Jan. 8, 2009

FAIRFAX, Va. - For the first time in its history, the George Mason track and field program is a combined program with the same coaching staff. After spending the past three seasons as the head coach of the men's track and field team, Andrew Gerard takes over the top spot for the women's track and field program this year.

The coaching staff of Gerard, Sita Waru-Ewell, Katrina Allen, Abigi Id-Deen, Rebecca Hartley, Kevin McGorty, Samyr Laine, Eric Post and Vernon Ruiz is a blend of returning coaches and fresh faces. So far, the transition has been seamless.

"We are working very well together as a staff and communicating very well," Gerard said. "Everyone has been very cooperative and everyone is excited with what the crew can accomplish. Not just now, but in the future."

With a strong coaching staff in place, Gerard has a vision for the future of the women's track and field team.

"My plan is to expand the size of the women's team but also continue to land the elite athletes, and build our depth," Gerard said. "A larger roster will allow us to cover more events and be more competitive as a team at the conference, regional and national levels."

While Gerard has a plan that he will implement for the future of the team, he is also planning on being competitive in the 2009 indoor and outdoor track and field seasons. Returning standouts like senior Ryann Hendricks and junior Tiara Swindell assure he will be able to do just that.

Sprints
The George Mason women's track and field team has a long-standing tradition in the sprints and the 2009 season will be no different. Headlining the group will be Swindell. The 2007 CAA Rookie of the Year Award-winner followed up her outstanding freshman campaign by qualifying for the NCAA East Regional Championships in the 400-meter dash, as well as the 4x100-meter relay, during the outdoor season. During the indoor season, the Hampton, Va. native qualified for the ECAC Championships in three different individual events, the 200-, 400- and 500-meter dash.

Competing in the short sprints all the way through the 400 will be junior Marie Fields, a four-time ECAC qualifier, who gained experience at the NCAA East Regional Championships last year as a member of the 4x100-meter relay team.

Junior Latasha Rivers will run the 200- and 400-meter dash races for Mason. Rivers is a two-time ECAC Championships qualifier who ran the second-fastest time on the team in both the 400- and 500-meter dash during the 2008 indoor season.

Returning for her senior season is Crystal Lawrence. Lawrence competed in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter sprints during the 2008 outdoor track and field season, setting personal bests in all three events.

Rounding out the sprinters is a transfer from East Tennessee State University, Christina Zink. Zink was a member of ETSU's ninth-place 4x100-meter relay team at last year's NCAA East Regional Track and Field Championships.

Middle Distance
Providing senior leadership in the middle distance events is Alicia York. York didn't compete last season but was one of the team's top runners during the 2007 indoor and outdoor seasons. Her return will help bolster the Patriots' middle distance corps.

Joining York in the middle distance events will be sophomore Samantha Fickel. As a freshman last season, Fickel recorded the Patriots' top time in the 800-meter run during the outdoor season and the second-fastest time during the indoor season.

A newcomer that is expected to make an impact in this area is freshman Monique McKenzie, from Samuel J. Tilden High School in New York, N.Y. McKenzie ran the team's second-fastest time during the cross country season.

"Monique was a very successful runner in New York," Gerard said. "There is a very good track and field tradition at her high school. She is bringing a lot of that attitude here."

Also expected to contribute in the middle distance events will be sophomore Kimmy Moss, a member of the women's soccer team at George Mason who will be competing with the track and field team for the first time. Gerard likes the potential he has seen from Moss thus far.

"She is really a blank slate," Gerard said. "Really raw, but has a lot of potential. She is a great competitor and does not like to get beaten. Hopefully, we can harness that into some good finishes."

Distance
A group of freshman will be expected to lead Mason in the distance events during the 2008 season and into the future. The group includes Katherine Griffith, from Seton School in Haymarket, Va.; Katherine Harris, from Oakton High School in Oakton, Va.; Kailyn and Karlyn Lockie, a pair of sisters from Kellam High School in Virginia Beach, Va.; and Elizabeth Smith, from Freedom High School in South Riding, Va.

Each of the five freshmen were key contributors during the Patriots' 2008 cross country season. Karlyn Lockie went all the way to the NCAA Southeast Regional Cross Country Championships, where she ran the team's top time at the meet.

Hurdles
George Mason returns sophomore Chia Hudson in the short hurdles. As a freshman, Hudson qualified for the ECAC Championships in the 60-meter hurdles during the indoor season. In addition to her hurdling, Hudson also competes in the long and triple jump for the Patriots.

Jumps
Hendricks returns for her senior season looking to build upon her success as a junior. The team's top jumper since her freshman year, Hendricks competed in the NCAA East Regional Championships in the long and triple jump, and as a member of the 4x100-meter relay team, last season. She was named the Most Outstanding Women's Field Performer of the 2008 CAA Championships, after claiming the conference title in both the long jump and the triple jump.

A newcomer that will compete in both the long and triple jumps is freshman Grace Mavugara, from Belvedere Harare, Zimbabwe. She will have the opportunity to hone her tremendous upside while watching a seasoned competitor like Hendricks.

"Grace is as raw a talent as you can imagine," Gerard said. "She doesn't have a lot of background but has excellent physical abilities and is a quick learner. She will be a solid performer in the jumps."

Pole Vault
Junior Stephanie Pandolph will lead the Patriot pole vaulters in 2009. Last season, Pandolph set the school record for the pole vault during the indoor season. Pandolph will be joined by a pair of freshmen in Kaitlin Howl and Salina Khanna. Howl joins the team from Western Albemarle High School in Crozet, Va. while Khanna comes from Jefferson Forest High School in Forest, Va.

Throws
Both Jenn Bailey and Julie Tripson return in the throwing events. During the 2008 indoor season, Bailey competed in both the shot put and the weight throw. Bailey also competed in the shot put during the outdoor season, while branching out to the discus. She recorded the team's top discus toss during the outdoor season, finishing third at the CAA Championships.

Tripson also competed in the shot put and weight throw during the indoor season. During the outdoor season, she finished ninth at the CAA Championships in the hammer throw.

Joining Bailey and Tripson will be freshman Shaterika Below from Oscar Smith High School in Chesapeake, Va.

Multi-Events
In the multi-events, Mason returns senior Jonecia Gates, an eighth-place finisher at the CAA Championships last season in the heptathlon. Gates has been one of the team's most versatile performers since arriving in Fairfax as a freshman in 2006.

Joining Gates will be junior Asia Odum, who was sixth in the heptathlon at the CAA Championships in 2008. She also finished fifth in the 100-meter hurdles at the conference meet.

Relays
After experiencing a great deal of success in the 4x100-meter relay last season, Gerard expects the team to be competitive in both the 4x100- and 4x400-meter relays during the 2009 indoor and outdoor seasons. Gerard said the team will field a 4x800-meter relay team during the indoor season to see if it will be able to qualify for the ECAC Championships.

Schedule
The George Mason women's track and field team begins the 2008 indoor track and field season on Saturday, Jan. 10 at the Field House when it hosts the Father Diamond Invitational. The Patriots will host three meets during the indoor season. Following the Father Diamond Invitational, Mason will also host the Patriot Games on Saturday, Jan. 31 and the Mason Last Chance meet on Sunday, March 1. The IC4A Indoor Track and Field Championships are slated for March 7-8 in Boston, Mass. The NCAA Championships are scheduled for March 13-14 in College Station, Texas.

The outdoor season begins on March 21 when the team travels to Charlottesville, Va. for the UVa Spring Swashbuckle. Mason will host one meet during the outdoor season, the Mason Outdoor Invitational on Saturday, May 2. The CAA Championships are scheduled for April 17-18 at Towson. The ECAC Championships will be held on May 15-17 in Princeton, N.J. The outdoor season will culminate with the NCAA East Regional Championships on May 29-30 in Greensboro, N.C. and the NCAA Championships on June 10-13 in Fayetteville, Ark.