Indoor Track and Field Heads to NEC Championships; Women’s Team Set to Defend Title

2/9/07 -- The Long Island University men’s and women’s track and field teams will take part in the Northeast Conference Championships on Saturday, Feb. 10 and Sunday, Feb. 11 at Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex in Landover, Md. The Blackbird women’s squad is prepared to defend its title and is in search of its fourth conference crown in six years. The Long Island men seek to improve on last season’s third-place finish.

The Long Island women have a strong core of top-five contenders to defend their title, including two-time NEC Track Athlete of the Week junior Aisha Thomas (Jefferson City, Mo.). Thomas was the 2006 Outstanding Track Performer/MVP as she captured three individual titles at the Indoor Championship.

The Blackbirds have a strong showing of sprinters and distance runners in sophomore Tavia Burke (St. Catherine, Jamaica), freshman Joyce Atagwe (Latham, Md.), junior Leslie Conley (Baltimore, Md.), sophomore Denele DeVerteuil (Arima, Trinidad and Tobago) and junior Qiana Smith (Brooklyn, N.Y.). Sophomore Heather Patton (Bowie, Md.) is capable of producing points for the Blackbirds in the jumping events.

On the men’s side, Long Island has a pair of top-five runners in the 60-meter dash with sophomore Andre Marcano (Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago) and junior Marlon Martin (Kingstown, St. Vincent). The Blackbirds will look to graduate student Steven McElligot (Montreal, Quebec) in the 800-meter run and De Wayne Jolly (Gaithersburg, Md. in the triple jump, to be steady contenders.

For results and performance lists, click on the link below:

2007 NEC Indoor Track and Field Championships