The Hampton Lady Pirates and University of Maryland Eastern Shore Lady Hawks were named Co-Champions of the 2008 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Indoor Women's Track and Field title, while the Spartans of Norfolk State won the 2008 MEAC Men's Indoor Track and Field crown at Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex.
Maryland Eastern Shore and Hampton each tallied 92 points to share the women’s title. It was the first title for the Lady Hawks since the 1992 season. Hampton won their sixth consecutive title and seventh overall. It was the first time in MEAC history that a co-champion was named during a women’s indoor championship.
Maryland Eastern Shore’s Merrecia James posted 35 points and won three individual events to earn Outstanding Performance honors. James also ran in both the distance medley relay and the 4x400m relay, helping her team earn two gold medals.
“It was a total team effort, where every point counted” said Maryland Eastern Shore head coach Ernest Barrett. “We came out of the cross country season with our first championship since the 1987 season and our student-athletes gave us 110-percent to help us win this indoor title.”
“We have a young team. We fought hard and made some mistakes” explained Hampton head coach Maurice Pierce. I give Maryland Eastern Shore credit. I thought we could have pulled out the win; however I look forward to fixing our errors and getting back for the outdoor season.
North Carolina A&T (78), Morgan State (69.5) and Bethune-Cookman (51) rounded out the women’s top five.
On the men’s side, the Spartans of Norfolk State set a new record with 179 points to earn their third consecutive MEAC title and fifth overall. South Carolina State held the previous record of 144 points during the 1990 championship.
Dominic Luka, the 2007 MEAC Cross Country Outstanding Performer, continued his winning ways with 28.50 points and the 2008 Outstanding Performer honor. Luka won the mile and was a part of the winning men’s distance medley relay. He won the silver in the 800m and 5000m races.
“We knew coming in that we had a good team through our performances all season and we continued that this weekend” said Kenneth Giles, Norfolk State head coach. “Marlon Woods, Corey Vinston and Dominic Luka were all outstanding and contributed greatly in the win.”
The Hornets of Delaware State finished second with 64 points. Maryland Eastern Shore (61), Bethune-Cookman (58) and North Carolina A&T finished among the top five.
In a record setting day, Norfolk State’s Marlon Woods provisionally qualified for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships with his first-place leap of 2.20m (7-02.50 ft.) in the high jump. South Carolina State’s Abraham Faust held the previous mark of 2.18m (7-02 ft), which he recorded in 1994.
The Delaware State men’s team composed of Andre Easton, Donte Holmes, Daeshon Davidson and Burton Clarke set a new record with a time of 3:15.00 in the men’s 4x400m relay. Hampton recorded the previous record at last year’s indoor championship with a time of 3:16.28.
Bethune-Cookman’s Harold Rose, Jr. broke his own record in the men’s heptathlon. Rose, Jr. recorded 5,378 points to exceed his 2007 record of 4,870.
2008 MEAC Track and Field- Final
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