The Troy State Women,s Indoor Track and Field Team climaxed a record season at the University of Tennessee Invitational. With new records by Melissa Dailey in the 55-meter hurdles, Toya Lewis in the 55-meter dash, and Takia Shoats in the 20 pound weight throw, the 2001 Lady Trojans literally finished rewriting the indoor women’s track and field record book.

Although the meet was unscored, the performances of Dailey, Lewis, and Shoats highlighted excellent performances in one of the premier meets of the indoor season.

Dailey, a senior heptathlete competing in her final indoor meet finished 4th in an elite field of hurdlers with a school record setting time of 8.33 seconds.

She also placed in the high jump (tied for 3rd at 5,2. 5) and completed her triple by running a 2:30 in the 800 meters.

Lewis continued her onslaught of short sprint records (she set the 60 and 200 meter records earlier this year) with a 7.16 time in the 55 meter dash that earned her a 6th place finish in the field of 30 sprinters.

In a dramatic performance with the 20 pound weight, Shoats broke her own school record by over two feet with a prodigious toss of 45-1/2.

Other highlights included a 3rd place in the 400 meter dash by Ursula Lumpkin (57.81), a 4th place finish by Edna Caraballo in the 800 meter run (2:23.99), and a second place in the 4 x 400 meter relay with Lumpkin and Lewis combining with Natalie Simmons and Erika Butler to garner the honors. The 2001Women’s Team broke a total of eight school records.

"This was an excellent final effort in our preparation for the outdoor season," said Head Women,s Coach Andy McCampbell. "The ladies represented TSU in some very high quality meets this winter and held their own against some of the top athletes in the country.

When you break eight school records in one season that’s really something to be proud of to say the least."

The next activity for the track and field teams will be the Albany State Relays where the men,s team finally gets to show their wares as they prepare to recapture the TAAC Championship titles they earned in 1998 and 1999.

"The guys are chomping at the bit," said TSU’s Director of Track & Field and Head Men’s Coach Bob Lambert.

"We have a lot of talent on the team and they’ve been training diligently since last August.

Albany State will be like letting hungry tigers out of their cage.

They are anxious to get it going, I’ll guarantee you."

The outdoor season will also feature the final season of eligibility of multiple TSU record holder Michael Green who is attempting to qualify or the NCAA Championships in the 5000-meter run.

"Michael is on pace to make in to nationals this year based on his early workouts," said TSU Distance Coach Doc Anderson.

Joining Green for their final season of eligibility will be fellow seniors Tim Betts (hammer and discus), John Fesh (steeplechase and 1500 meters), Joe Gillaspie (decathlon), Joe Nelson (long and triple jump), Shaun Smith (sprints) and Charles Thomas (hammer and discus).

"All of these guys are wearing the back-to-back championship rings from 1998 and 1999, and they’d like to add a third before they graduate," echoed Lambert.