MCC Track Returns to Action at Samford Invitational

From School Reports

The MCC Track and Field team will return to action on Saturday in Birmingham, AL at the Samford Invitational following a two week break.

The meet will see MCC compete against 42 teams from the NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA with the likes of Arkansas State, Middle Tennessee State, Mississippi State, Troy, Vanderbilt, Western Kentucky, and in state rival Hinds.

“This is a great meet with some good competition for us leading in to what we call our championship season,” said Head Coach Chip Gayden.  “This is a meet where we will run a little fresher than previous meets and will be able to prepare for our national championship meet.

MCC will once again be led by their star studded short sprinters with freshman Chris Lewis competing in both the 60 meters and the 200 meters. Freshman Cravorkian Carson will also compete in the 60 meters.  The meet will also see the debut of freshman Kendrick Smith in both the 60 meters and 200 meters.  In the 200 meters freshman Terrance Johnson will look to improve on his national qualifying mark of 22.26.

In the 400 meters, MCC will look to add to their national qualifying list with freshmen Bryson Penton, K’lan Harris and Devontre Young.

MCC will also run their 4x400 meter relay team in hopes of improving on their national qualifying time of 3:21.

In the distance events, freshmen Josh Austin and Cristian Lopez will both compete in the 800 meters in hopes to qualify for the national meet.  Freshman Djano Sedrick will compete in the 3000m as well in hopes of qualifying for the national championship meet.

In the jumps, MCC will look to qualify both freshmen Lakendric Tuck and Josh Wilson in the long jump.  Tuck will also look to qualify in the triple jump as well making his debut in the event this weekend.  Freshman Devontre Young will also look to improve on his national qualifying mark in the high jump.

“I believe at this meet, we can go out and compete at a very high level and with a great amount of focus,” said Gayden.  “This gives the group that has already qualified a great opportunity to sharpen their mechanics and for those that haven’t it is a great opportunity to qualify.”

The meet begins Friday, at the Birmingham Crossplex with the high jump at 7:00 p.m. and the 200 meters at 8:00 p.m.  The meet will resume on Saturday with field events beginning at 9:00 a.m. and the running events beginning at 9:50 a.m.  The meet will conclude at 6:30 with the 4x400 meter relay.