May 2, 2007

PRINCESS ANNE, MD - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) men's and women's outdoor track and field teams will look for a strong outing at the upcoming Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Outdoor Championships, held May 3-5 at Morgan State University's Hughes Stadium in Baltimore, Md.

Both squads finished second at the 2007 MEAC Indoor Championship and will look to dethrone defending outdoor champs Norfolk State (men) and Hampton (women).

2007 NCAA Indoor Qualifiers Tanisha Wisdom and Kimani Kirton will anchor a strong Hawk lineup. Wisdom and Kirton, along with Merrecia James, Dionne Wright and Ronnie Beard, have all qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Regional Championship and look to improve on their qualifying times this weekend.

UMES racked up on the superlatives early in the outdoor season. James set a new school record in the women's 800m run (2:09.55) while Kirton set a new mark in the men's shot put with a throw of 18.37m (60'3"). Freshman James Moore broke the UMES record in the men's high jump (2.09m or 6'9") while the women's sprint medley team set a new school mark at the Penn Relays (3:55.20).

The championship will begin Thursday at 10 a.m. with the men's decathlon and women's heptathlon events.

Friday's action will feature the continuation of the women's heptathlon and men's decathlon. Opening ceremonies will begin at 1 p.m. followed by the women's and men's long jump and women's shot put trials and finals. The remainder of the day will highlight the women's pole vault, men's discus, men's high jump, women's javelin and men's and women's 5000m. Semifinal races in the men's and women's 4x100m, 1500m, 100m hurdles, 110m hurdles, 400m, 100m, 800m, 400m hurdles and 200m will also take place on Friday.

The final day of competition will begin at 10 a.m. with the men's and women's triple jump, men's shot put, men's pole vault and women's discus. The competition will also feature the high jump, as well as the 4x100m, 1500m, 100m hurdles, 110m hurdles, 400m, 100m, 800m, 400m hurdles and 3000m steeple chase finals. The championship will conclude with the men's and women's 4x400m relays.