4/9 SC USATF State Championships
On a breezy sunny afternoon, the FMU track team wrapped their season at the South Carolina USATF State Championships. Leading off the day was Amanda Doyle. In her debut in the 3000 meter steeplechase she finished with the event with a 14:29. Jerry Roth competed next and won the men's steeplechase with a time of 11:26. This was over a thirty second improvement from his best efforts last year.
Kelly May, Hillary Kiprop, and Steven Holmes competed next in the 1500 meters. Kelly narrowly missed breaking the school record of 5:08.11, finishing with a 5:11.75. Hillary Kiprop finished 3rd in the men's 1500 with a time of 4:27.64, followed in 7th place and finishing his collegiate career Steven Holmes, Jr.
Adam Wilson would then pull double duty running both the open 400 and the 400 Hurdles. Wilson, who had previously set the school record in the 110 Hurdles, narrowly missed the school record in the 400 Hurdles. His 57.7 was only a little over a second of the school record.
Also ending his Francis Marion career was senior Dan Brann. Brann would win his heat of the 800 meters.
Closing out the day was junior Amanda Booker. Booker would set a personal best in the 5000 meters.
Complete FMU Results
Kelly May 1500m 5:11.75 ; 800m 2:31.25 ; HJ 1.55m
Amanda Doyle 3000m Steeplechase 14:29.22
Amanda Booker 5000m 25:11.15
Jerry Roth 3000m Steeplechase 11:26.94
Adam Wilson 400m 52.54 ; 400H 57.7
Hillary Kiprop 1500m 4:27.64
Steven Holmes 1500m 4:41.03
Ben Miller 800m 2:06.80
Dan Bran 800m 2:10.37
3/30 Weems Baskin Results
After an unexpected three week break, the FMU Track team returned to action this past Saturday. At the start of the day, it looked like they would have to wait another week to compete again. Less than :45 minutes before the first track event was to start, a heavy thunderstorm rolled through Columbia. From the radar it didn't look like the weather would pass. After consideration from the meet director's, the event went on. Despite on and off rain throughout the rest of the day, the team showed its character and gave their best efforts.
Junior Adam Wilson bettered his school record in the 110 hurdlers. At the Tiger Open, Wilson bested Nick Washington's 16.71 with his 16.26. Despite the wet track today, Wilson turned out a 15.87. He also ran 56.50 for the 400 Hurdles. Junior Hillary Kiprop also had a strong day, running 4:22.67 for the 1500 meters. This was Kiprop's first race back after missing a meet with an injury.
Kelly May led the women with her 5:14.88 performance in the 1500. Freshman Samantha Smith had good showing in her first collegiate track 5k. She finished with a 22:46.66
Despite the times not reflecting the efforts it was a good day for the teams. They showed a lot of character. It would have been very easy for them to shut it down after it looked like the meet would be cancelled, but they did not. They all showed up and gave it their all.
The team has an open weekend, before returning back to Columbia for the SC State Championships on Wednesday, April 8.
FMU Results
Kelly May 1500m 5:14.88
Amanda Doyle 5000m 21:55.42
Samantha Smith 5000m 22:46.66
Kimberly Richardson 5000m 22:54.09
Ben Miller 800m 2:08.60
Dan Brann 800m 2:14.00
Hillary Kiprop 1500m 4:22.67
Steven Holmes 1500m 4:57.44
Adam Wilson 110H 15.87 ; 400H 56.50
3/9/09 Tiger Open Results
For the second straight meet, senior Kelly May and junior Adam
Wilson led the way for the Francis Marion University Track and
Field Teams. Competing at the Tiger Open, hosted by Savannah State
University, May finished second of 18 in the Women’s 1500.
Her 5:12.95 effort is her fastest time in two years. She is just
four seconds shy of the school record. May also won the High Jump.
Junior Amanda Doyle finished 4th in the 3000 meter run.
Competing in the 400 Hurdles for the first time in three years,
Wilson overcame a rough start to finish third of 14 in the event.
Former South Carolina State 800 meters champion Ben Miller also had
a strong showing in the 800, finishing with his best time in a FMU
uniform with a 2:02.99.
After competing in near ideal conditions, FMU heads to the
26th-annual Braves Track and Field Classic this Saturday in
Pembroke, N.C. The early forecast calls for rain and temperatures
in the low 50’s.
FMU
Results:
Amanda
Booker
3000m 15:09.40
Amanda
Doyle
3000m 12:37.04
Kelly
May
1500m
5:12.95 HJ 5’
Kimberly Richardson
1500m 6:18.21
Samantha Smith
3000m 13:07.22
Steven
Holmes
1500m 4:46.45
Ben
Miller
800m 2:02.99
Bryson
Robinson
400m 1:00.43
Jerry
Roth
3000m 10:29.02
Adam
Wilson
110H
16.26
400H 56.95
2/23/09 USC Gamecock Indoor Invitational Results
The Francis Marion University Track and Field team got their first taste of competition this past weekend. Looking for a different experience the team competed at the USC Gamecock Indoor Invitational. It was the school's first indoor meet in over 8 years.
Senior Kelly May opened the day placing 3rd in the high jump. Her 1.60 meter effort tied her previous collegiate best, and the height was exactly where she left off last season. Next up was former Junior College All-American, Adam Wilson. Competing in his first track meet in three years, Wilson showed little rust as he advanced to the semi-finals of the 55 meter hurdlers. Wilson would also win the 800-meter race, narrowly defeating an unattached runner and fellow FMU teammate Ben Miller.
Juniors Amanda Doyle, freshman Samantha Smith, and sophomore Jerry Roth would also close the day with solids efforts in the 3,000-meter race.
Overall, I was happy and impressed with everyone's efforts. I wanted to challenge this team with something different; competing indoors has its own challenges. Naturally temperature and wind do not factor into the times, but those tight turns and dry and dusty conditions do. The team met those challenges and now they have one competition in them before we open our outdoor season in two weeks at Savannah State.
FMU Results:
Kelly May High Jump 1.60 m Mile 5:42.64
Adam Wilson 55 Hurdles (Pre-lims / Semi-Finals) 8.32 / 8.31 800 2:08.52
Keeno Dargon 55 Dash 7.58
Ben Miller 800 2:09.58
Dan Brann 800 2:17.17
Bryson Robinson 400 1:02.49
Hillary Kiprop Mile 4:54.31
Steven Holmes Mile 5:07.32
Amanda Doyle 3000 11:42.11
Samantha Smith 3000 12:02.42
Holly Todd 3000 14:28.17
Jerry Roth 3000 10:17.22
Next Meet:
March 7, at the Tiger Open hosted by Savannah State
2/16/09 Did they get you to trade your heroes for ghost? Pink Floyd
Well it is the Monday after Daytona, so historically the car haulers should be gassing up to head to Rockingham, NC. Of course, in attempt to grow its fan base (i.e. make money), the Rock lost it race to Los Angeles. I have to wonder just what is the trade-off? For how many new fans you grow, how many true fans do you lose?
When I first moved to South Carolina years ago, I wanted to seize the opportunity to embrace the culture. Not too many people get a chance to relocate to a different part of the country. As I have had the good forture to travel quite a bit, I have learned that each part of the country is different and unique it in its own ways. As NASCAR's roots are in the South, I quickly begin to follow the sport. I attended races at Charlotte, Darlington, Martinsville, and Rockingham. I should state it was the last race at Rockingham that I got to attend. I really enjoyed the experience. Despite buying tickets at the last minute, the seats were great. Looking over the track, I don't think there was a bad seat in the house. I can't say that for the other three tracks I've been to. The race was great as Kirk Shelmerdine wrecked and flipped over right in front of my section. Matt Kenseth edged out Kasey Kahne in a close finish. Given the chance, I would have attended this race every year. Of course that opportunity is long gone, and so is some of my interest in NASCAR. I can't help but think that might have been the turning point. For my first years, I wouldn't have considered myself a diehard fan, but I was more than a casual fan.
Now I'd be lucky to name you 20 drivers.
Anyways, I don't have any profound insights this week. I just thought I'd remember the Rock. As those car haulers make that long trip to Los Angeles in the midst of these hard economic times, I wonder if some of those drivers and teams don't miss the Rock as well.
One last NASCAR comment; with the Steelers, Celtics, and Redwings all returning to glory this past year, Should it be any surprise if Jeff Gordon finally wins his fifth? Then again, the Phillies won the World Series. So I guess I should not be surprised if Michael Waltrip wins his first.
# # #
2/9 Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
I was bit surprised to hear the debate this week on if Tennessee Volunteers' coach Lane Kiffin's comments were a good or bad thing for his program. I just do not know how any comments that result in: 1. a next day apology, 2. a reprimand from the conference, and 3. demonstrates an ignorance of rules -- can be a good thing.
I do know that if I was to publicly accuse a coaching peer of mine of cheating, I would first double check with my compliance office. I do know that I miss the younger Steve Spurrier. Perhaps he would have taken a nice sarcastic shot at Kiffin, by saying "you can't spell knowledge without Kiffin."
And speaking of knowledge, isn't there an old college football joke about the N on Nebraska's helmets standing for knowledge? Maybe the Vols should have studied Nebraska's history. Nebraska was a football powerhouse. Then they broke tradition and hired a former Oakland Raiders coach. We know how well that ended. If I was a Vols fan, I would not be happy how this is beginning.
# # #
2/2/09 "You can't always get what you want,
But if you try sometimes you might find you get what you need."
Perhaps the Rolling Stones played the Super Bowl three years too early. Shortly after Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes accepted the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, I could not help but to remember Pittsburgh's situation a little over a year ago. It flew under the national media's radar, but in the Pittsburgh there was a little dust up. Part of it might have been spurned on by the Pittsburgh media, but nonetheless, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger simply stated he would like a taller receiver.
In the same breathe, he was quick to praise his current group of receivers. Of course this didn't sit well with some of those receivers (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08025/852112-66.stm).
In April, Pittsburgh did draft a 6' 4" receiver in the second round. The tall rookie would go on to drop two assured touchdowns in the playoffs. While he struggled, Holmes played exceptional through out the playoffs. He scored Pittsburgh's first touchdown of the playoffs on a punt return versus the San Diego Chargers. He would score their last touchdown of the playoffs with thirty-five seconds left versus the Arizona Cardinals. Roethlisberger threw the perfect pass over three defensive backs. Holmes made the perfect catch, toe-tapping to get both feet inbounds.
The entire situation is a great reminder that often times in life, when we face adversity and obstacles; we have the tools to overcome them. We just need to know where to find them. Sometimes they are a bit hard to see behind three defensive backs, but they are there.
