Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

Former University of Louisville star Angel McCoughtry is among 12 players added Wednesday to the 2010-12 USA Basketball Women’s National Team roster.

The 12 additions brings to 20 the player pool from which this year’s World Championships team and 2012 Summer Olympics teams will be chosen. Team USA first must qualify for the latter tournament.

McCoughtry, reigning Rookie of the Year in the WNBA, plays for the Atlanta Dream. She also was part of Team USA’s gold-medal squad at the 2007 Pan American Games.

Others added to the roster by the five-member Player Selection Committee are: Alana Beard (Washington Mystics), Swin Cash (Seattle Storm), Tina Charles (University of Connecticut), Shameka Christon (New York Liberty), Candice Dupree (Chicago Sky), Lindsey Harding (Washington Mystics), Asjha Jones (Connecticut Sun), Renee Montgomery (Connecticut Sun), Maya Moore (University of Connecticut), Lindsay Whalen (Minnesota Lynx) and Candice Wiggins (Minnesota Lynx).

UConn’s Geno Auriemma is head coach.

Players previously named the team are: Seimone Augustus (Minnesota Lynx), Sue Bird (Seattle Storm), Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever), Sylvia Fowles (Chicago Sky), Kara Lawson (Connecticut Sun), Candace Parker (Los Angeles Sparks), Cappie Pondexter (Phoenix Mercury) and Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury).

Monkey business

By the way, you may have noticed that I’m baaaccckk.

Back from the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games, a working vacation. For details, see my personal blog:
www.monkeyalarm.com

SEC has most track teams nationally ranked

The Southeastern Conference dominates the latest Indoor Track & Field national rankings of NCAA Division I teams, compiled by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

The SEC has seven men’s teams among the top 25 and six women’s teams. The Big 12 is second in both categories with six men’s teams and five women’s squads.

Louisville is the lone in-state representative, with the 13th-ranked women’s program.

The top seven men’s rankings in the Southeast Region, in order: Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Louisville, South Carolina, Clemson, Kentucky and Virginia.

The Southeast Region top seven women’s teams: Clemson, South Carolina, Louisville, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Duke and Virginia.

Men’s rankings
Rank  Team (Points)                 Previous rank
 1. Texas A&M (141.69)                           1
 2. Florida (136.89)                                   4
 3. Oregon (134.27)                                  2
 4. LSU (109.18)                                        3
 5. Arizona State (107.75)                        5
 6. Arkansas (91.80)                                 6
 7. Texas Tech (91.19)                             9
 8. Virginia Tech (80.81)                        15
 9. Oklahoma (75.10)                             12
10. Indiana (71.67)                                   7
11. Nebraska (69.31)                              8
12. Minnesota (65.06)                            17
13. Penn State (64.53)                           11
14. Florida State (63.65)                        13
15. Stanford (62.08)                                14
16. California (55.78)                              24
17. Northern Arizona (53.64)                 19
18. Auburn (50.94)                                  16
19. Baylor (50.91)                                    10
20. South Carolina (46.02)                     –
21. Arizona (45.76)                                  18
22. New Mexico (44.69)                          22
23. Mississippi (44.02)                            –
24. Georgia (44.00)                                 25
25. Texas (43.78)                                      –

Women’s rankings
Rank  Team (Points)                 Previous rank
 1. Oregon (185.55)                                 1
 2. Texas A&M (158.94)                           2
 3. Florida (113.51)                                  3
 4. Clemson (108.53)                              7
 5. Tennessee (108.03)                          4
 6. LSU (102.35)                                       5
 7. Penn State (99.38)                           10
 8. Arkansas (97.84)                                6
 9. Villanova (79.07)                                 8
10. Texas-El Paso (78.12)                   17
11. Auburn (72.23)                                   9
12. Southern Illinois (59.52)                12
13. Louisville (59.11)                            13
14. Arizona (58.62)                                16
15. Brigham Young (58.15)                 11
16. Indiana State (57.93)                      18
17. Florida State (56.64)                       20
18. Nebraska (56.02)                            14
19. Oklahoma (53.27)                           15
20. Indiana (49.90)                                19
21. Iowa State (49.57)                            –
22. Virginia Tech (49.04)                      21
23. South Carolina (46.35)                    –
24. Texas Tech (42.52)                          –
25. Miami (Fla.) (38.98)                          –

Louisville 1-2 in women’s weight throw

D'Ana McCarty

Highlighting individual rankings is the women’s weight throw, where Louisville’s D’Ana McCarty (74-0 1/4) and Jere’ Summers (73-4) are 1-2 and UK’s Kristin Smith (67-6) is No. 8.

Event-by-event leaders, plus in-state representatives among the top 25, follow.

Men
60 meters — Jeff Demps (Fla.) 6.59; tie 2. Rondel Sorrillo (Ky.) 6.60; tie 20. Justin Austin (Ky.) 6.69.
200 — (tie) Calvin Smith (Fla.) and Charles Clark (Fla. St.) 20.67; 5. Rondel Sorrillo (Ky.) 20.77.
400 — Torrin Lawrence (Ga.) 45.03.
800 — Andrew Wheating (Ore.) 1:46.3.
Mile — Lee Emanuel (N.M.) 3:57.62.
3,000 — David McNeill (Northern Ariz.) 7:47.52.
5,000 — David McNeill (Northern Ariz.) 13:39.32.
60 hurdles — Ronnie Ash (Okla.) 7.59.
4×400 relay — Texas A&M 3:04.86.
Distance medley relay — Oregon 9:29.82.
High jump — (tie) Paul Hamilton (Neb.) and Derek Drouin (Ind.) 7-5; tie 12. Tone Belt (U of L) 7-2 1/4.
Pole vault — Scott Roth (Wash.) 18-9 1/4.
Long jump — Alain Bailey (Ark.) 26-9 3/4; tie 7. Rudon Bastion (U of L) 25-10; tie 13. Tone Belt (U of L) 25-6 1/4; 16. Wesley Smith (U of L) 25-4 1/2.
Triple jump — Christian Taylor (Fla.) 55-2 3/4; 14. Andre Black (U of L) 52-7 1/4.
Shot put — Ryan Whiting (Ariz. St.) 70-7 1/4.
Weight throw — Walter Henning (LSU) 78-1.
Heptathlon — Ashton Eaton (Ore.) 6,256.

Women
60 — (tie) Blessing Okagbare (Texas-El Paso) and Layka Brookins (S.C.) 7.18.
200 — Shavon Greaves (Penn St.) 22.98.
400 — Jessica Beard (Texas A&M) 51.15; 25. Jenna Martin (Ky.) 53.76.
800 — Phoebe Wright (Tenn.) 2:01.47.
Mile — Charlotte Browning (Fla.) 4:31.24; 17. Janet Jesang (Western Ky.) 4:41.57.
3,000 — Lisa Koll (Iowa St.) 8:56.09; 8. Janet Jesang (Western Ky.) 9:11.09.
5,000 — Lisa Koll (Iowa St.) 15:29.65; 13. Janet Jesang (Western Ky.) 16:04.48.
60 hurdles — Queen Quedith (Va. Tech) 7.94.
4×400 relay — Arkansas 3:32.87; 15. Kentucky 3:37.90.
Distance medley relay — Oregon 10:59.64.
High jump — (tie) Elizabeth Patterson (Ariz. St.) and Amber Kaufman (Hawaii) 6-3 1/2; tie 25. Rachel Gehret (U of L) 5-10 3/4.
Pole vault — Kylie Hutson (Ind. St.) 14-8 1/4.
Long jump — Blessing Okagbare (Texas-El Paso) 21-11 3/4.
Triple jump — Kimberly Williams (Fla. St.) 46-8 1/4.
Shot put — Mariam Kevkhishvilli (Fla.) 60-10 3/4; 6. Jere’ Summers (U of L) 55-9 1/4; tie 14. Ashley Muffet (Ky.) 53-9 1/4; 21. Chinwe Okoro (U of L) 52-7 1/4.
Weight throw — D’Ana McCarty (U of L) 74-0 1/4; 2. Jere’ Summers (U of L) 73-4; 8. Kristin Smith (Ky.) 67-6.
Pentathlon — Liane Weber (Clemson) 4,262; 16. Precious Nwokey (Ky.) 3,967.

Three new names on The Bowerman watch list’s top 10

The men’s ”watch list” for the USTFCCA’s Bowerman Award has three new names among the top 10 this week: LSU’s Walter Henning, Georgia’s Torrin Lawrence and Northern Arizona’s David McNeill. The Bowerman is college track and field’s version of the Heisman Trophy in football. For more information, see www.TheBowerman.org

The Bowerman Watch List top 10 through March 3, in alphabetical order:

Name (school, class) event, hometown
Jeshua Anderson (Wash. St., jr.) hurdles, Woodland Hills, Calif.
Ronnie Ash (Okla., jr.) hurdles, Raleigh, N.C.
Sam Chelanga (Liberty, jr.) distances, Nairobi, Kenya
Ashton Eaton (Ore., sr.) combined events, Bend, Ore.
German Fernandez (Okla. St., so.) distances, Riverbank, Calif.
Walter Henning (LSU, jr.) throws, Kings Park, N.Y.
Torrin Lawrence (Ga., so.) sprints, Jacksonville, Fla.
David McNeill (Northern Ariz., sr.) distances, Melbourne, Australia
Andrew Wheating (Ore., sr.) distances, Norwich, Vt.
Ryan Whiting (Ariz. St., sr.) throws, Harrisburg, Pa.

Also receiving mention — Aaron Braun (Adams St.); Charles Clark (Fla. St.); Will Claye (Okla.); Jason Colwick (Rice); Lee Emanuel (N.M.); Ricky Flynn (Lynchburg); Ryan Foster (Penn St.); Ramon Gittens (St. Augustine’s); Tabarie Henry (Texas A&M); Trindon Holliday (LSU); Bryce Lamb (Texas Tech); Ngonidzashe Makusha (Fla. St.); Scott Roth (Wash.); Ramon Sparks (Abilene Christian).

Campbell is Athlete of the Week

Amber Campbell is USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week, having won the women’s weight throw with a season world-leading and a meet-record mark of 81 feet, one-half inch at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships at Albuquerque, N.M.

Campbell, a 2008 Olympian, won here fourth consecutive national title with the third-best throw ever. She earned 1,213 points to earn the title of Visa Champion by one point over sprinter Carmelita Jeter, worth $30,000.

The best performances by American in the week ending Feb. 28 follow. AL = American leader; OT = oversized track; WL = world leader.

MEN
60 — Ivory Williams (Nike) at Albuquerque, 6.49 WL; 200 — Charles Clark (Fla. St.), Blacksburg, Va., and Calvin Smith (Fla.), Fayetteville, Ark., 20.67 WL; 400 — Torrin Lawrence (Ga.), Fayetteville, 45.10; 800 — Nick Symmonds (Nike/Ore. TC Elite), Albuquerque, 1:47.59; Mile — Andrew Wheating (Ore.), Seattle, 3:58.20 OT; 3,000 — Mark Matusak (Calif.), Seattle, 7:59.67 OT; 5,000 — Elliott Heath (Stanford), Seattle, 13:47; 5K walk — Tim Seaman (NYAC), Albuquerque, 20:57.47; 60 hurdles — Terrence Trammell (Trackstar Appeal), Albuquerque, 7.41 WL; High jump — Jesse Williams (Nike), Albuquerque, 7-8; Pole vault — Scott Roth (Wash.), Seattle, 18-9 1/4; Long jump — Bryce Lamb (Texas Tech), Ames, Iowa, 26-8 1/2); Triple jump — Lawrence Willis (unattached), Albuquerque, 55-3 3/4; Shot put — Christian Cantwell (Nike), Albuquerque, 69-4; Weight throw — A.G. Kruger (Nike), Albuquerque, 82-0 WL; Heptathlon — Nick Adcock (Mo.), Ames, Iowa, 5,938.

WOMEN
60 — Carmelita Jeter (Nike), Albuquerque, 7.02 AL; 200 — Shavon Greaves (Penn St.), State College, Pa., 22.98 WL; 400 — Debbie Dunn (unatt.), Albuquerque, 50.86 WL; 800 — Anna Pierce (Nike), Albuquerque, 2:00.84 AL; 1,500 — Morgan Uceny (Reebok), Albuquerque, 4:19.46; Mile — Jordan Hasay (Ore.), Seattle, 4:35.01 OT; 3,000 — Lisa Koll (Iowa St.), Ames, Iowa, 8:56.09 OT; 5,000 — Lisa Koll (Iowa St.), Ames, Iowa, 15:41.57 OT; 3K walk — Maria Michta (Walk USA), Albuquerque, 13:51.33; 60 hurdles — Ginnie Powell (Nike), Albuquerque, 7.87; High jump — Chaunte Lowe (Nike) Albuquerque, 6-6 AL; Pole vault — Lacy Janson (unatt.), Albuquerque, 15-3; Long jump — Brittney Reese (Nike) Albuquerque, 22-7 1/4 WL; Triple jump – Erica McLain (Nike) Albuquerque, 46-1 1/2 AL; Shot put — Jill Camarena (Nike/NYAC), Albuquerque, 61-1 1/2; Weight throw — Amber Campbell (Nike), Albuquerque, 81-0 1/2 WL; Pentathlon — Chantae McMillan (Neb.), Ames, Iowa, 4,151. 

Bernard Lagat

Bernard Lagat is USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week.

A two-time Olympic medalist and the 2007 double Worlds champion, Lagat won an unprecedented eighth Wannamaker Mile title Friday night in New York’s Madison Square Garden, site of the 103rd Millrose Games.

Lagat, timed in 3:56.34, came into the meet sharing the lead in Wanamaker titles with Irishman Eamonn Coghlin.

Best American marks for the week ending Jan. 31, compiled by USATF.

MEN
60 meters — 6.59   Casey LaCour (unattached), Houston, Jan. 30
200 — 20.69 Curtis Mitchell (Texas A&M), College Station, TX, Jan. 30
400 – 46.48     Calvin Smith (Florida), College Station, Texas, Jan. 30
800 — 1:47.98  Cas Loxsom (Penn State), State College, Pa., Jan. 30
Mile — 3:55.75*o Chris Solinsky (Nike), Seattle, Jan. 30
3,000 — 7:51.48*o Galen Rupp (Nike), Seattle, Jan. 30
5,000 — 13:40.79  David Jankowski (Zap Fitness) Boston, Jan. 30
60 hurdles–7.49 Terrence Trammell (Trackstar Appeal), N.Y., Jan. 29
High jump — 7-7 1/4  Dusty Jonas (Nike), Trinec, Czech Rep., Jan. 26
Pole vault–18-4 1/2 Mark Hollis (ua), Derek Miles (Nike), NY, Jan. 29
Long jump–26-2 3/4 Trevell Quinley (HPC Elite) Albuquerque, Jan. 30
Triple jump–53-2 1/4 Brandon Roulhac (HPC E) Glasgow, Scot., Jan. 30
Shot put — 72-0 1/4  Christian Cantwell (Nike), New York, Jan. 29
Weight throw — 77-4  Jake Freeman (IBAC), New York, Jan. 29
Heptathlon — 6,256  Ashton Eaton (Ore.), College Station, Jan. 30 COLLEGIATE RECORD
*o — denotes oversized track.

WOMEN
60 — 7.19  Carmelita Jeter (Nike), Glasgow, Scotland, Jan. 30
200 — 23.16  Shavon Greaves (Penn St.), State College, Pa., Jan. 30
400 — 52.05  Allyson Felix (adidas), Albuquerque, Jan. 30
500–1:08.70 Shana Cox (adidas), State College, Jan. 30 U.S. RECORD
800 — 2:03.77  Erin Donohue (Nike), Boston, Jan. 30
Mile — 4:31.50  Sara Hall (Asics), New York, Jan. 29
3,000 — 8:58.45*o  Amy Hastings (adidas), Seattle, Jan. 30
5,000 – 15:20.05  Molly Huddle (Saucony), Seattle, Jan. 29
60 hurdles — 7.90  Lolo Jones (Asics), Karlsruhe, Germany, Jan. 31
High jump — 6-4 1/4  Chaunte Howard (Nike), Glasgow, Scot., Jan. 30
Pole vault — 14-9 1/2  Chelsea Johnson (Nike), New York, Jan. 29
Long jump — 21-11  Hyleas Fountain (Nike), State College, Jan. 29
Triple jump – 44-10 3/4  Amanda Smock (unatt.), Mankato, MN, Jan. 30
Shot put — 57-0  Sarah Stevens (unattached), Flagstaff, Ariz., Jan. 30
Weight throw — 79-4 3/4  Amber Campbell (Nike), New York, Jan. 29
Pentathlon — 4,731  Hyleas Fountain (Nike), State College, Jan. 29

For more information on USATF, visit usatf.org

Tracking Team USA at the Winter Olympic Games

Opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympic Games at Vancouver are little more than a week away, Feb. 12.

A couple of tips on where, in addition to kentucky.com, to look for the latest news.

1. Register on Teamusa.org to access late-breaking news and updates involving Team USA, courtesy of the United States Olympic Committee.

2. If you’ve grown accustomed to reading my reports, well … my 11th Olympics will mark my first as a freelance writer. I’ll be taking vacation time from this web site. However, you can still follow me on my newly launched personal web site: www.site.monkeyalarm.com.

Even though Kentucky isn’t often associated with the Winter Olympics, there will be plenty of Bluegrass connections in Vancouver. (More on that topic later.)

Reed writes again: Celebrating Freedom Hall

Billy Reed's latest work.

Former Herald-Leader sports columnist Billy Reed is the author of a new book: Celebrating 54 Years at Freedom Hall.

Published by Butler Books of Louisville, the work retails for $29.95. Reed will be on hand to sign copies of the book at every University of Louisville men’s and women’s basketball game for the rest of the season.

Reed says the book is heavy on basketball, including chapters on U of L, Kentucky, six NCAA Final Fours, the Kentucky Colonels, high school all-star games and the State High School Sweet Sixteen. Other topics include the World Championship Horse Show, National Tractor Pull, boxing (Muhammad Ali’s first fights), concerts, the Mason-Dixon (track and field) Games and family entertainment.

Florida’s Mariam Kevkhishvili and Auburn’s Sheniqua Ferguson have won weekly Southeastern Conference track and field awards, based on their performances Satuday in the University of Kentucky Invitational.

Mariam Kevkhishvili

Kevkhishvili, from Tibilisi, Georgia, is Female Field Athlete of the Week for her personal-best 60-foot-7 1/4 shot-put victory at UK. Her mark set school, fieldhouse and national records, and also surpassed the automatic qualifying standard for the NCAA Championships. She is a three-time NCAA champion and two-time Olympian.

Sheniqua Ferguson

Ferguson, a junior from Nassau, Bahamas, is co-Female Runner of the Week. Her 60-meter dash victory, in 7.28 seconds, is an NCAA provisional qualifier, ranks fifth all-time at Auburn and equals the fastest time in the NCAA this season.

Sharing honors with Ferguson is South Carolina junior LaKya Brookins. The defending NCAA champion opened her season by winning the Virginia Tech Invitational 60 in the same time as Ferguson, 7.28.

Female Freshman of the Week is Regina George of Arkansas. The newcomer from Chicago won the 800 (2:09.42) and anchored the winning 4-by-400 relay (3:36.43, NCAA provisional qualifier). George’s time ranks second in the SEC this season, ninth in the NCAA and third by an NCAA freshman. The relay time leads the NCAA.

Weekly honors for SEC men go to Georgia’s John Freeman (Field), plus the Arkansas duo of Scott McPherson (Runner) and Cobi Hamilton (Freshman).

Freeman, a junior from Plano, Texas, set a personal best of 66-10 in the 35-pound weight throw at UK. He was the top collegiate finisher in the events, second overall, and the first Bulldog of the season to post an NCAA provisional qualifier.

McPherson, a senior and also from Plano, Texas, led a 1-2-3 Razorbacks sweep at 3,000 meters in the Arkansas-Texas dual. His time of 8:10.66 leads the SEC and ranks second in the NCAA.

Hamilton, from Texarkana, Texas, made his collegiate debut with a 21.25 victory at 200 meters. That is a personal best and ranks third in the SEC this season, fifth in the NCAA and first among NCAA freshmen. Arkansas placed 1-4-5 in the event. Hamilton’s race came 13 days after playing in the Liberty Bowl. He played in 13 football games for the Razorbacks, catching 19 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns.

Eastern’s Forbes takes OVC award

Bianca Forbes

Eastern Kentucky freshman Bianca Forbes is Female Track Athlete of the Week in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Forbes won her heat at UK, placing 18th overall in a meet that was laden with Big Ten, Southeastern, Atlantic Coast, Sun Belt and Big East conference teams.

The Bowerman ‘watch lists’ are here

Kevkhishvili is among 10 athletes on The Bowerman women’s watch. Another 10 athletes are on The Bowerman men’s watch.

The Bowerman, presented by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), is the sport’s version of the Heisman Trophy.

The women’s watch list, which will be updated Feb. 9, includes 2009 finalist Porscha Lucas of Texas A&M.

The full list, in alphabetical order: Joanna Atkins (jr., Auburn), sprints; Jessica Beard (jr., Texas A&M), sprints; Angela Bizzari (sr., Illinois), distances; Lacey Cramer (soph., Brigham Young), middle-distance; Semoy Hackett (soph., Lincoln (Mo.)), sprints; Kylie Hutson (sr. Indiana State), pole vault; Mariam Kevkhishvili (sr., Florida), throws; Porscha Lucas (sr., Texas A&M), sprints; Brianne Theisen (jr., Oregon), combined events; Kim Williams (jr., Florida State), jumps.

Others receiving mention: Marie Borner (sr., Bethel (Minn.)), distances; Kristi Castlin (sr., Virginia Tech), hurdles); Brenda Martinez (sr., Cal Riverside), middle-distance; Francena McCorory (jr., Hampton), sprints; Liz Patterson (sr., Arizona), high jump.

Ashton Eaton

The men’s list includes 2009 finalists Ashton Eaton of Oregon and German Fernandez of Oklahoma State.

The men’s watch list: Jeshua Anderson (Jr., Washington State), hurdles; Ronnie Ash (jr., Oklahoma), hurdles; Sam Chelanga (jr., Liberty), distances; Will Claye (soph., Oklahoma), jumps; Jason Colwick (sr., Rice), pole vault; Ashton Eaton (sr., Oregon), combined events; German Fernandez (soph., Oklahoma State (distances); Trindon Holliday (sr., LSU), sprints; Andrew Wheating (sr., Oregon), distances; Ryan Whiting (sr., Arizona State), throws.

Also mentioned: Charles Clark (sr., Florida State), sprints; Ramon Gittens (jr., St. Augustine’s), sprints; Ricky Flynn (sr., Lynchburg), distances; Tabarie Henry (jr., Texas A&M), sprints; Ngonidzashe Makusha (jr., Florida State), jumps.