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1/14/2009 - MEN'S INDOOR TRACK
McKinzie soars into first weekly award
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MACON, Ga. - Kennesaw State jumped into the 2009 Indoor Track and Field season at the Clemson Invitational. High jumper Jerome McKinzie set a new Owls record with a high jump of 2.14 meters earning him the first Athlete of the Week Award, the conference announced Wednesday.
The Marietta, Ga., native set an NCAA Provisional Mark with his jump at Clemson. He was second only to Georgia Tech's Jerome Miller, who reached a height of 7-04.25. At the 2008 Atlantic Sun Indoor Championship, the communications major finished first and set a new conference record clearing a height of 2.04 meters.
The Owls will return to action when they compete in the UNC Invitational in Chapel Hill, NC, on January 24.
The Atlantic Sun Conference is an 11-member league committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun stands for achievement with integrity in both the academic and athletic arenas, with a focus on the balance between the two for our student-athletes. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun includes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.
Other Top Performers:
Jarrod Burton, ETSU (Thrower - Bastian, Va. - Jr. - Education) - Burton enjoyed a record-breaking weekend at the Clemson Invitational. Burton, who all ready owned the ETSU weight throw and shot put records, set new marks in both events. On Friday night, Burton waited to the very end to make some fireworks, as his last toss in the weight throw not only claimed the event title but smashed his previous school record. His previous best was set last month at the Appalachian State [(60-03.75 (18.38m)], but his heave of 62-05.25 (19.03m) now stands tall in the Buccaneer record books. Then, on Saturday, Burton and Kennesaw State’s Joshua McNair battled neck-and-neck in the shot put. Burton, who finished second behind McNair in the prelims, stepped his performance up a notch when it came down to the finals. In the finals, the junior thrower came through with yet another school-record-setting toss of 53-00 (16.15m), which broke his previous mark of 52-08.75.
Will Pearce, UNF (Distance - Jacksonville, Fla. - So. - Biology) - One mile in 4:17.04; has been one of the Ospreys best runners all year and continued to impress at the Clemson Invitational this weekend. Pearce was part of UNF's second place distance medley and took first place in the 1 mi event.
Weekly Notes:
The Belmont men's and women's track and field teams opened the indoor season at the MTSU Christmas Invitational just before the holiday break. Highlights from the women's side, include junior Khalia Turner (Nashville, Tenn.) claiming the 200m title with a time of 25.63, senior Lizz Pollock (Clarksville, Tenn.) taking fourth place in the 55m Hurdles with a time of 8.23. The men's team had two athletes earn second place finishes during the invitational. Sophomore Hillary Cheruiyot (Eldoret, Kenya) set a new school record in the 800m with a time of 1:56.98, nearly one second faster than the previous record he set last indoor season at the Atlantic Sun Championship and Tyler Howell took second in the weight throw with a distance of 16.64m.
Belmont's women competed at the Ed Temple Classic hosted by Tennessee State on January 11. Headlining the outstanding performances was Pollock, taking the top spot in the 400m with a time of 57.46, setting a new personal record. Senior Lynette Rives (Clarksville, Tenn.) took fourth in the 55m with a time of 7.11. In the 200m, Rives and Turner took second (25.36) and fourth places (25.83), respectively.
The Belmont men's team returns to action the weekend of January 16-17 at the Southern Illinois SASF Invitational while the women’s next meet is the MTSU Invitational on January 24
Lipscomb's Alex Jerkins earned a men's shot put first place finish in his first ever collegiate meet, highlighting a very encouraging first track & field meet of the 2009 season at the Ed Temple Invite at Tennessee State Sunday.
Jerkins, a freshman from Nashville, put the shot 45 feet, 3.75 inches for the victory. It was Alex's first collegiate meet, and his first competition ever using the heavier men's collegiate shot. Later in the day he finished sixth in his first ever weight throw competition with a toss of 36 feet 2.25 inches.
Another freshman, Steven Lindsey, finished second overall in the high jump, and first among collegiate competitors, clearing a height of 6 feet 6 inches in his first college competition. His jump is just an inch from his all time personal record.
