By Jared Fields, Managing Editor
This weekend the men’s and women’s track and field teams just have to compete.
“We just gotta go do it,” said head coach Don Hood. “I feel like on paper we’re favored.”
Both dominant ACU track and field teams are favorites at the Lone Star Conference championships in Commerce this weekend.
The men have won the last 13 Lone Star Conference championships in a row and the women set a conference record last year with 290 team points.
The conference championship is a unique time for the two teams because it is the only meet of the year where the team standings matter most.
“Competitive wise, they’re more excited about a team championship,” Hood said. “All of a sudden at the end of the year you say, ‘let’s be a team.'”
Not only will the teams compete for team and individual championships, but some athletes are still competing for qualifying marks at the national outdoor meet later this month in Charlotte, N.C.
On the women’s side, Hood said a few athletes will need to post good marks if they are to make the trip to nationals.
In the 100 and 200 meters, Hood said Sasharine McLarty and Jessica Hunt need to post better marks. Only McLarty has at least a provisional mark in the 200 meters.
Shawna-Kaye Thompson is yet to qualify in the 100 meter hurdles. She has battled injuries since the indoor national meet and is yet to post an outdoor time.
Jessica Withrow is another women’s athlete looking to post some marks this weekend. Hood said she is trying to post a better long jump distance. Her current mark is at the cutoff for a provisional spot at 18-8.00 feet.
The men also need to improve some marks. Hood said he is expecting Mark Paige and Sylvester Williamson to qualify in the 100-meters. Paige has not run a 100 meter race because of some health concerns, and Willimson’s best time does not count because of the wind.
Johnny Jacob is another athlete who has battled injuries, but will try to compete this weekend. Jacob has a provisional time of 47.64, but Hood thinks Jacob needs to improve his time if he’s to make the national meet.
The conference meet isn’t the last chance the athletes have at qualifying for the national meet. Thursday, ACU is hosting the ACU Open, the last chance for athletes to compete before nationals.
After the ACU Open, the team gets some time off before the national meet on May 24.
ACU LSC TITLES
The ACU track and field teams have won the Lone Star Conference championship a combined total of 43 times.
ACU men’s titles (22)
1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
ACU women’s titles (21)
1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2006
