March 7, 2003
FAIRFAX, VA ... The George Mason University track & field teams head into their first weekend of postseason indoor competition with the men's team competing at the 82nd Annual Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America (IC4A) Indoor Championships and the women's team at the 20th Annual Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Indoor Championships. Both championships will be held concurrently in Boston, MA, from Saturday, March 8 through Sunday, March 9, with the men competing at the Boston University Track and Tennis Center and the women across town at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center.
Since first competing in the meet in 1983, the men's team has won the indoor IC4As three consecutive times, from 1989 through 1991, and has amassed 13 top-five finishes, including placing fifth the past two years. Georgetown returns as defending champions and have won the IC4A indoor title in nine of the last ten years. The Patriot men resumed competing in the indoor IC4As in 2000 after a five-year hiatus.
Last year the men's 4x400-meter relay won in the meet-record and NCAA provisionally qualifying time of 3:09.34. The relay returns to the IC4As looking to defend their title with just one veteran from that record-setting lineup in senior Kevin Nishiyama (Warrington, PA/Central Bucks East). Other men looking to capture an IC4A title include senior sprinter Serge Begono (Yaounde, Cameroon/Younde) in the 55 and 200 meters; sophomore Dominique Brown (Somerville, NJ/Somerville) in the 4x4; junior transfer Ricardo Cunningham (Clarendon, Jamaica/Vere Tech/SW Christian CC) in the 4x4 and 500 meters; freshman Jonathan Martin (Fairfax, VA/Bishop O'Connell/Cal State Fullerton) and junior Wayne Wright (Roanoke, VA/Cave Spring) in the high jump; NCAA provisional qualifier sophomore Richard Phillips (St. Catherine, Jamaica/Ardenne/Abilene Christian) in the 60-meter hurdles and 4x4; freshman Sam Sesay (Hyattsville, MD/Eleanor Roosevelt) in the 55 meters; and Nishiyama in the 500 and 800 meters.
George Mason's women's team has also found great success at the indoor ECACs since first competing there in 1986. They have won six times and have posted 14 top-five finishes. Last year the Patriots finished 11th - their best showing under fourth-year head coach Angie Taylor - and intend to do even better this season.
With a balanced squad, the Patriots have qualified athletes in sprints, middle distance, relay and field events. Qualifiers include sophomore Paula Bailey (Winston Salem, NC/West Forsyth) in the 4x400-meter relay; sophomore Tysha Colon (Washington, DC/HD Woodson) in the 60 meters, 200 meters and 4x4; sophomore Sheena Davidson (Rochester, NY/Edison Tech) in the 4x4, 400 and 800 meters; senior Michelle DiPenti (Warren, PA/Warren Area) and junior Dana Early (Milmont Park, PA/Ridley) in the 1000 meters and 4x800-meter relay; junior Sheena Goss (Elk Grove, CA/Laguna Creek) in the 4x4, 800 meters and distance medley relay; sophomore Ryann Holmes (Largo, MD/Largo Senior) in the 4x8 and distance medley relay; senior NamTasha Joyner (Richmond, VA/John F. Kennedy/NC Central) in the 4x4, 60 and 200 meters; junior Kim Morgan (Houston, TX/Alief Hastings) in the 4x4, 60, 200 and long jump; NCAA provisional qualifier freshman Alyce Williams (Palm Coast, FL/Flagler Palm Coast) in the triple jump, 4x4 and 200 meters; freshman Alycia Williams (Palm Coast, FL/Flagler Palm Coast) in the 4x4, 400 and 500 meters; junior Ameca Williams (Kingston, Jamaica/Immaculate Conception) in the 200 meters; and sophomore Kathy Williams (Lanham, MD/Eleanor Roosevelt) in the 4x8 and distance medley relay.
This will be the final weekend for athletes to qualify and improve their national standings for the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships that will be held at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, AR, from Friday, March 14 through Saturday, March 15. Entering the weekend, Alyce Williams ranks 17th in the triple jump and Phillips ranks 43rd in the 60-meter hurdles.
