SAN ANGELO -- The ACU men's and women's track and field teams will begin their quests for Lone Star Conference championships Friday at the LeGrand Sports Complex on the campus of Angelo State University.
Competition begins Friday in the heptathlon and decathlon, while selected field event finals, some running finals and running event prelims are set for Saturday. All other running and field event finals are set for Sunday afternon.
The ACU men's team has won 16 straight LSC championships, while the women's team will have to beat the nation's top-ranked team in Angelo State to reclaim the title the Rambelles won last year.
The men's championship race figures to be a strong battle between ACU and Angelo State. The Wildcats enter the meet ranked No. 3 in the nation, according to the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, while Angelo State is ranked No. 6.
The Wildcats figure to be led by jumper
Ramon Sparks, sprinter
Desmond Jackson, distance standouts
Amos Sang and
Cleophas Tanui, pole vaulters
Aaron Cantrell and
Landon Ehlers, throwers
Tyler Fleet and
Emery Dudensing and decathlete
James Hardin.
The Wildcats have the top-ranked athlete in the conference in the 100 meters (Jackson), 5000 meters (Sang), 10,000 meters (Sang), pole vault (Cantrell and Ehlers), long jump (Sparks), triple jump (Sparks), hammer throw (Fleet) and decathlon (Hardin).
On the women's side, the Wildcats will be led by sprinters
Wanda Hutson and
Kim Prather, half-miler
Lindsey Putman, distance runner
Anais Belledant, steeplechaser
Chloe Susset, pole vaulter
Elizabeth Buyse, jumper
Amanda Clemons, throwers
Linda Brivule,
Paige Newby,
Jessica Sloss and
Shalania Lakey, and heptathlete
Jessica Withrow, who could also factor in the 400 hurdles and the long jump.
The Wildcats have the top-ranked athlete in the conference in the 100 meters (Hutson), 1500 meters (Belledant), 3000 steeplechase (Susset), 4x100 relay, discus (Newby), hammer throw (Sloss) and javelin (Brivule).
