Track team ready for outdoor season

With the indoor season in their rear-view mirror, the Southern Miss track and field team is gearing up for the outdoor season.

Golden Eagle coach Kevin Stephen said he's excited about the season, which kicks off at home with the Southern Miss High School Invitational on Saturday.

"This year for us is a little bit of a transition year," said Stephen. "We have a lot of athletes that understand what it takes to step up to the next level, and we have athletes that are actually doing that."

The Golden Eagles will follow the high school event with seven outdoor meets before the Conference USA Outdoor Championships, scheduled to begin May 13.
Scheduled events include meets in Tuscaloosa, Auburn, Oxford and Baton Rouge.

Stephen said he expects the first event to bring in at least 750 high schoolers from 24 different high schools from surrounding states.

"It's the biggest high school meet in Mississippi," Stephen said. "Normally we average between 1,000 and 1,200 kids. This year it's smaller because of other school's budgetary reasons."

The Eagles' competition begins the following weekend on March 13 with the Southern Miss Invitational. Fifteen to 20 different schools are expected to take part in
the meet, including South Alabama, Loyola, New Orleans and Southeastern Louisiana.

The 2010 USM track team features many nationally-ranked athletes including Chastity Riggien, Kyle Smith, Suesanna Williams and Tori Bowie.

"Torie Bowie is the number one freshman in the nation in long jump," Stephen said. "Kyle smith was number one freshman in javeline in the nation, and Suesanna Williams is number one in conference in hammer throw."

Stephen said he's particularly anxious to see what junior sprinter Chastity Riggien can do.

 "She's provisionally qualified for the NCAA championships," Stephen said. "She's broken the school record 4 times so far in the 60-meter dash."