The University of Mississippi Athletics
SEC Tracksters Rank On Top Of The Nation
2/27/2001 | Track and Field
Feb. 27, 2001
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - With less than two weeks remaining until the 2001 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, the Southeastern Conference is making its claim as the best in the nation.
This season's NCAA Indoor Championships are held March 9-10 at the Randal Tyson Track Center on the campus of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.
The SEC has 13 athletes/relays that are ranked first in the nation among the 32 events that are competed in the NCAA Indoor Championships, more than 40 percent.
In the 16 men's events, the SEC has seven top seeds including Tennessee's Leonard Scott, who is ranked first in both the 60 meters (6.48) and the 200 meters (20.47). Scott is the defending NCAA Indoor Champion in the 200 meters.
Alabama's David Kimani, in the 5,000 meters (13:35.21) and Ron Bramlett, in the 60 meter hurdles (7.63), are ranked first in their respective categories. Kimani is the reigning NCAA Indoor Champion in the 3,000 and 5,000 meters, while participating at South Alabama.
South Carolina's Otukile Lekote is ranked first in the 800 meters (1:46.78), Ole Miss' Savante' Stringfellow is tops in the long jump (27-0) and LSU's Walter Davis is first in the triple jump (55-11.75). Stringfellow is the reigning NCAA Outdoor Champion in the long jump.
In the 16 women's events, the SEC has six top seeds including South Carolina's Demetria Washington, who has the nation's top time in the 400 meters (52.06), and is also part of the Lady Gamecocks' 4x400 meter relay, which is tops in the nation. Along with Washington, Sheneka Griffin, Tacita Bass and Miki Barber have recorded the top 4x400 meter relay time (3:32.73).
Arkansas' Lilli Kleinmann, who was the high individual scorer in the SEC Indoor Championships last week in Lexington, has the nation's top time in the 5,000 meters (15:55.43). LSU's Muna Lee is tops in the 200 meter dash with a time of 23.04.
Georgia's Thorey Elisdottir has the top mark in the pole vault (14-5.25) and South Carolina's Antoinette Wilks has the high mark in the long jump (21-8).
Heading into last week's action, the SEC had six women's teams and seven men's teams ranked in the top 25. Arkansas' men, winner of the SEC men's indoor title last week, has been ranked number one in the nation each week during the season. The Lady Razorbacks, also winner of the SEC women's indoor title last week, was ranked third heading into the SEC meet and behind top-ranked South Carolina.
The SEC has 76 athletes that are ranked in the top 10 in the nation in the 32 events that are competed in the NCAA Indoor Championships, an average of 2.375 per event.
In the women's 60 meters and 400 meters, the SEC has six of the top 10 ranked athletes while the men's 800 meters and the women's 200 meters have five of the top 10.
The SEC has at least one athlete ranked in the top 10 in 29 of the 32 NCAA events and in the top five in 26 of the 32 NCAA events.
Below is a look at the nation's top seeded athletes from the Southeastern Conference:
Men
60 Meter Dash, Leonard Scott, Tennessee (6.48)
200 Meter Dash, Leonard Scott, Tennessee (20.47)
800 Meter Run, Otukile Lekote, South Carolina (1:46.78)
5,000 Meter Run, David Kimani, Alabama (13:35.21)
60 Meter Hurdles, Ron Bramlett, Alabama (7.63)
Long Jump, Savante' Stringfellow, Ole Miss (27-0)
Triple Jump, Walter Davis, LSU (55-11.75)
Women
200 Meter Dash, Muna Lee, LSU (23.04)
400 Meter Dash, Demetria Washington, South Carolina (52.06)
5,000 Meter Run, Lilli Kleinmann, Arkansas (15:55.43)
4x400 Meter Relay, South Carolina [Washington, Sheneka Griffin, Tacita Bass, Miki Barber] (3:32.73)
Pole Vault, Thorey Elisdottir, Georgia (14-5.25)
Long Jump, Antoinette Wilks, South Carolina (21.8)
