Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Sunday, January 11
Nashville, Tenn.
Middle Tennessee
vs
Ed Temple Classic
Photo by: Athletic Communications
Middle Tennessee tracksters look for strong seasons
1/7/2009 11:29:00 AM | Track & Field/Cross Country
Murfreesboro, Tenn. - The 2009 Middle Tennessee track season opens with the Blue Raiders men's and women's squads fielding strong competitors that look to add more league titles to hall of fame coach Dean Hayes' legendary resume.
The 2008 season was one marked with great individual accomplishments. Last year, the men's and women's teams had a combined nine Sun Belt Athletes of the Week. Brittany Cox, Maite Cortin, Zamzam Sangau and women's 4x1500m relay team set school records. Carl Morgan and Sarah Nambawa won Sun Belt Conference Most Outstanding Field Performers at the Sun Belt Indoor and Outdoor Championships and young distance runner Fetus Chemaoi earned Sun Belt Freshman of the Year Honors at the Indoor and Outdoor meets.
Both squads return most of the important team pieces that will be crucial in returning the four Sun Belt Track and Field Championships to Murfreesboro. Morgan and Nambawa look to lead the men's and women's teams.
Hayes said, "We have a better team overall than last season's. We return some of better athletes and have a few new faces that should help out well."
Along with Morgan, the men return senior Samuel Adade who was a member of the Raiders' 2007 outdoor All-American 4x100m relay team. William Songock and Chemaoi lead the men in the distance events. Transfer Stanley Gbagbeke will provide excellent depth for an already strong group of long jumpers, while the sprints are led by Morgan, DeRay Sloss and Adade. Middle Tennessee freshman Roscoe Payne was a top high school hurdler, recording a 13.80 in the 110m hurdles.
"Roscoe was someone we recruited and are looking for him to do well," said Hayes.
The women also return a strong cast. Nambawa is Middle Tennessee's best in the jumps. The women throwers of Cortin, Cox and MeLyn Thompson look to continue their record breaking seasons from a year ago. Female distance runner Sangau is coming off an amazing cross country season where she finished in the top five during five races.
Both teams come back from the Christmas break on Sunday, January 11 and head to the Ed Temple Classic at Tennessee State in Nashville. The teams competed in the MT Christmas Classic on December 6, where Middle athletes won 13 events, before leaving for the break.
"This was a good event for the athletes to see where they stood before they left for the break," said Hayes.
This weekend's Ed Temple Classic will be another great tune-up meet before the teams head to Lexington, Ky., for the Kentucky Invitational. The Blue Raiders will face some of the more difficult teams of the SEC, as well as Sun Belt rival Western Kentucky at the competition.
Meet results for the Ed Temple Classic will be available on coacho.com and goblueraiders.com on Sunday afternoon.
The 2008 season was one marked with great individual accomplishments. Last year, the men's and women's teams had a combined nine Sun Belt Athletes of the Week. Brittany Cox, Maite Cortin, Zamzam Sangau and women's 4x1500m relay team set school records. Carl Morgan and Sarah Nambawa won Sun Belt Conference Most Outstanding Field Performers at the Sun Belt Indoor and Outdoor Championships and young distance runner Fetus Chemaoi earned Sun Belt Freshman of the Year Honors at the Indoor and Outdoor meets.
Both squads return most of the important team pieces that will be crucial in returning the four Sun Belt Track and Field Championships to Murfreesboro. Morgan and Nambawa look to lead the men's and women's teams.
Hayes said, "We have a better team overall than last season's. We return some of better athletes and have a few new faces that should help out well."
Along with Morgan, the men return senior Samuel Adade who was a member of the Raiders' 2007 outdoor All-American 4x100m relay team. William Songock and Chemaoi lead the men in the distance events. Transfer Stanley Gbagbeke will provide excellent depth for an already strong group of long jumpers, while the sprints are led by Morgan, DeRay Sloss and Adade. Middle Tennessee freshman Roscoe Payne was a top high school hurdler, recording a 13.80 in the 110m hurdles.
"Roscoe was someone we recruited and are looking for him to do well," said Hayes.
The women also return a strong cast. Nambawa is Middle Tennessee's best in the jumps. The women throwers of Cortin, Cox and MeLyn Thompson look to continue their record breaking seasons from a year ago. Female distance runner Sangau is coming off an amazing cross country season where she finished in the top five during five races.
Both teams come back from the Christmas break on Sunday, January 11 and head to the Ed Temple Classic at Tennessee State in Nashville. The teams competed in the MT Christmas Classic on December 6, where Middle athletes won 13 events, before leaving for the break.
"This was a good event for the athletes to see where they stood before they left for the break," said Hayes.
This weekend's Ed Temple Classic will be another great tune-up meet before the teams head to Lexington, Ky., for the Kentucky Invitational. The Blue Raiders will face some of the more difficult teams of the SEC, as well as Sun Belt rival Western Kentucky at the competition.
Meet results for the Ed Temple Classic will be available on coacho.com and goblueraiders.com on Sunday afternoon.
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