April 20, 2008

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana - This weekend, the Kennesaw State men's track & field team took a select group of athletes to participate in the LSU Alumni Gold Meet. The one day event, at the Bernie Moore Track Stadium, featured some of the best collegiate and professional teams in the nation. The Owls were well represented as they set several school records and broke into in the top ten in most of their events.

Sophomore Jerome McKinzie helped lead the way for the Owls as he hit his fourth NCAA Regional Qualifying Mark of the outdoor season. Competing in a field of twenty opponents, McKinzie easily made his way into the final round of the high jump contest. The sophomore posted a personal best height of 6-11.75ft to set a new KSU record and to earn second place behind Jamal Wilson of Southern Mississippi.

"This was a great performance by Jerome," said field coach Mike Goss. "He gave this contest everything he had. I know he wanted to keep his unbeaten streak alive, but he was up against the most talented field he's faced all year, and he still set a personal best. I couldn't be more proud of him."

In running events, freshman Gianni Catalano finished in sixth place in the 800m dash. The freshman put together an outstanding race as he sped around the track battling opponents from LSU and Texas A&M. Catalano took second place in his heat as he posted a time of 1:51.81. The mark sets a new KSU record and smashes his pervious best time by two full seconds.

"That seven hour drive was well worth it," said head coach Don McGarey. "We were finally able to get Gianni in a race where he had some real competition. From the start those guys were pushing him to go as fast he could. Gianni did an outstanding job. If he keeps racing like this he could easily go under 1:50 by next season."

Racing in the 3k steeplechase, Nathan Haskins crossed the finish line with a time of 9:34.75. The sophomore took second place, against a field of seven opponents as he hurdled over the water pit for his best finish ever in the event. Meanwhile, teammate Scott Burley completed the 1500m race with a personal best time of 3:56.48 for 11th place.

In hurdling events, senior Devin Jones took 11th place in the 110m hurdles with a time of 14.60 seconds. Teammate Joshua James then took to the track as he completed the 400m hurdles in 53.87 for 12th place.

Also racing in short distance events, freshman James Verdi ran the 400m dash in 48.61 for 19th place, while Antonio Logan set a personal record in the 200m dash with a time of 22.10 for 29th place.

Logan and Verdi later returned to the track alongside Catalano and James to race in the 4x400m relay. Competing against some of the fastest teams in the nation, KSU produced a 12th place finish as their perfect exchanges and improved split times yielded a record mark of 3:15.11.

In field events, Joshua McNair set a new KSU record in the hammer throw (173-00ft) to take fourth place. Freshman Eric Gill also had an outstanding meet as he set a PR of 163-09.0ft in the discus. The eight foot improvement on his old personal best earned him sixth place in the competition, while McNair took ninth with a toss of 158-09.0ft. In the javelin throw, veteran thrower Aymerick Kolokilagi claimed 19th place with a distance of 153-04.0ft.

This weekend, KSU also sent out a squad of athletes to compete at the UGA Bulldog Limited. The Owls participated in multiple events, including the long jump, javelin throw and 100m dash. One of the most outstanding performances of the day came from freshman Michael Guntner as he completed the 800m dash with a time of 1:57.79 for 13th place.

On the field, junior Casey Strickland threw a season high 154-07.0ft in the discus to take fifth place, while in the shot put he earned fourth place with a toss of 45-07.75ft.

Meanwhile, in distance events, Matteo DiCecco placed eighth in the mile run with a time of 4:29.42. Teammates Michael Johnson (9:44.27) and Maxwell Ndungu (10:11.00) took tenth and 11th place in the two mile run.

The Owls will be back in action in two weeks as they travel to Clemson, S.C., to participate in the Purple and Orange Classic.

LSU Alumni Gold Meet
Individual Results

3k Steeplechase
2. Nathan Haskins 9:34.75

4x100m Relay
11. KSU 42.66

1500m
11. Scott Burley 3:56.48

110m Hurdles
11. Devin Jones 14.60

400m Dash
19. James Verdi 48.61

800m
6. Gianni Catalano 1:51.81

400m Hurdles
12. Joshua James 53.87

200m Dash
29. Antonio Logan 22.10

4x400m Relay
12. KSU 3:15.11

Hammer Throw
4. Joshua McNair 173-00ft
8. Aymerick Kolokilagi 152-07.0ft
12. Eric Gill 140-10.0ft

Discus
6. Eric Gill 163-08.0ft
9. Joshua McNair 158-09.0ft

High Jump
2. Jerome McKinzie 6-11.75ft

Shot Put
8. Joshua McNair 49-05.50ft
9. Aymerick Kolokilagi 49-00.25ft

Javelin
19. Aymerick Kolokilagi 153-04.0ft

UGA Bulldog Limited
Individual Results

100m Dash
20. Jason Fisher 11.71

800m
13. Michael Guntner 1:57.79
22. Brett Luna 2:00.58
23. Matthew Auers 2:00.91

1 Mile
8. Matteo DiCecco 4:29.42

2 Mile
10. Michael Johnson 9:44.27
11. Maxwell Ndungu 10:11.00

110m Hurdles
9. Jeremy Easley 15.90

400m Hurdles
14. Jeremy Easley 1:00.46

3k Steeplechase
8. Alex Hay III 10:34.10