1999 Track & Field Outlook
Jun 21, 1999 | Track & Field
February 1, 1999
For the last three years, head coach Ron Bazil has worked to raise the expectations of the track and field program. After one of its most successful seasons ever, those expectations are higher than ever.
A year ago, the team's motto was "To the next level." The program certainly achieved that with two All-Americans, eight national qualifiers (including a relay), 10 Conference USA champions, the C-USA outdoor athlete of the year, numerous all-conference honorees, and 20 new school records. It was a banner year for Tulane, indeed.
"We made giant strides toward accomplishing that particular goal (of getting to the next level)," says head coach Ron Bazil. "In most every event, our performances improved, and our ability to compete with recognized collegiate track programs showed growth and maturity from the previous year.
Now in his fourth season, Bazil has reason to believe that this year could be the best yet. "We definitely expect continued growth," he explains.
Leading the way for the Tulane women this season is a handful of athletes each with the talent and experience to keep the team ranked in the top 25, as it was for most of last season. Sophomore Hanne Lyngstad, juniors Lana Garner and Charlotte Plummer, and seniors Alison Lambert and Nadia Smith will anchor the squad as each has NCAA Championship experience.
Lyngstad, the 1998 Conference USA Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year, was both an indoor and outdoor All-American, capturing indoor honors in the mile and outdoor honors in the 1,500-meter run. She captured four conference titles last season and set six school records. A middle distance specialist, Lyngstad holds the school records at 800-meters and the mile indoors, and at 800-, 1,500-, 3,000- and 5,000-meters outdoors.
"The key with Hanne is to find an event to make her a challenger for a national championship," says the fourth-year coach.
Garner, a sprinter from San Diego, Calif., qualified for the indoor national championships in the 400-meter dash and as a member of the distance medley relay. She is the school record holder at that event outdoors (53.42).
Plummer, a native of Markham, Ontario, competed at both NCAA Championships last season. During the outdoor campaign, Plummer's school-record time of 58.35 was the 17th-fastest in the nation.
"Our junior class, led by Lana and Charlotte, demonstrated tremendous growth by qualifying for the NCAAs," Bazil says. "The addition of Hanne has uplifted our program.
Bolstered by these individulas, the Green Wave women had two relay teams ranked in the top 10 nationally and the distance medley relay team missed All-American status by one spot.
Alison Lambert, a distance specialist, has been one of Tulane's most decorated athletes during her career. Lambert earned 1997 C-USA Indoor Athlete-of-the-Year honors after picking up a double win in the mile and 3,000-meters.
Rounding out this group is senior high jumper Nadia Smith. The Wellington, New Zealand, qualified for the NCAAs in 1997 and holds both school records at her specialty. Coach Bazil feels that a return trip could be in the works for Smith.
"It's very difficult to get to that level," Bazil says. "Nadia was an NCAA qualifier indoors and she is definitely strong enough to do it again."
On the strength of the cross country team's NCAA Championship appearance, it's easy to see why the distance runners will lead the Tulane men. Senior Amos Kipyegon and the rest of the Green Wave distance runners hope to continue Tulane's run of good luck.
"By virtue of our cross country team qualifying for nationals, we've created a niche in the distance events," explains Bazil. "There is something pretty good going on here."
Kipyegon, a senior from Eldoret, Kenya, will once again be looked to lead the team. The holder of four school records, Kipyegon captured three Conference USA titles in 1998 and qualified for both NCAA indoor and outdoor championships.
Eric Thronson, a native of Pasco, Wash., is also expected to be a threat to qualify for the NCAAs. Thronson finished the 1998 season on a high note by finishing third in the 10,000-meters at the C-USA outdoor championships.
Other Green Wave athletes expected to contribute include Eldridge Darling, Alberto Francis and Tim Carter. Darling, Francis and Carter will anchor the sprints. Darling, a sophomore from Kingston, Jamaica, is a two-time NAIA champion in the 400-meter hurdles. Francis, a sophomore from Brooklyn, N.Y., finished second at the C-USA outdoor championships in the 400 meters and holds the school record with a time of 46.70, while Carter, a two-sport athlete from Tallahassee, Fla., has been one of the conference's top performers in the sprint events, including the relays.
Sophomore Noel Comrie returns after a solid freshman campaign. The native of St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, set both the indoor and outdoor triple jump school record last year.
With a strong group of newcomers in the mix, it could be Tulane's best season ever. If the team can mature and exceed its expectations, the awards, honors and recognition won't be far behind. "Certainly that's the hope," says Bazil. "But we want to have a large number of NCAA qualifiers and score at the national championship meets. We want to raise the visibility of our program. That is the goal."
