May 9, 2000

LEXINGTON, Kty. – The University of Kentucky track and field squads head down to BatonRouge, La., for the 2000 Southeastern Conference Championships, May 11-14,at Bernie Moore Track Stadium on the campus of Louisiana State University.

Going into the conference championships, the Cats have three provisionalqualifiers for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships to be heldMay 31-June 3 in Durham, N.C.

Senior Matt Kavanagh leads the way with a season of outstandingperformances in the hammer throw. His season-best throw of 218-03.00currently ranks second in the SEC and eighth in the nation and is just shyof his school-record 221-04.00 toss, which he set at the 1999 NCAAChampionships.

In the 800-meter run, senior Jeff Limpert has gained provisionalqualifying status with his top time of 1:48.74. Also a personal best forLimpert, his time ranks third in the conference and 13th in the nation.

For the women, junior Falana Greenwell ranks 23rd in the nation and eighthin the SEC with a triple jump of 42-00.75.

However, these athletes are not UK’s only conference hopefuls. TheseWildcat squads also boast a number of other individuals who will be in thehunt for SEC honors. On the men’s side, junior Andrew Vander Wagen is 10thin the conference in the high jump (6-10.75), while freshman Chad Johnson,the UK freshman outdoor 800-meter record holder, is sixth (1:49.27).UK women who rank in the SEC Top 10 include freshman Janet Crawford in thehigh jump (seventh – 5-06.00), freshman Simidele Adeagbo in the triple jump(10th – 41-01.00), senior Beth Burkett in the javelin throw (fourth -150-05.00) and sophomore Temitayo Adeagbo in the heptathlon (10th – 4,410points).

Rounding out UK’s hopefuls for this weekend are juniors Shevan Threats andRebecca Wedel. Just outside the conference top-10, Threats has jumpednearly 20 feet in the long jump and 41 feet in the triple jump, whileWedel’s season-best hammer throw of 164-11.00 is a UK record.

Competition gets underway on Thursday, May 11, with the first four eventsof the heptathlon starting at 5 p.m.