Track And Field Teams To Host 2005 Clemson Invitational This Saturday

April 5, 2005

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The Clemson track and field teams will host the 2005 Clemson Invitational this Saturday, Apr. 9 at the Rock Norman Track and Field Complex. This is the 12th edition of the annual event, first held in 1994. This year’s field will include Alabama (men only), Clemson, East Tennessee State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Howard, St. John’s (women only), Virginia Tech and Western Carolina. Saturday’s meet is a Solid Orange…One Clemson event, and all spectators are encouraged to wear orange to show support of Clemson athletics.

This year’s edition of the Clemson Invitational features many student-athletes whose performances rank among the national leaders. On the men’s side, one of this weekend’s headliners will be Spyridon Jullien from Virginia Tech, the national leader in the hammer throw with his mark of 228’9″. Hokie teammate Jacobus Smit, who leads the nation in the javelin throw with a mark of 242’9″, will also be in action this weekend. Also listed among the top performers in the nation, Clemson’s Ronald Richards is currently listed third with his time of 10.24. Alabama’s Chauncey Harris ranks eighth in the 100m dash with a time of 10.42. Peter Etoot of Alabama is ranked 26th in the 1500m, and will be challenge by Clemson’s Itay Magidi and Rashad Gardner entered the national list in the 110m hurdles at 48th, while teammate Roy Cheney ran a wind-aided time of 14.24 in the high hurdles last weekend. The Tide’s 4x100m relay team ranks fourth nationally, and the 4x400m relay team from Alabama is 11th in that event. In the pole vault, Virginia Tech’s Brian Mondschein cleared 16’10.75″ to rank 17th nationally, and Clemson Mitch Greeley is expected to join the list of qulaifiers this weekend. Clemson’s George Kitchens and Jason Bell will compete for the first time since the NCAA Championships in the long jump and triple jump, respectively. Kitchens earned his second indoor All-America honor while Bell competed at the NCAA Indoor meet for the first time in his career. Adam Linkenauger, a NCAA qualifier and three-time ACC Champion in the high jump who is recovering from an ankle injury suffered during the indoor season, will return to competition this weekend. Three nationally-ranked men will compete in the shot put, as Georgia’s John Newell and Chad McClendon and Clemson’s Derek Gilson compete to improve on their qualifying marks. The Bulldogs also have three throwers ranked among the nation’s best in the discus, including Chad McClendon, Martin Maric and John Newell. In the hammer throw, Virginia Tech’s Jullien will be challenged by Georgia’s John Newell, who ranks third nationally, and Georgia’s Kyle Helf will attempt to close the distance between national leader Jacobus Smit of Virginia Tech and Helf’s best mark of 206’3″ as the two compete head-to-head this weekend.

In the women’s field, Georgia Tech’s Adrianne Lapsley highlights the 100m dash as she is ranked third on the national list. Yellow Jacket teammate Shantrell Moss is listed at 27th in the 100m. Lapsley also ranks third in the 200m (23.23), and Ashlee Kidd of Georgia Tech and Georgia’s Krysha Bayley will also face off in the 200m with Kidd’s season-best of 23.63 and Bayley’s 2005 top-time of 23.88. The 400m dash will feature top-ranked Kidd of Georgia Tech (52.52) and Georgia’s Yendy Gichrist, ranked 18th, who has a season-best time of 54.25. Clemson’s Silja Ulfarsdottir is also expected to enter the 400m dash list of qualifiers, as she competed in the event at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Jennifer Barton of Clemson will look to improve on her school record in the steeplechase and qualify for the East Region Championships. Georgia Tech’s Dana Rogers and Shantia Moss are listed fifth and ninth in the 100m hurdles. Western Carolina’s Asia Davis entered the national rankings at 17th in the 400m hurdles with her time of 1:00.57. In the 4x100m relay, Clemson and Georgia Tech are listed nationally, as Georgia Tech has a season-best time of 44.45 and Clemson owns a 2005-best time of 45.46. The Yellow Jackets’ Chaunte Howard is the nation’s leader in the high jump, while Georgia’s Jessica Stockard is listed 15th. Clemson’s Sara Young joins Kierney Hiteshew of Georgia and Laura Tieszen of Western Carolina as national leaders in the pole vault. All three student-athletes have cleared 12’5.5″ this season. In the long jump, Georgia Tech’s Chaunte Howard is listed 38th, while teammate Brandy Depland is ranked second in the triple jump. Clemson senior and 2005 NCAA Indoor Champion in the triple jump, Gisele Oliveira, is expected to make her outdoor debut this weekend. The discus throw field will include Virginia Tech’s Tamara Burns who entered the rankings with a mark of 162’5″, while Krystal Woods of Clemson was an East Region qualifier in the event last year. Jenny Dahlgren of Georgia enters this weekend’s meet with the second-best mark in the nation in the hammer throw, while teammate Sultana Frizell and Virginia Tech’s Kristen Callen also rank among the top 25. Clemson’s Della Clark is expected to join the ranks of qualifiers, as she competed at the East Region Championships in the event a year ago. The javelin competition will feature fourth ranked Sigrun Fjeldsted of Georgia, Ashleigh Keats from Virginia Tech and Krista Woodward of Georgia, as they are ranked 42nd and 43rd, respectively.

Last year, the Clemson men won the Clemson Invitational title, while the Lady Tigers finished second. Overall, the Clemson men’s team has won nine of the 11 Clemson Invitationals, while the Clemson women’s team claimed the meet crown in 1994, 1995 and 1996. The Tigers were the runner-ups in 1999 and 2002. The Lady Tigers finished second in 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1998 and 1997, and have only placed third on one occasion (1999).

Clemson Invitational Champions 2004 – Clemson (men), Pittsburgh (women) 2003 – Clemson (men), Miami (OH) (women) 2002 – Purdue (men), Purdue (women) 2001 – Clemson (men), Florida State (women) 2000 – Clemson (men), Western Carolina (women) 1999 – Nebraska (men), South Carolina (women) 1998 – Clemson (men), Georgia Tech (women) 1997 – Clemson (men), South Carolina (women) 1996 – Clemson (men), Clemson (women) 1995 – Clemson (men), Clemson (women) 1994 – Clemson (men), Clemson (women)