Complete Clemson Results

Clayton State Track Sets eight Records at
Clemson Opener

Four Lakers hit NCAA Division II Provisional Marks

CLEMSON, S.C. --- DECEMBER 6, 2006 --- The Clayton State Laker track & field teams had an extremely productive season opener at the Clemson University Opener.  Combined, the Laker squads set eight team records, hit four NCAA Division II provisional marks and came away with a first and two second place finishes during the course of the two-day meet.

The most production came on Friday night as six team records and three individuals  hit provisional marks  (Note: Provisional marks are minimum times or distances for individuals to qualify for the NCAA Division II Championships).  Newcomer Ahmad Rolle became the first provisional qualifier for Clayton State as he jumped 23-3¼ in the long jump to finish sixth in the competition and set the team record.
 

Meantime, Allison Kreutzer and Angela Cobb both ran qualifying times in the women's 5,000-meter run.  Kreutzer set the team record in 17:36.99 to finish second while Cobb ran 17:49.32 to finish fourth.  The pair teamed up earlier in the evening with Terrica Hamilton and Jon Taylor to shatter the Clayton State women’s record in the distance medley relay.  Their time of 12:29.48 earned them second place in the meet and bettered the previous record by more than 25 seconds.
 

The final NCAA provisional qualifier came during Saturday’s afternoon portion of the Clemson meet.  Junior Eric Simmons won the men’s 400-meter dash in 48.99 to best the field of 65 runners.
 

“To Eric’s credit, he ran in the fifth fastest heat and did so without starting blocks,” said Laker head coach Mike Mead.  “We had a terrific start to our third indoor season.  To have four people already meet NCAA provisional marks is quite an accomplishment for our young program!  Consider that most of the records we set this weekend were set late last season.  I’m excited with the prospect of others hitting provisional marks when we resume racing in late January.  Our women’s DMR and men’s 4x400-meter relays are not too far off provisional times.”
 

Additional records set came from Taylor in the women’s 60m dash in which she ran 8.05.  She, along with Hamilton, Kara Stokes and Keisha Etienne bettered the team record in the 4 x 400m.  Etienne also broke the 60m-hurdle record with a run of 9.93.
 

On the men’s side, Simmons teamed up with Rolle, Alfred Dixon and Nathan Hytower to finish 10^th in the 4x400-meter relay in 3:24.28 to better the team record set in 2005.  The final men’s team record came in the men's 60-meter hurdles as Lawrence DeShields finished ninth in 8.44.

“For several of our kids, this was their first time competing in an indoor meet,” said Mead.  “It’s much more difficult running on a flat 200-meter track, compared to an outdoor 400m track and several learned some valuable lessons.”

The Lakers will resume their meet schedule on January 28 when they travel to Nashville, Tenn. to compete in the Tennessee State University Invitational.