Pollock’s Perspective

March 22, 2000

Dear Tiger Fan:

“Clemson’s Crawford Sets Record”

The Clemson Track and Field Team opened the outdoor season hosting 16 university/college teams in the Clemson Relays (March 17th – 18th) at Rock Norman Track Complex. The cool and cloudy overcast weather from the southwest did not dampen the enthusiastic crowd to see Clemson’s American record holder and NCAA 200 Meter indoor champion, Shawn Crawford.

Crawford blazed the 200 Meter dash with a winning time of 20.33 seconds, the fastest time in the country. The performance by Crawford was .17 seconds faster than the NCAA automatic qualifying time (20.50) for the National Championships. Crawford also set a new Rock Norman Track record, beating his own record of 20.39 set last year.

Sophomore Todd Matthews joins Crawford as he too qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 110 Meter hurdles. Matthews, the top collegiate hurdler, ran 13.81 in the 110 Meter hurdles to qualify for the NCAA’s. He will make his second trip to the National Championships, running just .06 seconds off his career best (13.75) set at the Orange and Purple Classic last May.

Sophomore Fred Sharpe opened the outdoor season running a fine time of 52.07 seconds in the 400 Meter hurdles. Sharpe’s performance is .87 seconds off the NCAA’s in just his first 400 Meter hurdle race.

The Tigers mixed their relay personnel to provide an early variety in the season. All-Americans Charles Allen and Anthony Moorman teamed up with freshmen Jacey Harper and Otto Spain in the 4 x 200 Meter relay, running 1:26.14 to place second. The distance medley relay team comprised of Steve Alexander, Tony Washington, Mike Connelly, and Jason Meany placed second overall. An impressive anchor leg was turned in by sophomore Meany, the Tigers future in the 10,000 Meters, ran 4:11 in the 1600 Meters. The Tiger’s 4 x 1500 Meter relay of Steve Alexander, Mike Connelly, Scott Shaw, and B. J. Dillard finished fifth with Connelly running a 3:56 split.

The Tiger field event athletes performed well as junior Ben Hess placed first in the pole vault clearing 15’11ľ”. All-American sophomore Kai Maull leaped 24’4Ľ” in the long jump to finish second. Sophomore Doug Ameigh also placed second in the high jump, clearing 6’9″ while freshman Malcolm Reynolds followed, jumping 6’7″. Tiger’s Brett Varner (freshman) and Keith Rzewuski (sophomore) placed second and third in the hammer with personal bests of 161’3″ and 159’8″ respectively. Junior Andy Giesler also placed second in the discus with a throw of 157-8″. Red-shirt freshman, Rick Hill, won his first decathlon competition to open his collegiate career.

Spring break has arrived at Clemson as our team will take a few days off prior to our departure for the Florida Relays on March 24th and 25th. Decathletes, Andy Giesler and Mark Jellison, will open the competition on March 22nd and 23rd, with the rest of the team competing on Friday and Saturday. The competition continues to intensify as our Tigers are set for the challenges ahead.

Yours in Tiger Country, Bob Pollock Head Track & Cross County Coach