though this is just the first meet of the season, big things can happen.
“So far this trip has gone very well. Coastal Carolina has provided us with an excellent opportunity to compete against some great teams this weekend,” said West, referring to the fact that around 40 teams from many different conferences and levels of collegiate track and field will be competing. “We’re looking forward to some great performances this week in our first outdoor event. Our student-athletes are a lot more comfortable running outdoors than they are indoors, so I’m excited to see what we can do.”
The meet will commence on Friday morning, when the Hammer Throw takes place at 10 a.m., and will feature Owl senior Chiquita Hawthorne, junior Jessica Lumpkin and freshman Suzee Mills.
