University of Tennessee Athletics
Lambert and Sylvester Voted Team Captains
February 12, 2004 | Men's Track
Feb. 12, 2004
Sprinter Sean Lambert and 800m man Marc Sylvester have been selected co-captains by a vote of their teammates. Lambert and Sylvester take the reins from Stephen Harris, the successful 2002 and 2003 Vol captain.
Lambert, a senior sprinter and five-time All-America, hails from Brooklyn, N.Y. He spent his childhood years in Grenada. Lambert is a chemistry major and was named to the 2003 SEC Academic Honor Roll. Lambert most recently earned All-America honors with a gutsy sixth-place finish in the 100m dash and helped the Vols' 4x100m relay take second at the 2003 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Lambert earned his first two All-America certificates, also in the 100m dash and 4x100m relay, to help key Tennessee's victorious run at the 2001 NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore.
At the 2003 team banquet, Lambert won the Ironman Award and the inaugural Lifter of the Year Award given by the strength staff. Lambert also won the team's Volunteer Award in 2001 for being the toughest competitor. Lambert ran a leg on the school-record 4x100m and 4x200m relays in 2002. Lambert's career-best 60m dash time of 6.65 stands fourth on Tennessee's all-time list in the event behind only Leonard Scott, Justin Gatlin and Sam Graddy.
"After being here three years and seeing what it's like to be a Vol and grow here, it's certainly an honor to be seen by teammates as a captain," Lambert said. "I hope with my strength and with God's strength I can inspire people, advise and encourage."
Sylvester, an 800m specialist, enters his junior year and hails from Cleveland, Ohio. His opportunistic charge to victor's laurels in the 800m run at the SEC Outdoors stands as one of the most memorable moments of the 2003 season. Seemingly hopelessly boxed in and languishing in fifth place with only 150 meters to go, Sylvester found a crack in the pack in front of him, passing everyone on a mad 50-meter dash to the finish line at the SEC Outdoors to freeze the clock at 1:46.56, his season-best. His time of 1:46.56 stands as a regional qualifier, the fourth-fastest time in collegiate track in 2003 and the top Vol time of the year.
Sylvester is a classical civilization major. Sylvester's lifetime-best 800m run time of 1:46.21 from 2002 stands as the second-fastest ever by a Vol, trailing only the legendary Jose' Parrilla. Sylvester's runner-up performance in the 800m run as a rookie spurred the Vols to the 2002 NCAA Indoor title, the first indoor title in school history. Sylvester won the Volunteer Award for the toughest competitor at the 2003 team banquet and the Most Valuable Track Freshman Award at the 2002 banquet.
"I am very honored to be voted captain by my peers," Sylvester said. "I know the history of the great line of Tennessee captains and Tennessee teams. My role is to lead by example. We've had good accomplishments in the past through hard work. I hope Sean and I will motivate the team and give a boost with our big-meet experience."
