May 12, 2008

A team to build upon was what Brendon Gilroy felt his first McNeese State track and field squad would be.

And, it proved to be just that during the Southland Conference championship meet completed last Sunday.

An 18 foot pole vaulter and one of the top distance runners on the team were left at home while also missing was anywhere from 15 to 20 points from a jumper who was attending a professional football mini-camp.

But his Cowboys still went out and scored 63 points in the league's championship meet.

That was only one point shy of the total produced by last year's team.

And, the Cowgirls came away with 39 points, 19 more than a year ago.

True, some of the Cowboys who produced points at this year's meet won't be around next season, but a strong group does return. And, all of the Cowgirls will be back.

Also, after several years short of scholarships, the Cowgirls will go back to their regular allotment for the 2008-09 school year.

"It was definitely a learning experience," said the former McNeese distance runner of his first year as head coach. "We will lose some good seniors from the men's team but the girls squad is going to return almost intact.

"I think that with what athletes we have returning and the recruits that we are going to bring in, we're going to begin putting ourselves in a position where we can compete for a conference title. That is our goal."

On the Cowboy team, Gilroy can look forward to the return of distance runners Jordan Neil and Stephen Scullion who totaled 15 points at the conference meet. Both are freshmen.

He can also look at javelin throwers Ben Chretien and David Richardson who finished three and four in the event at conference and qualified for the NCAA regionals, Richardson competing with a shoulder injury. Little had been expected from the javelin event since gone was Chris Hill, who is now making national waves at the University of Georgia, and John Walledom.

"League coaches even tabbed us as the `x' factor in that event," Gilroy said.

Richardson came in as a scholarship athlete but Chretien was a walkon.

He didn't score in the conference meet, but jumper Timothy Guillory produced career bests in the long, triple and high jumps, giving the impression that he might be able to slip into the shoes of the departed Brown brothers, Darrick and Marcus.

Big things are also expected of weight man Jacob Domingue who went 52 feet in the shot put this year.

There are some areas that need building and recruiting is expected to take care of them.

As for the Cowgirls, Christi McRae ran faster in the sprints this year than any other McNeese performer in many years.

She followed up a second place showing in the 400 meter dash at the conference indoor meet with a fourth place in the same event outdoors. And, this from an athlete who was only in her first full season of track.

Julie Buller came on strong in the javelin (second at conference) and in the pole vault (eighth) while Lindsay Brooks, in only her second year on the team, earned silver with her second place finish at conference in the high jump.

Amy Guinn and DeAnn Washington also scored in two events at conference. Guinn, one of the top runners in the state last year as a standout at Barbe High, finished fifth in the 1500 meters and was eighth in the 5,000 meters while Washington was fifth in both the shot put and the discus.

Another Cowgirl returning next year who pulled in points at the league meet was Amanda LeJeune with a fourth place in the javelin.

"There's no question that we're going to be an improved team next year," Gilroy added.

He and his staff have already announced a recruiting list of nine athletes and expect to sign four more in the next few weeks.

Among the early signees for the Cowgirls have been a 162 foot javelin thrower, an 800 meter indoor champion and the daughter of a former McNeese State record holder.

McNeese athletes winning medals at the recent Southland Conference championship meet were (left to right): Jordan Neil, Carlese Franklin, Lindsay Brooks, Freddie Hannie, Ben Chretien and John Jamail. Not pictured is Julie Buller.