GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University men's and women's indoor track and field teams will compete at the annual South Atlantic Conference Championship meet on Saturday and Sunday, March 1-2 at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
The Pioneers were third in the men's meet and seventh in the women's standings last season, and return 11 competitors from last year's event including junior Theresa Green-White, the reigning champion in the women's 60 hurdles, and junior Adrian Gumm who took silver in the men's shot put.
Competition begins Saturday at 10 a.m. and resumes Sunday at 9 a.m.
MEN'S PREVIEW
Freshman Mica Ruffin (Conyers, Ga.) is seeded fourth in the 60 meters (6.75 seconds) and seventh in the 200 meters (21.85 seconds), while junior Isaiah Olson (Greeneville, Tenn.) is the second seed in the 200 (21.47 seconds) and fifth in the 60 (6.77 seconds).
Grad student Dorian Craven (Dallas, Texas) is seeded fifth in the 400 meters (49.00 seconds), with senior Xay Bogus (Knoxville, Tenn.) also entered at 52.20 seconds.
In field events, senior Joshua Stephens (Sanford, Fla.) is ranked second in the long jump at 7.23 meters (23-8 3/4). Tusculum has four entries in the shot put, led by Gumm (Maryville, Tenn.) at 15.87 meters (52-1) as the second seed. Junior Gavin Rowell (Melbourne, Fla.) is seeded sixth at 14.78 meters (48-5 3/4), sophomore Dylan Horne (Ocoee, Fla.) is at 13.17 meters (43-2 1/2) and freshman Richard Burney (Chattanooga, Tenn.) at 12.80 meters (42-0).
Tusculum is also entered in the 4x400 meters and the distance medley relay.
WOMEN'S PREVIEW
The Pioneers are loaded up in sprint events, with five entries in the 60 meters and six in the 200 meters. In the 60, junior Jahzara Hart (Raleigh, N.C.) is seeded second at 7.37 seconds, followed by junior Shanice Cox (Minneapolis, Minn.) in fourth at 7.57 seconds. Junior Kiera Taylor (Kissimmee, Fla.) is ranked sixth at 7.64 seconds, with Green-White (Stafford, Texas) seventh at 7.66 seconds and freshman Kori Moore (Jonesboro, Ga.) 13th at 7.76 seconds.
In the 200, the Pioneers have the second through fifth seeds led by Hart at 24.42 seconds. Cox is at 24.53 seconds, Taylor at 24.66 seconds and freshman Qitarah Castlin (Griffin, Ga.) at 25.13 seconds. Sophomore Alonda Shelton (Greensboro, N.C.) is seeded seventh at 25.22 seconds and Green-White is 11th at 25.45 seconds.
Green-White is seeded second in the 60 hurdles at 8.51 seconds, with Moore third at 8.74 seconds. Tusculum has four entries in the 400 meters, led by grad student Tashianna Gray (Longview, Texas) at 58.79 seconds ranked 10th. Also entered are sophomore McKenzie Morton (Knoxville, Tenn.) at 58.81 seconds, Castlin at 59.01 seconds and Shelton at 59.30 seconds.
Junior Jesica Mbhamali (Johannesburg, South Africa) is entered in the 3000 meters, and senior Amber Hogan (Piedmont, S.C.) will compete in both the weight throw at 13.18 meters (43-2 3/4) and the shot put at 10.16 meters (33-4). Sophomore Kieley Smith (Greeneville, Tenn.) will compete in the pentathlon after placing 10th in the event last season.
Tusculum has also entered both a distance medley relay and a 4x400 relay at the championship.
