April 14, 2005

Memphis, Tenn. - In a change of schedule, the Memphis track and field squads will split up for three meets this weekend. The women will send athletes to Mississippi State University for the Jace Lacoste Invitational, to Western Illinios University for the Lee Calhoun Memorial Invitational and to the University of Tennessee for Sea Ray Relays, while the entire men's team will head to Mississippi State.

The men were originally scheduled to attend Sea Ray Relays in Knoxville, Tenn., but chose to stay closer to home in Starkville, Miss. The shorter trip to the Jace Lacoste Invitational, will allow more Memphis athletes to compete, as the whole team would not have been able to travel to Sea Ray.

The women were set to travel to the Lee Calhoun Memorial in Macomb, Ill., along with Sea Ray, and will still have competitors at both meets. However, a majority of the Lady Tiger squad will now travel to Mississippi State with the men.

The Lady Tigers headed to Knoxville and Macomb, are distance runners, Mary Claire Dake, Becca McMahon, and Daniele Riendeau will compete tomorrow at Sea Ray and hurdlers Josetta Brooks and Ashley Stewart, who will compete Saturday at the Lee Calhoun Memorial.

The Lee Calhoun Memorial Invitational is held annually in honor of Lee Calhoun, father of Lady Tiger Head Coach Brenda Calhoun-Cash, who was the Gold Medalist in the 110m hurdles in the 1956 and 1960 Olympic Games, is a former world-record holder in the 110m hurdles, and was men's track and field coach at Western Illinois. Therefore, Coach Cash chose to take her hurdlers to the meet in honor of her father, one of the greatest hurdlers ever.

The three Lady Tigers traveling to Sea Ray will run on Friday, while all athletes heading to Jace Lacoste and the Lee Calhoun Memorial will compete on Saturday.

Results and recaps for all three meets will be available at gotigersgo.com following the completion of the respective competitions.