Season Preview: Salisbury men aim at sixth consecutive CAC title, women ready for challenge
Salisbury is coming off one of the best all-around seasons in program history on both the men's and women's side. The two teams look to build off of the success from last season but will go into battle with a new leader at the helm in head coach, Kevin Lucas. Lucas, who has come to SU from Division III Heidelberg College, will take over for former head coach Jim Jones.
Lucas is familiar with success as while at Heidelberg, he coached three runners who achieved multiple All-American honors. He coached the first women's All-American in the Heidelberg College history. Lucas hopes to transfer that success over to this group of talented runners. While he does not feel the pressure to win, he understands the talent his teams have.
"I don't look at is as pressure so to speak," said Lucas. "I think it has more to do with the fact that I just want the team to do the best they can and if they do that than we will be successful."
Lucas' transition has been a learning process but has been made easier with the help of Jones. In his final season last spring, Jones guided the men's team to its tenth overall and Capital Athletic Conference record, fifth straight CAC championship. During his nine-year career, Jones also assembled a women's team that came just four points shy of dethroning Mary Washington in 2007.
"Jim has been great. He has helped to not only teach me how things operate here but has helped the athletes cope with the change as well," said Lucas. "They are always used to going to him for everything as far as any problems or issues they may have both on and off the track, but he has done a great job to talk to them to let me get involved. He has been an integral part as to why this transition has been so smooth."
The SU men return many key members from last year's squad and appear ready to defend its title. The women, although young and inexperienced, expect to be every bit as talented as in years past. The two teams will march into the 2009 season with every bit of inclination of having another successful season for the track and field program.
"I'm just excited for the season to start," said Lucas.
MEN'S TEAM
Sprints
The squad will go into the season without three of
its stronger runners from a year ago. SU loses Kevin
Teal, Samuel Singleton and Colton Vander Vliet all to graduation
but do return an outstanding crop of talent. The top two sprinters
from a year ago are back as the Sea Gulls bring back two-time
junior All-American Delannie Spriggs and
junior Justin Acker. The tandem will be the core
of the short sprints and appear to be the anchors of
this young, but very talented group of runners. The
middle sprints will feature a fresh set of new faces as the core of
the group last season graduated. Junior transfer Cory
Beebe, who came to Salisbury with Lucas from Heidelberg
College, is expected to fill the void. Beebe, two-time All-American
at Heidelberg, was exceptional in the 400-meter hurdles
and was also member of the relay team. Without a true senior leader
in the long sprints, Lucas has been searching for someone to assume
a leadership role and Beebe has responded.
"Even though it is his first year here, he (Beebe) has really stepped up into a leadership position and has been a big help," said Lucas.
The Sea Gull talent does not stop there as SU has a slew of upperclassmen and freshman that will have an impact on the team this season. Of that group, juniors Quentin Briscoe, Mike Marfut, Wayne Turner and freshmen Paul Moore and Xzavier Robertson will all help capture many points for SU this spring.
Middle Distance/Distance
The middle distance also suffered some loss from
graduation. The group will move on without Eric Graves,
who finished his outstanding career at Salisbury last season.
In 2008, Graves broke the record in the 1,500-meter run
(3:57.53). The top distance runners for SU this spring are All-CAC
junior Bill Nastasiak (3,000-meter steeplechase)
and senior Zack Dickerson. Despite the youth,
several of the younger runners are not inexperienced in terms
of collegiate competition. Sophomore Chris
Barnard, junior Travis Boccher and
freshmen John Fitzgerald, Trevor
Keen and Trent Seawell ran for the cross
country team this past fall.
Field
The men are coming off a phenomenal season in the field
events. Last season, Salisbury dominated the competition in the CAC
championships and took first place in the majority of the events.
SU returns All-CAC honoree and national championship invitee,
junior Christian Adami. Adami shattered the
conference record in the CAC championships last season with a
javelin throw of 195 feet, six inches. All-CAC junior
Brandon Fugett also returns for the throwing
events as he capped an exceptional campaign last season with a
clean sweep at the CAC championships. The Sea Gulls will
also welcome back All-CAC sophomore Brandon
Lane (triple jump) and senior Bobby
Price (jumping events). Price has already emerged as a
vocal leader for the Sea Gulls and appears ready to lead the men's
team.
"Even though Bobby is just a high jumper for us, he has done a great job getting everybody motivated," said Lucas. "Brandon has done an excellent job taking our freshman under his wing to show them the way things are supposed to be done and explain how we have to work to accomplish what we want."
The throwing events will welcome a familiar face to the SU athletic community in senior Jarrell Chandler. Chandler capped off an outstanding football career at SU this fall as he was honored as first-team All-American. It was the third career All-American honor for the Salisbury, Md., native. This group is boiling with potential, talent and experience and Lucas feels no reason that they shouldn't help accumulate a nice chunk of points for the Sea Gulls this season.
Relays
The 2008 season was one for the record books for the men's
relay teams. This group was headed by the 4x100 team of Acker,
Singleton, Teal and Spriggs. The quartet shattered the 14-year old
record in the CAC championships as they finished the relay in 41.04
seconds. It is still too early to tell who will fill the key spots
left by Singleton and Teal, but the depth at sprints provides Lucas
with several options. The top contenders will be Robertson, Turner
and freshman Devon Wilkie.
"It's real early to get a true idea of what the 4x100 team is going to look like," said Lucas. "There are quite a few people who could be on the team. We just have to wait and see as the indoor season moves along."
The 4x400 team will return one member from last season in Briscoe. Beebe has been impressive and brings experience to the team as he was on the relay team at Heidelberg and has proven to be a strong 400-meter runner. Those looking to claim spots on the team are sophomores Matt Miller, Marfut and Moore. While rhythm and teamwork are essential in relays and will require an inordinate amount of practice to get into top form, the teams still should have another excellent season.
WOMEN'S TEAM
Sprints
Sprints look to be a solid area for the women this season
as Salisbury returns two of its top sprinters. Senior Jenn
Bulger will return for the maroon and gold. Bulger
competed in several events last year with tremendous success and
looks to build on her performances. The Sea Gulls welcome back
junior Victoria Lawson, who was responsible for
breaking the 400-meter dash three times in 2007. She posted her
best time in the event at the NCAA championships that season with a
55.89 seconds finish.
"I think she is going to be an impact person for us in quite a few events and not just in the conference, but in other meets as well including the national championships," said Lucas.
The sprinting group involves a good mix of upperclassmen to freshman. Lucas is very excited about freshmen Clara Agbortabi and Lauren Foreman, who will both see plenty of action.
Middle Distance/Distance
The middle distance returns sophomores Masha
Berge and Megan Blue. Berge was an
All-CAC honoree in the 10,000-meter run last season. The duo will
be joined by junior Emily Hammonds, sophomore
Liz Tollett and freshmen Emily
Powell and Becca Stinner. Hammonds,
Stinner, and Powell all have experience in running at SU as they
were all members of the cross country team this past fall.
Field
Although young, this group appears to be the women's
strongest area entering the 2009 season. The squad will be led by
All-CAC selection Bulger, who did the high jump last season. SU is
expected to be paced by an outstanding young crop of freshmen in
Holly Defnet, Rachel Holtzman,
Jennifer Houghton, and Lindsey
Metzler.
"We have some very talented women throwers," said Lucas. "Defnet, Holtzman and Houghton have all been impressive and I am excited about where they are at."
Relays
The relay teams, who were hit by graduation, have a few
holes to fill this year. Lawson is the only returner from the 4x100
team last year. Lucas expects Agbortabi and Foreman to factor into
the mix along and will be joined by either Bulger or Tollett. The
4x400 team returns Lawson and Bulger and expect the final spots to
be a battle between Blue, Stinner and Tollett. The women are
looking to improve upon their second place finishes in both relays
at the CAC championships last year.
Schedule
The 2009 schedule is loaded with excellent competition. SU
will once again run against quality opponents and will compete in
back-to-back outdoor weekend meets against predominately Division I
schools. The Sea Gulls will travel to Wake Forest University on
March 20-21 to partake in the Wake Forest Open. The following
weekend, March 28, SU will travel to College Park, Md. to compete
in the Maryland Terrapin Invitational. The past few seasons, the
track and field program has scheduled these meets to increase the
competition level for the athletes.
"The main reason is that we want to challenge our athletes and expose them to the best competition that there is," said Lucas. "In track there is a grain of divisions because there is not a lot of athletic money in Division I and II. You find a lot of these athletes that go to Division III schools, such as a Spriggs, could probably run at several Division I schools and be the top guys at that school."
Salisbury will return to run in the historic Penn Relays in Philadelphia, Pa., on April 23-25. Last season, the men's 4x400 relay team (3:22.06) won the section and was awarded a Penn Relays plaque for their achievement. This meet has brought out the best in the Sea Gulls over the past few season as several other individuals have ran their best times of their careers at the Relays.
Overall
The 2009 season should be another great year for the men's
and women's track field teams. The men have reloaded for another
run at the Capital Athletic Conference Championship and despite
their relative youth, they have excellent leadership that will
guide them through the season. The women have several key returners
back from last year's squad and are looking to the newcomers to
step up and fill some of the voids left behind from the graduating
class. With the season set to begin this weekend, the teams are
poised for more outstanding performances in 2009.
