March 7, 2008

2008 IC4A Indoor Championships Schedule in PDF Format

2008 ECAC Indoor Championships Schedule in PDF Format

BOSTON - A select group of George Mason track and field athletes will make the trip to Boston, Mass. this weekend to compete in the first major championship meets of the indoor season. The women will take part in the ECAC Championships at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center while the men will compete in the IC4A Championships at Boston University's Track and Tennis Center.

The men's track and field team has qualified seven individuals for the IC4A Championships. Competing for the Patriots will be senior Brian Hay (55-meter hurdles), sophomore Sam Horn (800- and 1000-meter run), senior Ryan McCoy (triple jump), junior Mutsa Nyakabau (400- and 500-meter dash), sophomore Michael Pachella (800- and 1000-meter run), freshman Dwight Webley (long jump and triple jump) and freshman Kevin Wilson (400- and 500-meter dash).

In addition to the individual qualifiers, Mason has hit the qualifying standard in three relay races - the 4x400-meter relay, the 4x800-meter relay and the distance medley relay. The Patriots' top 4x400-meter relay team this season is Wilson, sophomore Marcus Wyche, junior Nate Harris and Pachella (3:15.39). The team of Pachella, Horn, freshman Erin McWhorter and sophomore Matt Bailey ran the top time in the 4x800-meter relay (7:45.96). In the distance medley relay, the team of junior Ryan Murphy, Wyche, Bailey and Pachella ran the team's fastest time this year (10:01.21).

Seven individual athletes have qualified for the ECAC Championships for the women's track and field team. Making the trip to Boston will be junior Murielle Ahoure (60- and 200-meter dash), sophomore Marie Fields (60-meter dash), junior Ryann Hendricks (triple jump), freshman Chia Hudson (60-meter hurdles), sophomore Asia Odum (60-meter hurdles), freshman Britney Streeter (60-meter dash) and sophomore Tiara Swindell (200-, 400- and 500-meter dash). In addition to the individual athletes, the Patriots have also qualified in the 4x400-meter relay, with the top team of Ahoure, Fields, sophomore Latasha Rivers and Swindell expected to run the race.

George Mason performed well as a team at last year's ECAC Indoor Championships, finishing in ninth place. Ahoure was the MVP of last year's indoor championships after winning both the 60- and 200-meter dash races. She also captured the 2006 indoor championship in the 60-meter dash and placed second in the 200-meter dash.

The ECAC Championships get underway on Saturday at 9 a.m. with the pentathlon events, while the IC4A Championships are slated to begin on Saturday at 11 a.m. with the heptathlon events. Both meets will conclude on Sunday with an awards ceremony scheduled for the end of each meet.