May 8, 2008

KENNESAW, Ga. - This Saturday the Kennesaw State men's track & field team will participate in the Clemson Purple and Orange Classic. The one day event, at the Rock Norman Track Complex will provide the Owls with the opportunity to race on the same track that the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship will be held on the following week. Competing against a large field of opponents, including the host Tigers, KSU looks to set a string of season high performances that will carry them into the championship.

"This is our dress rehearsal before the conference meet," said head coach Don McGarey. "We've had a great season so far. Two of our athletes have made NCAA Regional Qualifying marks and we have a couple more that might break that threshold this weekend. Our seeding for conference will be based on our best times and marks, so this will be our last chance to move up in the standings before the championship."

Leading the Owls runners will be freshman Gianni Catalano. Two weeks ago at the LSU Alumni Gold Meet, Catalano set a new KSU record of 1:51.81 in the 800m dash. His time captured the top spot in the A-Sun season standings by a full three seconds. On Saturday he will take to the track in hopes of reaching the regional mark of 1:50.8. Joining him in the race will be Matteo DiCecco, Matthew Auers, Michael Guntner and Piotr Witczak.

In sprinting events, the Owls will be represented by freshmen Antonio Logan and James Verdi. Logan will compete in the 100m dash as he tries to lower his time below 10.88. He will later in the day return to the track to race in the 200m dash alongside Verdi. The two runners hold the fourth and fifth fastest times in the conference. Verdi then will run the 400m dash as he tries to break the 48 second mark.

"I want to see Verdi run in the high 47 range," said sprint coach Devin West. "He has the fastest time in the A-Sun (48.01), but I know he can go even faster. He and Antonio can also score some serious points for us at conference in the 200m. They have both had a good week of practice and they're ready to run some great races."

Verdi and Logan will also race in the 4x100m relay alongside senior Devin Jones and Jeremy Easley. The quartet currently holds the second fastest time in the conference behind East Tennessee State University. This weekend they race a strong field of competitors that may push them into record breaking territory. Jones and Easley will then run in the 110m and the 400m hurdles. Jones current record of 14.38 in the 110m hurdles puts him just eight-hundredths of a second from setting his first NCAA Regional Qualifying mark.

On the field, the Owls will be led by high jumper Jerome McKinzie and throwing specialist Joshua McNair. The two sophomores have both set regional qualifying marks this season and hold the top performances in the conference for their events. At the Purple and Orange Classic, McKinzie will once again try to break the seven foot mark, while McNair will lead fellow throwers Aymerick Kolokilagi, Eric Gill and Casey Strickland against some of the strongest athletes in the southeast.

The Clemson Purple and Orange Classic will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday and continue throughout the day.