NEW ORLEANS - With Clemson's Bob Pollock Invitational looming on the horizon this weekend, the Anderson University men's indoor track and field team is ranked sixth in the Southeast Region, while the women's squad is 10th in the season's first U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) poll, as released earlier in the week.
The Trojans, who last competed nearly three weeks ago at CU's Orange and Purple Classic, will be looking to carry momentum from some impressive performances into this Friday's competition. Sophomore Mason Hazel and junior Olivia Gardner each won their respective 3000 meter runs back on Jan. 9, while sophomore Christopher Burton finished fifth in the men's 200 meter run and classmate John Drummond finished fifth in the 5000 meter run. Burton also claimed fifth in the triple jump, with junior Ned Kennedy finishing third in the 3000 meter run.
On the women's side, freshman Charity Finley finished fourth in the high jump, while fellow freshman Bailey Waldbart was third in the pole vault. Senior D'Yandra Morris was fourth in the shot put.
This week's men's rankings featured five teams from the South Atlantic Conference, four from Conference Carolinas and one from the Peach Belt Conference. Limestone held the top spot, with Queens, Mount Olive, Carson-Newman and Wingate in the No. 2 through No. 5 slots. AU was sixth, with Baryon, North Greenville, Mars Hill and Clayton State rounding out the poll.
Queens tops the women's poll, while Montevallo, Southern Wesleyan and Limestone occupy the second, third and fourth spots. UNC Pembroke is No. 5, with Mount Olive, Carson-Newman, Clayton State, Wingate and AU rounding out the top 10.
