The Hampton University Lady Pirates and Norfolk State University Spartans won the 2008 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Hughes Stadium on the campus of Morgan State University.

The Lady Pirates scored 123 points en route to an unprecedented six consecutive MEAC outdoor track and field title. Hampton freshman Raquel Vassell tallied 35.25 points and earned Outstanding Performer accolades. Vassell won the 100m dash (11.69), 200m dash (23.50). She also finished among the top three in the 100m hurdles (14.09), 4x100m (47.23) and 4x400m (3:40.52).

Photo by Mark Sutton

“I came into this program knowing that they had won many championships and I did not want to stop that streak, explained Vassell. “I did not finish the indoor season the way I would have liked, so I went into the outdoor season knowing I wanted to finish strong at the end.”

Head Coach Maurice Pierce was named the Outstanding Coach for the Lady Pirates. “We have a young and talented team, said Pierce. “ We made some mistakes; however that happens when you have a young team. My motto has always been quantity over quality. Our depth helped us today.”

Maryland Eastern Shore tallied 118 points to finish second. North Carolina A&T (94), Morgan State (80) and Norfolk State (76) rounded out the top five.

On the men’s side the Norfolk State men’s team posted 162 points to capture their third straight title and fifth overall. Sophomore Marlon Woods earned Outstanding Performer honors after tallying 28 total points. Woods won the long jump with a 7.95m (26-01 ft.) leap and the high jump with a 2.19 (7-02.25 ft.) jump. He was second in the triple jump with a 15.47m (50-09.25 ft.) leap.

Photo by Mark Sutton

Spartans’ Head Coach, Kenneth Giles, earned Outstanding Coaching honors. “This team had done an outstanding job. We knew early that we could win the indoor and outdoor titles and we completed one of our goals by winning the MEAC outdoor championship, said Giles. “We are looking forward to the NCAA Regional. Our next goal is to finish among the top three.”

“I have worked hard since August, explained Woods. “ It’s paying off now. I am very excited about this championship and the NCAA Regional”

North Carolina A&T posted 95 points and were runners-up to the Spartans. Hampton (76), Delaware State (70) and Morgan State (68) completed the top five.

It was a record setting day for both the men and women. Hampton’s Francena McCorory broke a meet record in the 400m dash with a time of 51.54. The previous record of 52.10 was set by Howard’s Michelle Felder in 1989. Maryland Eastern Shore’s Peter Sang set a new MEAC record in the 3,000m steeplechase with a time of 9:20.07. Sang held the previous record of 9:32.08 that he posted at last’s year’s championship.


2008 MEAC Outdoor Track and Field Results-Final

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