Chase Eckard and Adu Dentamo return to the men's team |
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Charlotte Men and Women Predicted to Win Conference
Jan. 21, 2008
Charlotte, N.C. - In pursuit of a three-peat, the defending Atlantic 10 champion women's outdoor track and field team was picked to win the 2008 conference title by the league's head coaches, officials announced last week. The men's team, who finished second in the conference last season, was selected to finish tied for first with Rhode Island this season.
"It's nice to see that the conference coaches consider us frontrunners," head coach Bob Olesen, the 2007 A-10 Women's Track and Field Coach of the Year, said. "The women's program is progressing smoothly with newcomers filling in very well from a strategic standpoint. For the men, we have definitely improved our scoring potential for this year with newcomers and improving veterans; it appears as though some coaches recognize that--with us being tied with Rhode Island in the poll--but we've got a significant amount of work to do to overcome the lead they had at the 2007 championship."
"The conference is getting stronger all the time, so we'll continue to work hard and do our best to live up to the expectations."
While the Charlotte women's team will feel the loss of four-time All-American and 2007 Most Outstanding Women's Track Performer Shareese Woods and Sharonda Johnson, the 49ers return Lamarra Currie and Lajarsha Moses, who placed second and third in the 100m at last year's outdoor championship. Joining them will be Pat Springs, who won the 100m hurdles and the long jump, and a talented group of underclassmen.
The men's side returns junior distance runner Chase Eckard, named the 2007 Most Outstanding Men's Track Performer, and LaMarcus Outing, who holds the A-10 Championship record of 7.50 in the long jump. The 49ers 4x800m relay team, consisting of Eckard, Adu Dentamo, Javan Lapp and Aaron Kauffman and took the event title with a meet record time last season, will also return to action.
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The 2008 A-10 Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be held at the University of Massachusetts May 3-4.
Men's Outdoor Track (2007 A-10 Finish) 1. Rhode Island* (1st) (tie) Charlotte (2nd) 3. La Salle (3rd) 4. Duquesne (4th) 5. Fordham (6th) 6. Massachusetts (8th) 7. Saint Joseph's (7th) 8. Temple (5th) 9. Richmond (10th) 10. Xavier (9th) 11. Saint Louis (11th)
Women's Outdoor Track (2007 A-10 Finish) 1. Charlotte* (1st) 2. Richmond (2nd) 3. Rhode Island (3rd) 4 La Salle (5th) 5. Dayton (7th) 6. Fordham (4th) 7. Temple (6th) 8. Saint Joseph's (8th) (tie) Duquesne (9th) 10. Massachusetts (10th) 11. Xavier (11th) 12. Saint Louis (12th)
* denotes 2007 Atlantic 10 Champion
