MSU Track and Field Readies For 2007 SEC Championships
The women's heptathlon will get the championships started on Thursday at 2 p.m., followed by the start of the men's decathlon at 2:30 p.m. The full slate of activity will get underway on Friday with field events starting at 10 a.m. and the first running event is slated to begin at 6:10 p.m.
State utilized its first off weekend of the season to finish up the spring semester with final exams last week on the MSU campus. MSU's last competition came at the Penn Relays on April 27-28 in Philadelphia, Pa. At the prestigious event, MState's 4x400-meter relay team placed fifth in the 4x400 Championship of America with a time of three minutes, 9.06 seconds. The senior-ridden team of Arthur Davis, Bruce Davis, Nathan Daniels and Ezra Jones currently ranks ninth on Trackwire.com's Dandy Dozen list. Senior distance standout Jen McPherson finished the Olympic development run in 4:43.61 to finish 12th overall and the fifth collegiate runner to cross the line.
The hour and half trip down Highway 82 into the state of Alabama will be a homecoming for 12 MSU track and field student-athletes. State's roster includes three individuals who hail from the Northport/Tuscaloosa, Ala. area. Senior Joy Griffith along with freshmen Laquinta Aaron and Kendall May reside from the area. Griffith attended America Christian Academy in Tuscaloosa, Aaron is a 2006 graduate of Northridge High School and May prepped at Tuscaloosa County High School.
MState makes its second trip this season to the University of Alabama's Sam Bailey Track and Field Stadium. The Maroon and White participated in the 2007 Alabama Relays on March 22-25. At the UA-hosted event, MSU came away with seven relay event wins. The last time the conference championship was contested at UA was during the 1995 season with Arkansas claiming the men's title and Georgia on the women's side. Both of those squads are the defending SEC Champions entering this year's championships.
The Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs combined have 11 individuals and two relay teams already qualified to compete in the NCAA Mideast Regional in Columbia, Mo. at the end of the month (May 25-26). Senior Travis McKay has qualified to compete in two events at the post-season event along with McPherson on the women's side.
Fans can follow all the action of the 2007 SEC Championships online at www.RollTide.com. Tickets may be purchased to the event at the Sam Bailey Track and Field Stadium. Weekend passes are $20 for adults and $12 for youth. Single Day tickets are $8 for adult and $3 for youth.