By MATT DEARMAN

mwd004@latech.edu

 

Tech’s track and field team wrapped up its regular season this weekend at the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, and is now gearing up for the Western Athletic Conference Championships, which will take place in Honolulu beginning May 11.

The Techster squad will be looking to capture its fourth consecutive conference title, claiming the crown at last year’s indoor and outdoor meets and the WAC indoors earlier this year.

The Bulldogs hope to top indoor champion Boise State to take home the men’s title.

“We are looking forward to the WAC championship,” Tech head coach Gary Stanley said.

“We want to win the title again.”

Leading Tech into the meet is the women’s 4x200 meter relay team, which is coming off of a first place finish at the prestigious Drake meet, where relays are some of the toughest competition.

The team of senior Donesha Spivey, junior Nina Gilbert, junior Latonia Wilson and junior Krystal Cole turned in a time of 1:34.29 to take the meet.

The women’s 4x400 team has also received national recognition and is currently ranked 12th in the country.

In addition to their strong relay teams in the 4x100 and 4x400, Tech’s women will also look to make some noise individually at the WAC championships.

Spivey and Wilson hold the conference’s top two times in the 100 on the year, with four other Techsters also claiming times near the top of the conference.

Tech also holds six of the top ten WAC times in the women’s 200 and five in the 400, with Gilbert holding the top spot in both events.

Her performance in the 400 meter has also earned her a 10th place ranking nationally in the event.

The women also have some strong contenders in the hurdles, with junior Miriam Barnes leading the way with the WAC’s best time in the 400 meter hurdle.

The senior Loyd sisters, Joy and Jess, also boast strong marks for Tech in the women’s high jump, while Bejide Williams and Spivey hold some of the best marks in the long jump.

A host of throwers also look to be successful for the Techsters in the meet, and aid in the effort to once again bring home the WAC title.

For the men, freshman Mike Coleman and freshman Deron Trotter hold WAC top ten times in the 100 and 200 meter runs, while several men are in contention in the distance events, with Bulldogs holding 11 of the WAC’s best times in their respective events.

Junior Matthew Craig holds the conference’s best mark in both the long jump and the triple jump to lead the men as well. Senor thrower Jason Morgan will contend for wins in the discus and shot put, currently sitting second in both events.

Boise State is the favorite to win the men’s crown, currently ranked 14th in the nation.