Jan. 12, 2007
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - The UCF women's track and field team opens the 2007 indoor season at the UF Intercollegiate on Saturday, Jan. 12 at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
In addition to the Golden Knights and host Florida, Florida State, USF, Florida International and Miami are among the 11 schools scheduled to compete.
The meet begins at 11 a.m. with the weight throw. Leading a standout group of four UCF athletes making their collegiate debut in the event is junior Virginia Traynor (Miami, Fla./Westminster Christian HS), who placed eighth in the shot put with a mark of 43-9.25 during the 2006 Conference USA Outdoor Championship. Freshmen LaKendra Thames (Winter Garden, Fla./West Orange HS) and Jessica Francis (Orlando, Fla./Boone HS)came to UCF with impressive credentials as they were ranked first and third in the state, respectively, in the shot put and discus during their final year of high school. All three are set to compete in the weight throw and shot put, while junior Kendra Howell (Providence, R.I./LaSalle Academy) is slated only for the weight throw.
The school record holder in the pole vault, senior Katie Fowke (Tampa, Fla./Riverview HS) is a three-time NCAA Regional qualifier outdoors. She established a personal-best mark of 12-5.50 at the Bulldog Limited last season. This weekend she is joined by junior Kelsey Beleart (Orlando, Fla./Oak Ridge HS) and sophomore Brittany McDermott (Oviedo HS) in the event.
The Golden Knights are also well-represented in the jumps. Sophomore Dione Thomas (Jacksonville, Fla./Raines HS) seeks to build upon the foundation she laid last season when she leaped onto UCF's top three all-time best list in both the triple and long jump. Sophomore Ricki Sullivan, a transfer from Chico State, also competes in both events, while freshman Katorie Stinney (Rockledge HS) vies for top honors in the long jump and high jump.
In preparation for upcoming pentathlons, sophomore Sheree Carter (Tallahassee, Fla./Godby HS) competes in the 55-meter hurdles, high jump, long jump and shot put along side sophomore Natalie Braddock (Callahan, Fla./West Nassau HS) and newcomer Tia Harewood, a junior transfer from Norfolk State. Carter ranks among UCF's top three all-time in both the heptathlon and indoor pentathlon after scoring well at both conference championships during her rookie campaign.
On the track, junior Victoria Chin (Orlando, Fla./Oak Ridge HS) races in the 55m hurdles. She is the school record holder in the 60m hurdles at 8.71 and is second all-time in the 55m hurdles at 8.19.
In the sprints, freshman Feyisara Adaramola (Bronx, N.Y./Trevor Day School) is slated for both the 55m and 200m, while senior Jenny Rogan (Grand Island, N.Y./Grand Island HS) and sophomore transfer Sadé Nero (Miami, Fla./Miami Northwestern HS) run the 400m. The pair cap off the meet with Chin and sophomore Olinka Crusoe (Harlem, N.Y./Bishop Laughlin HS) in the 4x400m relay.
Meanwhile, in the 800m, sophomore Shantile Blackburn (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Laughlin HS) and senior Karen Kozub (Alden, N.Y./Alden HS), who both qualified for the event final at the 2006 C-USA Indoor Championship, join freshmen Carley Dart (Whitby, Ontario/Father Leo J. Austin HS) and Stephanie Knapp (Englewood, Fla./Lemon Bay HS).
Kozub will also run the mile, while junior Elizabeth Miller (Orlando, Fla./Timber Creek HS) and sophomore Jamie Rzepecki (East Aurora, N.Y./East Aurora HS) compete in the 3,000m.
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