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Virginia State University Track and Field Women 2005-06 Indoor Outdoor Season Outlook The women’s track team will have a difficult task ahead for the 2006 CIAA Spring Season. The conference boast some of the nations top athletes as evident by St. Augustine, North Carolina Central and Bowie State University performances at the 2005 outdoor NCAA championships. Altimase Thomas will lead a young group of women, who ran their first collegiate race against St. Augustine, Hampton University, Howard University, Virginia Commonwealth, William and Mary College and Lincoln University on Dec 4th, 2005 at Christopher Newport last weekend. Thomas was the team’s leader in the 200m and 400m last year but an asthma attack slowed her training. She is healthy and running well this again this year. Altimase split 59 seconds twice this year, something she did not do last year until February. Altimase is expected to lead this team this year as well, however she will receive good help from sophomore Candice Brown who is a coming off a great Cross Country season where she recorded (21:11) in 3 miles and has already ran 6:04 in the mile. Candice ran 6:01 last February, which means she is already two months ahead of last season. Candice can be a threat in the 800m, 1mile and 3000m indoors, if she develops the confidence and realize her potential. Additional help will come from single A state champion in the high jump Mecca Bowens, she has already cleared 5’5” (12-4 CNU ) and had several good attempts at 5’7”. She needs to clear 5’5 ¼” to qualify provisional for the NCAA championships. Freshman sensation Aishah Mujahid has already qualified provisionally for the NCAA championships with a leap of 37’8” in the triple jump (12-4 CNU). She will also be a threat in the 800m and is a main stay on the much improved 4x 400m relay team with a split of 59 seconds. Aishah will also compete in the Long Jump. Veteran Erica Mcbride has shown significant improvement in the hurdles and will be a threat in the high-jump. Erica was all-conference last year in the high jump indoors and made it to the finals of the 100m hurdles outdoor season. Veterans Altinase Thomas, Chateece Chappelle, Cierra West and Natasha Peterson should bring great experience to this young team. In the sprints department Coach Young is hoping Ashley Gurley a former single A State champion who has not competed in three years. We hope that she will get her form back and provide some points in the 60m and 200m dashes. Latoya Saulters, Ocha Crenshaw and Lakiesha Banks are expected to contribute in the sprints. Efuru Ballantyne a freshman from Brooklyn New York will also bring help to the sprints. Efuru is capable of running from the 60m to the 400m and she will be a main stay on the 4x 400m relay team. In the hurdles department Erica Mcbride will get help from three true freshmen Sheena Veney, Tierra Alvin and Erica Clark. “We have to learn how to work hard, how to hurt in practice and persevere. We just have to get tougher as a team if we are going to do better than last year. We also must see constant progression. The women’s team is going to struggle if we don’t get an identity fast” Coach Young.
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