Coppin State junior Steve Delice (right) coming down the stretch in the 400 meter hurdles against Justin Gaymon of Georgia and Elliott Wood of Florida State. Delice finished sixth in the race and most likely earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Championships. Photo by Keith Henry
Coppin track performs at NCAA Regionals
By Keith Henry
TALLAHASSEE, FL- Coppin State track head coach Carl Hicks sounded a little bit disappointed after the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field East Regionals. But that’s because he was expecting great things from his team as usual.
Hicks stated about the meet, “We were expecting to do better than what we come to do. Our expectations are high on what we wanted to do. But at the same end, we didn’t have anyone qualify for the 400. Steve Delice barely qualified in the 400 hurdles. But he made a good run at it on the second day. He qualified sixth and ran a nice time in lane 1. In the 4x4, we expected to drop another second off of it. We had one bad leg, but it is what it is. We got a PR, so I’ll take the positive out of it.”
The lone Lady Eagle at the regionals was senior Indira Laurencin, who did well for herself in the 400 meter dash. Laurencin achieved her personal mark of 54.51 to place 15th in the event. Laurencin said, “It was a good experience. That was my first goal from the time I came back to run; to make it to the regionals. I did it although I had an injury. I’m not disappointed because I know I can run this. I can do better, but injuries slowed me up a bit. It was a new experience and I’m looking forward to trying to get to the Olympics for my country this year.”
Even though none of her coaches were in Tallahassee this weekend, it didn’t mean that she didn’t have a support system with her in the men’s team. “It didn’t have any effect on me because I knew I had everybody here in Coach Hicks and the guys for encouragement. Coach Shields told me that she wouldn’t be there.” Shields is part of the National Championship Committee for Track & Field. She was at Drake during the regionals.
2007 All-American Steve Delice had a rough going this weekend in the 400 meter hurdles. Delice clipped a few hurdles in the first round and placed eighth to advance to the finals. In the final, Delice placed sixth and missed an automatic spot for the nationals with his time of 51. Delice clipped a few hurdles in the first round and placed eighth to advance to the finals. In the final, Delice placed sixth and missed an automatic spot for the nationals with his time of 50.72 seconds. Delice said, “I definitely had a bad race (on the first day). So I know I was going to get lane one. I know God didn’t give me lane one for no reason. It was for a reason and for that, I was thankful. In lane one, it gave me a chance to see what I can do. I never had a race in lane one throughout my whole collegiate career. So I took it and luckily for me, it paid off. I thought I was going to get fifth and get that automatic. But the second to last hurdle kind of messed me up a bit and I tried to pick up. In order to avoid stutter stepping, my arms started flying. Coach said I’m ready to go 49 because if I got a 50 out of lane one, I ready to go 49 if not faster.”
That time should be enough for him to earn an at-large berth to the national championships. Hicks said, “Steve had a lot of heart. He didn’t give up. Didn’t give up at all. He kept running and running and kept finishing. You can’t ask for nothing more than that.”
The men’s 1600 meter relay team of Jieutonne Archer, Carlinton Morgan, Winston Wittingham and Delice broke the school record for the third time this month in placing sixth overall in the race in 3:07.81. However, that time is on the bubble when it comes to qualifying for nationals. The past two years, only 18 teams have competed at the show. Their time places Coppin 21st in the nation which is not favorable for the Eagles.
Wittingham said, “We could’ve run faster because my leg could’ve been a little bit faster. I came out there and did what I had to do to help break the school record so I’m kind of happy for it.”
By Keith Henry
TALLAHASSEE, FL- Coppin State track head coach Carl Hicks sounded a little bit disappointed after the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field East Regionals. But that’s because he was expecting great things from his team as usual.
Hicks stated about the meet, “We were expecting to do better than what we come to do. Our expectations are high on what we wanted to do. But at the same end, we didn’t have anyone qualify for the 400. Steve Delice barely qualified in the 400 hurdles. But he made a good run at it on the second day. He qualified sixth and ran a nice time in lane 1. In the 4x4, we expected to drop another second off of it. We had one bad leg, but it is what it is. We got a PR, so I’ll take the positive out of it.”
The lone Lady Eagle at the regionals was senior Indira Laurencin, who did well for herself in the 400 meter dash. Laurencin achieved her personal mark of 54.51 to place 15th in the event. Laurencin said, “It was a good experience. That was my first goal from the time I came back to run; to make it to the regionals. I did it although I had an injury. I’m not disappointed because I know I can run this. I can do better, but injuries slowed me up a bit. It was a new experience and I’m looking forward to trying to get to the Olympics for my country this year.”
Even though none of her coaches were in Tallahassee this weekend, it didn’t mean that she didn’t have a support system with her in the men’s team. “It didn’t have any effect on me because I knew I had everybody here in Coach Hicks and the guys for encouragement. Coach Shields told me that she wouldn’t be there.” Shields is part of the National Championship Committee for Track & Field. She was at Drake during the regionals.
2007 All-American Steve Delice had a rough going this weekend in the 400 meter hurdles. Delice clipped a few hurdles in the first round and placed eighth to advance to the finals. In the final, Delice placed sixth and missed an automatic spot for the nationals with his time of 51. Delice clipped a few hurdles in the first round and placed eighth to advance to the finals. In the final, Delice placed sixth and missed an automatic spot for the nationals with his time of 50.72 seconds. Delice said, “I definitely had a bad race (on the first day). So I know I was going to get lane one. I know God didn’t give me lane one for no reason. It was for a reason and for that, I was thankful. In lane one, it gave me a chance to see what I can do. I never had a race in lane one throughout my whole collegiate career. So I took it and luckily for me, it paid off. I thought I was going to get fifth and get that automatic. But the second to last hurdle kind of messed me up a bit and I tried to pick up. In order to avoid stutter stepping, my arms started flying. Coach said I’m ready to go 49 because if I got a 50 out of lane one, I ready to go 49 if not faster.”
That time should be enough for him to earn an at-large berth to the national championships. Hicks said, “Steve had a lot of heart. He didn’t give up. Didn’t give up at all. He kept running and running and kept finishing. You can’t ask for nothing more than that.”
The men’s 1600 meter relay team of Jieutonne Archer, Carlinton Morgan, Winston Wittingham and Delice broke the school record for the third time this month in placing sixth overall in the race in 3:07.81. However, that time is on the bubble when it comes to qualifying for nationals. The past two years, only 18 teams have competed at the show. Their time places Coppin 21st in the nation which is not favorable for the Eagles.
Wittingham said, “We could’ve run faster because my leg could’ve been a little bit faster. I came out there and did what I had to do to help break the school record so I’m kind of happy for it.”
1 comment:
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