University of Georgia Athletics
Georgia Track & Field Announces 2009 Schedule
January 05, 2009 | Track & Field
ATHENS, Ga. --- Georgia’s track and field teams will host four meets and compete against a mixture of Southeastern Conference competition as well as other nationally ranked teams on the road during the 2009 seasons, according to an announcement from head coach Wayne Norton.
“This is probably one of the, if not the, most anticipated starts to a season we have had because of our curiosity about both teams,” Norton said, adding that his teams would be returning to practice today after about a three-week layoff for the holidays. “Both the indoor and outdoor schedules will be a big test for us. The men’s team didn’t reach its goals last year and the women’s team is still a young group so there are a lot of questions about how this schedule will play out for us. But we are looking forward to getting going.”
The Bulldogs open the indoor season in Lexington, Ky., on January 16-17 for the Kentucky Invitational before returning to Lexington for the SEC Indoor Championships (February 27-March 1). Other highlights during the indoor action include a trip to Champaign, Ill., for the Carle Health Alliance Classic and the Virginia Tech Elite meet in Blacksburg, Va.
Texas A&M will host the NCAA Indoor Championships (March 13-14) in College Station.
Norton is expecting about five other teams from the SEC and several other ranked squads to be competing in Lexington in his teams’ season-opening meet.
“We have added an additional meet during the indoor season to give us more of a chance to improve before the SEC Championships arrive,” said Norton. “It would have been nice if the Kentucky Invitational would have been a little later in the season because of the top competition they are expecting. But I think this will be a unique challenge where it would be great if good things happen and if anything bad happens, it won’t be that big a deal since it’s so early in the year.”
The Bulldogs host the Lewis Gainey Georgia Relays on March 20-21 at the Spec Towns Track to begin the outdoor season. There will be three more weekends of home action during the outdoor campaign, including the final tune-up before the SEC Championships at the Georgia Invitational on May 9.
While Georgia traveled to Tucson, Ariz., for the Jim Click Invitational last year, the Bulldogs will be making the trip to Tempe, Ariz., for the Arizona State Classic in 2009. The Sun Devil women were the runner-ups at the 2008 NCAA outdoor meet while the Arizona State men were sixth.
Similar to their one-on-one meet during the cross country season, Georgia will also be competing in a dual meet against Georgia Tech in Atlanta on April 2.
In the postseason, Georgia will travel to Gainesville, Fla., for the SEC outdoor meet (May 14-17) before making to trip to Fayetteville, Ark., for the NCAA Outdoor Championships (June 10-13). In 2006, the Lady Bulldogs won the school’s only SEC indoor team title in Gainesville before taking first at the SEC outdoor meet in Fayetteville.
“I always enjoy starting the season at home and then it will be nice to compete against some of the nation’s best teams in warm weather at the Arizona State Invitational,” Norton said. “Before we get back to Athens, we will also have a dual meet with Georgia Tech. I don’t think the (Georgia Tech) meet gives us much preparation for the postseason, but a head-to-head battle with these teams is always entertaining and should give us some more experience.”
Georgia returns three competitors who earned four All-America certificates in 2008, including Chris Hill’s NCAA javelin title. Justin Gaymon is returning for his senior year after capturing conference crowns in both the 400-meter dash (indoor) and 400 hurdles (outdoor) last season. The Bulldog men tied for 25th at last year’s NCAA Outdoor Championships while the Georgia women tied for 60th.
