University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols to Defend NCAA Indoor Crown This Weekend
March 12, 2003 | Men's Track
Trackwire Rankings | Entrants | Complete Preview | Comments with Head Coach Bill Webb
Four Volunteers will be in attendance for the biggest show of the collegiate indoor track and field season. Jabari Greer, Gary Kikaya, Sean Lambert and Rocky Danners all possess qualifying marks strong enough to reserve a spot in the NCAA Indoor Championships Friday and Saturday at the Randal Tyson Track Center, the home of the Hogs in Fayetteville, Ark.
"We have four warriors going to battle," head coach Bill Webb said. "All have been in the NCAA Championship setting before. We won this meet last year. I don't think we have the same firepower as Arkansas does on paper. That's why you have to line up, though. We'll compete hard and see what happens."
Tennessee takes a more limited roster to the NCAA Indoors this year than last year when the Vols took the title. However, Tennessee's entrants are solid, as each member of the Vol quartet ranks in the NCAA's top 10 for the season.
Greer leads the list with the nation's top collegiate time in the 60m hurdles. His SEC-winning 55m hurdles time converts to a 7.64 in the 60m hurdles, 0.03 of a second faster than South Carolina's Corey Taylor and Ken Ferguson.
Gary Kikaya, the NCAA Outdoor 400m dash champion last year, stands third on the NCAA indoor list this year. Kikaya's 45.96 time in winning his signature event at the recent SEC Indoors stands just 0.1 of a second behind NCAA leader Obra Hogans of Seton Hall.
Sean Lambert owns the NCAA's sixth-best 60m dash time with his 6.65 effort. While he stands sixth, Lambert falls only 0.07 of a second behind NCAA leader Tre Gardner of Texas.
Meanwhile, pole vaulter Danners pronounced himself physically ready for the NCAA Indoors after a nagging hamstring injury left him with a no height at the SEC Indoors two weeks ago. Danners' 17-8 1/2 clearance places him 10th among 16 vaulters invited to the championships. However, Danners' career-best leap of 18-1 would move him up to third in the current NCAA Indoor standings. Washington's Brad Walker heads the list with an 18-6 1/2 clearance.
"Gary Kikaya has won a national championship," Webb said. "After helping us to the NCAA title there last year, he's familiar with the track at Arkansas. Rocky Danners also helped up win indoor nationals last year. He scored some points right when we needed them there last year. Sean Lambert is back to his winning form and battle-tested in the 60m. He was fourth in Eugene (Ore.) at the 2001 NCAA Outdoors and helped us win that national title. It's a bunch of gunslingers in the 60m dash, and it will be decided by whoever's hot that day and hundredths of a second. Jabari Greer's leading the nation after two great races at the SEC meet in the 60m hurdles. We're excited about him."
Tennessee owns some quality efforts at the Randal Tyson Track Center, a 200-meter, 60-degree banked, Mondo surfaced track. After capturing the 2002 NCAA Indoor Championship in Fayetteville last year, the Tennessee contingent possesses knowledge about its speed. Danners and Kikaya took All-America honors on the track last season. After competing there several times, Lambert is also familiar with the straightaway, the only part he'll be running in the 60m dash. However, Greer has never competed in Arkansas. The 60m hurdles straightaway, like the 60m dash and pole vault runway, runs through the center of the oval, so he won't have to adjust to running the turns or banks.
Even though Tennessee posted one of the greatest days in its storied history on Arkansas' home track last year, the Razorbacks are always tough to beat in Fayetteville. With a superior distance squad, Arkansas stands as the favorite to take the 2003 indoor crown. Meanwhile, Florida, South Carolina, LSU and Nebraska could enter the mix should the Razorbacks falter.
"I'll guarantee an SEC team will win this meet," Webb said. "Arkansas, of course, is heavily favored to win. The meet is on the Hogs' home track and they're loaded in the distances. I think about six of the top seven could be SEC teams. I think about 20 points will get you into the top 10. I think we're capable of doing that if we perform well."
The remainder of Tennessee's 45-man roster is busy preparing for the outdoor season. With the addition of the decathlon, javelin, steeplechase, 4x100m relay and the probable return of 800m runner Marc Sylvester from a medical redshirt in the indoor season, Tennessee looks to be more competitive on the national scene during the outdoor season.
| MEN?S EVENTS WITH TENNESSEE ENTRANTS | ||
| Friday, March 14 (All times Central) | ||
| 4:50 p.m. | 60m hurdles (prelims) | Jabari Greer |
| 5:20 p.m. | 400m dash (prelims) | Gary Kikaya |
| 5:35 p.m. | Pole vault (finals) | Rocky Danners |
| 6 p.m. | 60m dash (prelims) | Sean Lambert |
| 7:50 p.m. | 60m hurdles (finals) | TBA after prelims |
| Saturday, March 15 | ||
| 6:55 p.m | 400m dash (finals) | TBA after prelims |
| 7:15 p.m. | 60m dash (finals) | TBA after prelims |
