March 22, 2006
ORLANDO - The UCF women's track and field team faces one of its toughest tests of the outdoor season when the Golden Knights compete at the Disney Invitational Thursday through Saturday at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Among the squads registered for the meet are in-state rival Florida, South Carolina, Ohio State and Georgia Tech as the Golden Knights' lineup returns to full strength. Several marquee athletes are making their season debuts this weekend after taking a three-week hiatus to rest from the grueling indoor schedule.
Opening up the competition on Thursday is the hammer throw, where UCF is led by senior Tiffany Roebuck. In her last meet - the Disney Relays the weekend of March 10 - Roebuck shattered her own school record with a mark of 192-feeet, three inches, which also surpassed the NCAA Regional qualifying standard. Joining her in the event are senior and 2004 NCAA Regional qualifier Rian Thomas and sophomore Kendra Howell. Thomas has posted a season best of 171-7, while Howell stands at 131-4.
Later in the weekend, Roebuck headlines UCF's discus and shot put line-ups as she looks to improve upon her school records in those events as well.
The Golden Knights also race in both the 1500m and 3000m steeplechase. In the former, junior Karen Kozub and freshman Shantile Blackburn go head-to-head. The duo reached the finals in the 800m at the Conference USA Indoor Championship a month ago.
Senior Andrea Morrow, the UCF recordholder and two-time NCAA Regional qualifier, runs in her first steeplechase of the season along with sophomore Elizabeth Miller. This season marks Miller's first time in the event and she placed second in her debut at the UCF Invitational on March 5.
The Golden Knights are well-represented as the weekend continues. Senior and NCAA Regional qualifier Diana Chin races in 100m hurdles in addition to competing in the long jump. Chin owns school records in both and earned all-conference honors in the long jump at the C-USA Indoor Championship.
In the 400m hurdles, sophomore Victoria Chin returns to the lineup along with senior Kylene Colasanti and freshmen Natalie Braddock and Shaneeva Patterson. The younger Chin is second all-time at UCF in the event with a time of 61.18.
As she gears up for the heptathlon, freshman Sheree Carter competes in five events, including the 100mH, long jump, high jump, javelin and shot put. During the indoor season, she moved into second all-time in the pentathlon and finished fifth at the C-USA Championship.