Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

A salute to all involved with the UK Track & Field Shoe Drive, which is in the midst of its third annual effort to collect shoes for the needy.

The drive began March 1 and will continue until May 10.

“We are collecting ANY kind of shoes in ANY condition, ANY size and ANY gender!” former UK miler Josh Nadzam, who has headed all three drives, wrote in an email.

On-campus collection sites are at the Johnson Recreation Center, CATS (Center for Academic and Tutorial Services, located in Memorial Coliseum), Shively Training Center (adjacent to baseball’s Cliff Hagan Stadium) and the sixth floor of the Patterson Office Tower. Off campus, there is a collection site at the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government offices, 200 East Main Street.

For those unable to make it to a collection site, contact Nadzam (josh.nadzam@gmail) he will arrange to pick up shoes.

“This all started from an epiphany my teammate Luis Orta had when he realized we were wastefully discarding wearable shoes in the trash,” Nadzam wrote. ” As runners, we have to replace our shoes every 400-500 miles; we run anywhere from 60-80 miles a week so you can see this adds up quickly.  He came to me with the idea that, instead of throwing the shoes away, what if we collected them and sent them to developing countries with citizens who have never owned a pair of shoes.  Another teammate, Hiruni Wijayaratne, joined our efforts and as a trio we led our first shoe drive.

“During our first year we collected shoes in a haphazard fashion, flying by the seat of our pants.  We spread the word through Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, and any other form of communication we could think of.  Once the drive concluded we had collected 2,100 pairs of shoes in less than a month.  We partnered with Soles4Souls, a non-profit organization in Nashville that collects shoes and ships them to over 126 different countries.

“The next year we expanded our shoe drive to the entire Southeastern Conference. At UK we collected 2,900 pairs of shoes and over 13,000 pairs throughout the SEC.  This year we hope to make it our biggest shoe drive yet.  While this year is not SEC-wide, we are partnered again with Soles4Souls.  We are asking everyone to get their friends, families, schools, churches, and other organizations involved.  With the selfless help of many teammates, coaches, friends, and community members this has become a huge event.  Our athletic director, Mitch Barnhart, has provided us with the support and resources necessary to make this a success.  Coach (Edrick) Floreal has also supported us tremendously; even though in only his first year as head coach, he immediately emphasized the importance of our efforts and has been one of our strongest advocates to date.  The success of our shoe drive is truly a manifestation of the altruistic compassion that exists in our community in Lexington as well as the unconditional support of Big Blue Nation. ”

For more information, see the website:  www.uktrackandfieldshoedrive.com.

Highlights from Monday’s baseball/softball media at the University of Kentucky’s Wildcat Den.

Pre-season All-America CF Austin Cousino fields questions during UK Baseball Media Day. (Mark Maloney photo)

Leading off with baseball, as high as No. 8 (Collegiate Baseball) in the pre-season rankings.

The Wildcats are coming off a school-record 45-18 season, 18-13 in the Southeastern Conference, and an NCAA regional berth.

“We’re excited to get the season going. We’ve got a great group of kids,” Coach Gary Henderson said. “Lots of energy in the program. Lots of excitement with returning kids that have done well here, had good summers, had impressive falls. It’s a good group of kids. They like each other. They like to practice. They like to play. So it’s an exciting time for us.”

The Cats’ weekend (SEC) rotation sets up with left-handers Jerad Grundy, A.J. Reed and Corey Littrell.

“We’ve got four guys in my mind that could easily be weekend starters but, obviously, it’s only going to be three. And because of what we’ve got in the bullpen, it seems to make sense to hold the right-hander back.”

The right-hander being Chandler Shepherd, a sophomore out of Lawrence County.

“We need what he has in the bullpen, so that’s what we’ll start,” Henderson said. “Sometimes things change, and sometimes they don’t. There’s been years here we’ve been the same three guys the entire year. We’ll see how it goes. But that’s three talented kids and they’ll do a very good job of competing and throwing strikes.”

Having lost the powerful tandem of Michael Williams and Luke Maile, catcher is the most notable void to be filled.

“We’ve got Micheal Thomas, who’s in front right now,” Henderson said. “We’ve got three other guys — Greg Fettes is a redshirt freshman; Zach Arnold and Casey Schroeder are freshman. All three of the kids have been drafted, so we’ve got some talented kids back there.

“I’m really happy with Micheal Thomas’ progression  and development, maturity and growth and all those things that you look for. He’s done a great job. If anybody who’s followed the program at all during my time here … you know that I’m a big advocate of two catchers. Doesn’t mean that you have to do it that way; I just like to do it that way, for a couple of reasons. That’s exactly what we’ll shoot for this year. Micheal Thomas right now is the guy that we’re going to run out there early, and see which one of those other three guys can grow into that position.”

The baseball Cats open the season Feb. 15, facing UNC-Asheville at Wofford. The home opener, against Murray State, is set for Feb. 26.

* UK softball opens Friday, taking on California — the first of six games the Cats will play at Tempe, Ariz.

UK’s first 20 games will be on the road while finishing touches are being put on UK’s renovated home complex.

After playing at Tempe, the Cats will play in tournaments at San Diego, Spartanburg (S.C.) and Tampa. The home opener, against Marshall, is set for March 6.

UK will be home to the Southeastern Conference tournament, May 8-11.

Coach Rachel Lawson said she focused on adding power and speed in what is viewed as an outstanding freshman class. She anticipates that four or five newcomers could land starting jobs.

The Cats made their fourth consecutive NCAA appearance last season, finishing 30-30.

Saturday’s 11th annual Greater Louisville Classic likely will be the largest collegiate cross country meet contested in the nation this year.

The Louisville Sports Commission will host 115 colleges and universities from 24 states, featuring more than 2,400 athletes. Of those teams, 35 men’s squads and 41 women’s teams are nationally ranked by either the NCAA Division I, II or II, or the NAIA.

Action at E.P. “Tom” Sawyer Park begins with the men’s gold division at 9:30 a.m. Then, it will be women’s gold at 10:15, men’s blue division at 10:45, women’s blue at 11:30, men’s silver division at noon and women’s silver at 12:30. High school and middle school competition will follow, beginning at 1:15 p.m.

Top teams in the men’s gold include sixth-ranked Texas, No. 8 Iona and No. 28 Columbia. Regionally ranked teams include Georgia, Arizona, Penn State and Louisville. Others to watch include Michigan State and Division II powers Grand Valley State and Southern Indiana.

Premier individuals in the 8,000-meter race include Arizona teammates Lawi Lalang and Stephen Sambu. Lawang is the defending NCAA champion, and Sambu was NCAA runner-up in 2010. North Carolina-Greensboro’s Paul Chelimo was the 5,000-meter runner-up at the 2012 NCAA Track and Field Championships.

Louisville, ranked No. 6 in the Southeast Region, is led by Kenyan freshman Ernest Kibet. He won his collegiate debut two weeks ago, leading the Cardinals to a first-place finish in the Winthrop Invitational. Also placing in the top 20 in that meet for U of L were Gordon Dooley, Mattias Wolter, Evan Hibbs and Ryan Eaton.

Kentucky is led by senior Luis Orta, sophomore Mackay Wilson and junior Matt Hillenbrand.

No. 1-ranked Washington leads the women’s Gold teams. The field, competing over a 5,000-meter course, also includes No. 8 Vanderbilt, No. 10 Arkansas, No. 12 Arizona, No. 14 Michigan State, No. 17 Penn State and No. 29 Wisconsin.

Washington is led by Katie Flood, who placed seventh in last year’s NCAA Championships, and Megan Goethals, the 5,000-meter runner-up in track last spring. Arizona boasts Jennifer Bergman, 26th in last year’s NCAA, and Elvin Kibet, seventh in the NCAA track 10,000. Vanderbilt’s contingent includes  Liz Anderson, out of Louisville’s Manual High School.

U of L is paced by sophomore Michelle Molodynia, a Canadian, who placed eighth at Winthrop. Maria Frigo and Leah Kiyohara are the Cards’ next-best threats.

Kentucky features Cally Macumber and the reigning Freshman of the Week in the Southeastern Conference, Mary Kate Ponder. Macumber won the Virginia/Panorama Farms Invitational and Ponder placed 32nd, helping the Wildcats to a second-place team finish. Chelsea Oswald and Allison Peare also placed in the top 10 at Virginia.

Eastern Kentucky men climb in poll

Eastern Kentucky’s men, who climbed one spot to No. 25 in the nation this week, opted to compete Friday in the Notre Dame Invitational.

The Colonels are led by junior Soufiane Bouchikhi, the two-time defending Ohio Valley Conference Runner of the Year. A deep roster includes junior Wade Meddles, sophomore Ben Toroitich, Thijs Nijhuis and Ole Hesselbjerg, and freshman Amos Kosgey.

The EKU women will be competing Saturday at Louisville.

Gary Henderson

Coming off a school-record 45-victory season, the University of Kentucky has signed Coach Gary Henderson to a new five-year contract.

The announcement, made by Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart, precedes a 3 p.m. press conference.

The deal is worth about $2.1 million, including $75,000 a year in endorsements.

Henderson’s salary by year would be $325,000, then $340,000; $355,00; $375,000, and $375,000.

Incentives include: two months salary if the Cats win an SEC regular-season or tournament championship; one month salary for NCAA post-season participation; a month-and-a-half salary for reaching NCAA Super Regional play; and two months salary for reaching the College World Series.

In addition, if the baseball team achieves a .950 academic progress rate or better in any academic year, Henderson will earn a performance supplement of $2,500.

Brad Bohannon

Brian Green

Assistant coaches Brad Bohannon and Brian Green also have signed new contracts. Bohannon is UK’s recruiting coordinator and third-base coach. Green is the Wildcats’ offensive coordinator and hitting coach.

“It was very important to me that we were able to keep Brad Bohannon, Brian Green and (volunteer assistant) Keith Vorhoff on my staff,” Henderson said. “My three assistants have tremendous passion, energy, intelligence and work ethic. The continuity of our staff has been a program strength, and I appreciate Mitch’s efforts to help with that continuity.”

Bohannon’s contract, through 2014, is worth $145,000 a year, plus incentives.

Green’s deal, also through 2014, is for $155,00, plus incentives.

Henderson served as associate head coach, pitching coach and recruiting coordinator from 2004-08 under John Cohen. Henderson took over as head coach in 2009.

Henderson was named Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year, having led the Cats to a third-place finish in the regular season. UK led the league for a school-record eight of 10 weeks and won seven SEC series.

UK also was ranked No. 1 in the country for three weeks and finished the year being nationally ranked for 13 consecutive weeks.

After the season, a school-record nine players were selected in the Major League Baseball draft.

UK’s 2013 roster has an NCAA-leading eight players now performing in the prestigious Cape Cod League.

See the contracts:

http://media.kentucky.com/smedia/2012/07/03/12/26/3t3F5.So.79.pdf

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
vs. Hagerstown Suns

What: Four-game series

When: Thursday through Sunday (7:05 Thursday through Saturday nights, 1:35 p.m. Sunday)

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Washington Nationals

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Thursday, RH Jonas Dufek (0-0, 5.14) vs. RH Nathan Karns (0-0, 1.35); Friday, RH Nick Tropeano (2-2, 1.87) vs. RH Alex Meyer (2-3, 4.28); Saturday, RH Luis Ordosgoitti (0-1, 14.73) vs. RH Taylor Hill (3-2, 2.88); Sunday, RH Mike Foltynewicz (4-1, 1.60) vs. RH Wirkin Estevez (4-1, 6.69).

Alex Meyer

Sun to watch: Saturday starting pitcher Alex Meyer (6-foot-9, 220 pounds, from Greensburg, Ind.) returns to the city where he was a standout for the University of Kentucky. The second of Washington’s two first-round draft picks (23rd overall) last June, the hard-throwing right-hander led UK in starts (14), complete games (4), wins (7), ERA (2.94), innings (101) and strikeouts (SEC-best 110) last year, as well as batting average-against (.222). He twice earned Southeastern Conference pitcher of the week honors last season, and was named to the all-SEC second team. Over three seasons as a Wildcat, Meyer went 13-12 with a 4.72 ERA, one save and 253 strikeouts in 211 2/3 innings. He ranked fifth in strikeouts on UK’s career list, and eighth in hits-per-nine-innings (8.10). He opted for UK after being selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 20th round of the 2008 draft. Thus far with the Suns, Meyer is 2-3 with a 4.28 ERA over six starts and 27 1/3 innings. He has struck out 33 and walked 12, holding opponents to a .220 average. At Hagerstown, he is 2-0, 0.75; on the road, he’s 0-3, 7.04.

John Hinson

Legend to watch: IF John Hinson (6-1, 180, from Asheville, N.C.) is 12-for-31 (.387) in eight games since being promoted from extended spring training. He has two homers, five RBI and eight runs scored, with two doubles and three stolen bases. Hinson, who bats left-handed and throws righty, was selected by the Astros in the 13th round of last year’s draft, out of Clemson University. As a redshirt junior last year, he batted .331 for Clemson, with nine homers, 12 doubles, three triples, 41 RBI and 23 stolen bases. Assigned to the Tri-City ValleyCats of the New York-Penn League last summer, he batted .284, with two homers, nine doubles, a triple, 11 RBI and 18 runs over 43 games. In 162 bats, he struck out 26 times and drew 17 walks. He also stole seven bases in 12 attempts. He also was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 13th round of the 2010 draft.

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

Notes: Thursday is Thirsty Thursday (Pepsi and beer products for $1) and Bark in the Park Night. Fans are invited to bring their dogs. The admission price of $2 per dog will benefit the Paris Animal Welfare Society. Dogs are allowed only in the general admission areas (lawn and bleachers), so fans with dogs should not purchase tickets in the (reserved) seating bowl. … Friday is Faith and Family Night. The Afters, who had two No. 1 singles on the Billboard Christian radio charts last year, will perform a post-game concert.  … Reserved seats for Saturday’s Nurses Night game are sold out. Some bleacher and lawn tickets remain. Birdzerk, billed as America’s Ballpark Prankster, will entertain between innings. A fireworks show will follow the game. … Sunday, Mother’s Day, “pampering sessions” around the park, lunch and Mary Kay goodie bags are available as part of a $39 package for moms. More than $500 in door prizes will be awarded. A portion of Sunday’s ticket proceeds will benefit the Mary Kay Foundation for battered women and children. Sunday also is Kids Club Day, meaning kids can run the bases after the game.

The women’s and men’s watch committees for The Bowerman have named the 10 semifinalists for collegiate track and field’s biggest award. The Bowerman, track and field’s version of what college football has in the Heisman Trophy, is presented in conjunction with the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

A 10-person Bowerman Advisory Board will trim the list to three finalists, to be named July 13 (men) and 14 (women).

Women’s semifinalists

Name, year, school, events, hometown
Nia Ali, sr., Southern Cal, hurdles/jumps, Philadelphia
Brigetta Barrett, so., Arizona, jumps, Duncanville, Texas
Jessica Beard, sr., Texas A&M, sprints, Euclid, Ohio
Emma Coburn, jr., Colorado, distance, Crested Butte, Colo.
Kimberlyn Duncan, so., LSU, sprints, Katy, Texas
Jordan Hasay, so., Oregon, distance, Arroyo Grande, Calif.
Sheila Reid, jr., Villanova, distance, Newmarket, Ontario, Canada
Tina Sutej, jr., Arkansas, pole vault, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Jeneba Tarmoh, jr., Texas A&M, sprints, San Jose, Calif.
Brianne Theisen, sr., Oregon, combined events, Humboldt, Saskatchewan, Canada

Nia Ali

Nia Ali – Winner of the NCAA outdoor 100-meter hurdles with a wind-aided 12.63. Ali clocked a personal-best time of 12.77 to win Pac-10 title and is ranked seventh in the world in 2011. Finished sixth at the NCAA outdoor meet in the high jump; had a season best of 6-1¼ to finish second in the Pac-10 to Arizona’s Brigetta Barrett. Ali was also an NCAA qualifier indoors in the 60-meter hurdles.

Brigetta Barrett – Claimed NCAA high jump titles in both the indoor and outdoor seasons to join six others that have accomplished the feat (most recently, Texas’ Destinee Hooker in 2009). Barrett cleared six feet or more in each of her 11 competitions and notched an all-around personal best of 6-4 to win the Pac-10 title. Barrett won 10 of 11 meet crowns in the high jump during both indoor and outdoor seasons.

Jessica Beard

Jessica Beard – Became the third female in NCAA Division I history, and first since 1999, to win both 400 national titles in the same year and run on both winning 4-by-400 relays at the NCAA Indoor and NCAA Outdoor Championships. Beard, four-time Big 12 indoor 400-meter champ, recorded the world’s fastest 400 time indoors with a 50.79 clocking to win the national crown. Outdoors, Beard clocked 51.10 for the NCAA win and split 49.13 for the Aggies as anchor of the winning 4-by-400 relay.

Emma Coburn – Won the NCAA 3,000-meter steeplechase title in a wire-to-wire 9:41.14 and bettered the field by more than six seconds. Coburn was undefeated in the steeplechase during the season and clocked a 9:40.51 personal best to win the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational -– a mark that ranks sixth among collegians all-time. Coburn also finished eighth at the NCAA Indoor Championships in the mile.

Kimberlyn Duncan

Kimberlyn Duncan — Swept the NCAA 200-meter titles and, in both seasons, notched world-leading times. Duncan became the sixth woman in NCAA Division I history and the first since Auburn’s Kerron Stewart in 2007 to sweep 200-meter titles in the same season. Indoors, Duncan won the SEC title in 22.78 for the world’s best time of the season. Outdoors, Duncan was undefeated in the 200 and clocked a low-altitude collegiate record (and the third-best overall) with a 22.24 run. Duncan was also the NCAA 100-meter runner-up and anchored the Lady Tigers to an NCAA title in the 4-by-100 (42.64).

Jordan Hasay – Won NCAA indoor titles in the mile and 3,000 meters, becoming the fifth overall and the first since Northern Arizona’s Johanna Nilsson (2006) to claim such a double. Hasay also led the Ducks to a runner-up finish in the distance medley relay at the national indoor meet. Outdoors, Hasay finished fourth nationally in the 5,000 meters and eighth in the 1,500.

Sheila Reid

Sheila Reid – Tallied three NCAA crowns and five Big East titles during the 2011 seasons. Outdoors, Reid became the first woman in Division I history to win the NCAA 1,500 and 5,000 in the same championship. Indoors, Reid anchored the Wildcats to the NCAA crown in the distance medley relay and was second nationally in the 3,000 meters. In the Big East, Reid won the 1,500-5,000 double outdoors and was a three-time titlist indoors with wins in the 1,000 meters, 4-by-800 and DMR.

Tina Sutej

Tina Sutej – Set collegiate records indoors and outdoors. Indoors, Sutej vaulted a best of 14-10¾ to set the all-time collegiate best in winning the SEC crown and went on to win the NCAA title. Outdoors, Sutej again won the SEC league title with a collegiate-record vault – a clearance of 15-1½. Overall, Sutej collected 13 straight meet victories before finishing runner-up at the NCAA outdoor meet, but tied the championship-meet record with Oregon’s Melissa Gergel, who took the crown on virtue of misses.

Jeneba Tarmoh

Jeneba Tarmoh – Was twice the NCAA’s runner-up in the 200 meters, matching performances both indoors and outdoors. Tarmoh won NCAA titles indoors and outdoors on the Aggie 4-by-400-meter relays and collected another silver as a member of the 4-by-100 squad. Tarmoh recorded top-five world times both indoors and outdoors in the 200, running 22.34 in the national finals to move into the collegiate all-time top 10 in the event. Tarmoh swept Big 12 outdoor 100- and 200-meter sprint titles and was on Texas A&M’s winning 4-by-100 relay.

Brianne Theisen – Twice set the collegiate record in the pentathlon during the indoor season and won her second straight NCAA crown in the event. Her score of 4,540 bettered her previous all-time collegiate best mark of 4,507, set in January at the UW (Washington) Invitational and ranked among the world’s top five in the event for the season. Theisen also scored at the NCAA indoor meet for the second straight year as a member of Oregon’s 4-by-400 relay team. Outdoors, Theisen did not compete as a result of injury.

Men’s semifinalists

Name, year, school, events, hometown
Jeshua Anderson, sr., Washington State, hurdles, Woodland Hills, Calif.
Robby Andrews, so., Virginia, distance, Englishtown, N.J.
Sam Chelanga, sr., Liberty, distance, Nairobi, Kenya
Will Claye, jr., Florida, jumps, Phoenix
Kirani James, so., Alabama, sprints, Gouyave, Grenada
Leonard Korir, jr., Iona, distance, Iten, Kenya
Ngoni Makusha, jr., Florida State, jumps/sprints, Zimbabwe
Maurice Mitchell, jr., Florida State, sprints, Kansas City, Mo.
Scott Roth, sr., Washington, pole vault, Granite Bay, Calif.
Christian Taylor, jr., Florida, jumps, Fayetteville, Ga.

Jeshua Anderson

Jeshua Anderson – Joined Brigham Young’s (and former University of Kentucky faculty member) Ralph Mann (1969-70-71) and Iowa State’s Danny Harris (1984-85-86) as the only three to win a third NCAA-championship title in the 400-meter hurdles. Won the title in 48.56, over a half-second ahead of the rest of the field. Earned the season’s collegiate best, and current American-leading, 400-hurdle time of 48.13 in winning a fourth-straight Pac-10 crown. Clocking also ranks second in the world so far in 2011 and ranks among the collegiate all-time top five.

Robby Andrews

Robby Andrews – Won his first NCAA outdoor 800-meter title with a memorable, come-from-behind 200-meter sprint to the finish. Sitting in last place at the 600-meter mark, Andrews used a 26.44-second final 200 to pass the field and grab the win from UC Irvine’s Charles Jock by only four hundredths of a second. Final time at the NCAA meet of 1:44.71 equaled the best collegiate and current best American mark of the year (Cory Primm, UCLA). 

Sam Chelanga

Sam Chelanga – NCAA champion outdoors in the 5,000 meters and national runner-up indoors in the 5K and outdoors in the 10K. His title  in the 5K was won in a season’s best time of 13:29.30 which included a 58.15 final-lap split. Recorded the collegiate-season’s best 7:48.24 indoors in the 3,000 meters at the professional-laden New Balance Games in Boston in February.

Will Claye

Will Claye – Claimed the NCAA indoor national championship in the triple jump and was the nation’s runner-up indoors in the long jump and outdoors in the triple. Also finished third outdoors in the long jump. Outdoors, notched SEC victories in both horizontal jumps, the first to do so since 2004. Wind-legal performances during the outdoor season of 27-2½ and 56-11¼ are among the world’s top five in 2011. Wind-aided triple jump of 57-9¾ at the NCAA outdoor meet is the third-best all-conditions collegiate mark of all time.

Kirani James

Kirani James – Claimed NCAA outdoor title in the 400 meters for the second straight year, becoming the first back-to-back titlist in the event since Auburn’s Avard Moncur in 2000 and 2001. Swept SEC crowns in the 400 with indoor and outdoor wins and recorded an all-time world junior indoor best with a 44.80 clocking in taking the league’s indoor crown in February. Clocked 44.6 split as the second leg of Grenada’s 4-by-400-relay team that finished third in the USA vs. The World race at the Penn Relays.

Leonard Korir –Indoor 5,000-meter and outdoor 10,000-meter NCAA champion. Split a 56.18 final lap to claim the outdoor national title. Also finished third outdoors nationally in the 5,000 and sixth indoors at 3,000. In clocking 27:29.40 in the 10K at Stanford’s Payton Jordan Invitational in May, he moved to second all-time in collegiate history in the event (Sam Chelanga, 27:08.39, 2010).

Ngoni Makusha

Ngoni Makusha — Won NCAA outdoor titles in the 100 meters and long jump, joining Carl Lewis, Jesse Owens, and Michigan’s DeHart Hubbard as the fourth man in NCAA Division I history to claim such a double at a single championship. Also claimed NCAA long jump title during the indoor season, becoming the first since 2006 to sweep the event’s two titles (Arturs Abolins, Nebraska, 2006). Notched a third NCAA title as second leg of 4-by-100-meter relay. Run of 9.89 in the NCAA 100-meter final broke the 1996 collegiate- and championship-meet record of 9.92 set in 1996 by UCLA’s Ato Bolden. Clocked 9.97 to win ACC crown and swept league titles in the long jump. Season’s best in the long jump and 100 meters rank amongst the world’s top five this year.

Maurice Mitchell – NCAA outdoor 200-meter champion in a wind-aided 19.99 and third leg of Florida State’s national champion 4-by-100-meter relay team. Was national runner-up indoors in the 200 and was only bested by Oklahoma’s Mookie Salaam who took the title by two thousandths of a second in a different section. Placed third at the NCAA meet indoors in the 60 and outdoors in the 100 meters. Did not lose a 200-meter race in 13 tries during the indoor and outdoor seasons.

Scott Roth – Claimed a sweep of NCAA pole vault crowns during the year, becoming the fourth to do so since 2000. Marked indoor personal best of 18-1 during the indoor season and an overall personal best of 18-9¼ to take victory at the Mt. SAC Relays. At the end of the collegiate season, season’s best mark ranked among the world’s top five.

Christian Taylor

Christian Taylor – Winner of the NCAA outdoor triple jump title with an all-time, all-conditions collegiate best mark of 58-4¾. The wind-aided title clincher came on the final attempt of a back-and-forth battle with teammate Will Claye. Marked wind-legal 57-1 in the competition’s fourth round to claim the season’s collegiate best mark and current American-leading mark. Finished second nationally indoors to Claye in the triple jump and qualified for both meets in the long jump. With Florida’s 4-by-100- and 4-by-400-meter relay teams, qualified for the national finals in both events outdoors. At Penn Relays, 4-by-100 squad finished second in the Championship of America race.

Jackie Areson

Tennessee’s Jackie Areson is the latest addition to the women’s “watch list” for The Bowerman. Collegiate track and field’s top award is sponsored by the United States Track & Cross Country Coaches Association, which provides this background information.

Areson leads the NCAA in the 5,000 meters this season. She is undefeated in the mile, 3K and 5K this season. Last weekend, she won the 5,000 and anchored the Lady Vols’ first-place distance medley relay.

The 10-deep watch list follows, in alphabetical order.

Jessica Beard

Jessica Beard, Texas A&M, sr., from Euclid, Ohio
IN 2011: Beard won an unprecedented fourth straight indoor Big 12 title at 400 meters last weekend and did so in a collegiate-leading time of 51.68. Beard was named Big 12 Performer of the Year as she also scored second-place honors in the 200 meters at the conference meet and anchored the Aggies to a fifth straight crown in the 4-by-400. Her season-best 200 time of 22.95 ranks fourth in the NCAA. Beard is undefeated in the 400 meters this season.

LaKya Brookins

LaKya Brookins, South Carolina, sr., from Seneca, S.C.
IN 2011: Brookins has the nation’s leading time in the 60 meters with a 7.14, achieved in winning the SEC title Sunday. All told, Brookins has won five-out-of-six finals at the distance this year and has clocked sub-7.20 performances on four occasions, including the last three. Brookins also won 60-meter titles at the Tyson Invitational, the New Balance Collegiate Invitational and the Texas A&M Challenge.

Ti'erra Brown

Ti’erra Brown, Miami (Fla.), jr., from Hampton, Va.
IN 2011: Known mostly for her 400-meter hurdle prowess, Brown has overall had a light indoor season. However, that doesn’t mean she hasn’t been competitive. Most recently at the ACC Indoor Championships, Brown placed second overall in the open 400, and won her section of the finals, in a time of 53.25. The time currently stands as the No. 16 time in the NCAA this year and is on the “bubble” to be selected for the NCAA Indoor Championships.

Semoy Hackett

Semoy Hackett, LSU, jr., from Scarborough, Trinidad & Tobago
IN 2011: In her first season as a Division I participant, Hackett has achieved marks in the 60 and 200 that among the nation’s top five in both events. Her season best in the 200 meters of 22.84 is just off the 22.78 leader set by teammate Kimberlyn Duncan in winning the SEC title. In the 60, Hackett is tied with the fifth-best mark of the 2011season at 7.24. Hackett finished runner-up in the SEC in both the 60 and 200.

Sheila Reid

Sheila Reid, Villanova, jr., from Newmarket, Ontario, Canada
IN 2011: In one of the more impressive showings by anyone at a conference championship this year, Reid won three Big East titles this indoor season. Starting off, she was the winner of the 1000 meters in a very fast 2:43.70, was the third leg of the Wildcats’ winning DMR, and anchor of the squad’s 4-by-800 team that won a conference crown. Reid holds claim to the second-best mark among collegians this year in the 3,000 meters, having run 8:56.92 in competition against collegians. At the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston, Reid ran a would-be NCAA-leading mark in the mile with an impressive showing against a bevy of professionals in the event’s 3,000-meter run. Reid would finish third in that event with a 4:35.30 clocking.

Tina Sutej

Tina Sutej, Arkansas, jr., from Ljubljana, Slovenia
IN 2011: After having achieved the chance to break the collegiate record in her last four competitions, Sutej was relieved to finally break through with a clearance of 14-10¾ (4.54m) to reset the record in winning the SEC title. Sutej broke the 2002 record of Amy Linnen. Undoubtedly the most consistent in the vault this season, Sutej has cleared more than 14-6 (4.42m) four times this season and has won six straight events.

Jeneba Tarmoh

Jeneba Tarmoh, Texas A&M, jr., from San Jose, Calif.
IN 2011: Tarmoh has been busy to start the 2011 season. Including relays and all rounds, Tarmoh has contested 22 races in the 60, 200, and 4-by-400. Like Hackett, Tarmoh is also in the nation’s top five in the 60 (7.24, tied fifth) and 200 (22.88, third). Tarmoh was the Big 12 Champion in the 200 meters, runner-up in the 60, and helped the Aggies to another conference victory in the 4-by-400. Additional winning credits from 2011 include a victory in the 200 at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational and in the 60 at the Texas A&M Conference Challenge on Jan. 15.

Brianne Theisen

Brianne Theisen, Oregon, sr., from Humboldt, Saskatchewan, Canada
IN 2011: Theisen has already claimed a collegiate record this season. On Jan. 28 at the Washington Invitational, Theisen scored 4,507 points in the heptathlon to top the previous mark of 4,498 set by Arizona State’s Jacquelyn Johnson in 2008. With a high jump of 6-0 (1.83m) in the record-setting pentathlon, Theisen also ranks in seventh in the NCAA this season in that event. In addition, Theisen has won nine straight combined-event competitions against collegiate competition with the win at the UW Invitational. At the MPSF Championships, Theisen sat out the pentathlon, but competed in four other events, including the leadoff leg on the Ducks first-place 4-by-400, placing second in the high jump and third in the 60-meter hurdles.

Kim Williams

Kim Williams, Florida State, sr., Kingston, Jamaica
IN 2011: Netted impressive performances in both long and triple jumps at the ACC Championships. In becoming the first in ACC Championship history to win an event for a fourth time, Williams triple jumped to a collegiate-leading mark of 45-9¾ (13.96m). In addition, the previous day, Williams won the ACC long jump title with a leap of 21-6 (6.55m) -– a performance that ranks No. 2 in the NCAA this year.

The Bowerman Advisory Board appointed four of its members to comprise The Bowerman Women’s Watch Committee and another four of its members to make up The Bowerman Men’s Watch Committee. The committee will release its next women’s update on Thursday, March 17. The three men and three women finalists will be named late June.

The Eastern Kentucky men’s cross country teams bolted seven spots ahead in the Southeast Region rankings, compiled by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

Louisville is the lone in-state team on the national spotlight, not ranked but among “others receiving votes” — six votes that equate to No. 35.

Kentucky leads the women’s teams from the commonwealth, No. 6 in the Southeast Region. UK and EKU are the only Kentucky schools ranked in both region polls. Western Kentucky’s women are No. 14 in the Southeast.

Stanford leads the men’s national poll with 352 points and six first-place votes. Oklahoma State is close behind with 347 and five.

No. 5 Alabama and No. 13 Arkansas are the top Souheastern Conference representatives. The Big East has four top 25 teams: No. 9 Syracuse, No. 14 Villanova, No. 20 Providence and No. 25 Georgetown.

U of L was off last weekend after placing second a week earlier in the University of Evansville Mid-America Opener. Michael Eaton led the Cardinals in that race, placing second. Tyler Byrne, Gordie Dooley and Evan Hibbs placed 7-9-10. U of L will travel to the Navy Invitational this weekend at Annapolis, Md.

EKU climbed in the rankings thanks to a strong win over Marshall on Sept. 4. The top three finishers for the Colonels did not compete on the team last season. Freshman Soufiana Bouchikhi won the race; junior David Mutuse, who red-shirted last year, was runner-up; and freshman Ole Hesselbjerg placed fifth.

The Colonels will run this weekend in the Western Kentucky Old Timers Classic. Evans Kiptoo, third at last year’s Ohio Valley Conference Championships, is expected to make his season debut for EKU.

No Kentucky teams are ranked in the women’s national poll, which is led by Villanova.

USTFCCCA men’s national poll
(Rank, team, points, with first-place votes in parentheses)
1. Stanford 352 (6); 2. Oklahoma State 347 (5); 3. (tie) Northern Arizona (1) and Oregon 332; 5. Alabama 300; 6. Colorado 297; 7. Wisconsin 290; 8. Portland 261; 9. Syracuse 259; 10. Iona 258; 11. North Carolina State 216; 12. Oklahoma 211; 13. Arkansas 194; 14. (tie) New Mexico and Villanova 185; 16. Brigham Young 145; 17. Arizona State 140; 18. Michigan State 131; 19. Iowa State 130; 20. Providence 129; 21. Duke 128; 22. Virginia 118; 23. Florida State 101; 24. Princeton 98; 25. Georgetown 96; 26. Butler 72; 27. Minnesota 62; 28. Indiana 56; 29. William and Mary 39; 30. Texas 34.
Others receiving votes — Cal Poly 32, Ohio State 22, North Carolina 8, UCLA 7, Louisville 6, California 6, Florida 1.

USTFCCA Men’s Southeast Region
1. North Carolina State; 2. Duke; 3. Virginia; 4. North Carolina; 5. William and Mary; 6. Louisville; 7. Virginia Tech; 8. Eastern Kentucky; 9. Liberty; 10. George Mason; 11. Kentucky; 12. Norfolk State; 13. Clemson; 14. High Point; 15. Appalachian State.

USTFCCCA women’s national poll
1. Villanova 360 (12); 2. Florida State 344; 3. Washington 322; 4. Oregon 305; 5. Texas Tech 303; 6. Duke 294; 7. Georgetown 290; 8. Florida 270; 9. Princeton 263; 10. Syracuse 245; 11. Colorado 224; 12. Virginia 214; 13. Stanford 213; 14. Providence 188; 15. Notre Dame 169; 16. Iowa State 164; 17. West Virginia 155; 18. New Mexico 150; 19. Texas-El Paso 147; 20. Brigham Young 135; 21. Michigan State 109; 22. Southern Methodist 99; 23. Arizona 93; 24. Iowa 91; 25. Minnesota 82; 26. Wisconsin 71; 27. Michigan 70; 28. Penn State 58; 29. Rice 31; 30. North Carolina 26.
Others receiving votes — Arizona State 21, Nebraska 15, Indiana 9, Stony Brook 7, Ohio State 6, Toledo 6, Arkansas 4, Kansas 4, Vanderbilt 4, Kansas State 3, Miami (Ohio) 2, Baylor 1.

 USTFCCA Women’s Southeast Region
1. Duke; 2. Virginia; 3. North Carolina; 4. North Carolina State; 5. Clemson; 6. Kentucky; 7. James Madison; 8. Charlotte; 9. Eastern Kentucky; 10. Wake Forest; 11. Richmond; 12. Virginia Tech; 13. George Mason; 14. Western Kentucky; 15. William and Mary.

Luis Orta

Kentucky junior Luis Orta is Southeastern Conference Cross Country Male Athlete of the Week.

Competing in the Wildcats’ season opener, on a course that stretched through San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, Orta claimed the individual championship and led UK to a second-place finish in the San Francisco Invitational.

Orta, from Caracas, Venezuela, covered the 8,000-meter course in 24 minutes, 25 seconds to win by one second.

San Francisco topped UK for team honors, 33-54, with California third (80) in the eight-team field.

After Orta, UK came in with Walter Lutrell in fifth place (25:06), Josh Nadzam in 13th (25:24) and Stacey Eden in 15th (25:27).

The UK women also placed second at San Franciso, paced by Chelsea Oswald, who covered 5,000 meters in 17:26 to place second only to Cal’s Chelsea Reilly. Cal edged UK 37-39 for team honors, followed by San Francisco (49).

Following for the Wildcats were freshmen Taylor Wendler in seventh and Anna Bostrom in eighth, then sophomore Cally Macumber in ninth.

Other SEC weekly award winners are Georgia junior Kristie Krueger (Female Athlete), Arkansas’ Stephanie Brown (Female Freshman) and Mississippi State’s Nick Perkins (Male Freshman).

Kentucky’s men are picked seventh and the women eighth in the Southeastern Conference cross country coaches’ pre-season polls.

Alabama’s men and Florida’s women are the top picks.

Florida was an overwhelming No. 1, taking all 11 first-place votes.

Two-time defending champion Alabama edged Arkansas in the men’s poll, taking seven first-place votes to the Razorbacks’ four. Arkansas also is No. 2 in the women’s poll.

Points were tabulated according to ranking — one first-place vote equals one point, a second-place vote equals two points, etc.

The SEC Championships are scheduled Nov. 1 at South Carolina.

The coaches’ poll follows.

MEN
1. Alabama (7) 13
2. Arkansas (4) 16
3. Florida 34
4. Georgia 41
T5. Auburn 49
T5. Tennessee 49
7. Kentucky 67
8. Mississippi State 72
9. Ole Miss 73
10. LSU 95
11. Vanderbilt 96

WOMEN
1. Florida (11) 11
2. Arkansas 24
3. Georgia 35
T4. Alabama 52
T4. Tennessee 52
T4. Vanderbilt 52
7. Auburn 67
8. Kentucky 78
9. Mississippi State 96
10. South Carolina 97
11. LSU 113
12. Ole Miss 117