Track Begins Postseason At SEC Indoor Championships

Friday, February 25

Birmingham, Ala.

All Day

University of Georgia

SEC Indoor Championships

Track Begins Postseason At SEC Indoor Championships

February 24, 2022 | Track & Field

2022 SEC Indoor Championships - Schedule 2022 SEC Indoor Championships - Meet Notes 2022 SEC Indoor Championships - Start Lists

COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS --- The fourth-ranked Georgia men and the Lady Bulldogs traveled to College Station, Texas, on Wednesday in preparation for the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships at the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium scheduled for Friday and Saturday.

When Do The Bulldogs Start On Friday?: Junior Kyle Garland, who is the two-time defending SEC heptathlon champion, is scheduled to begin the hep (60-meter dash) at 12:30 p.m. ET on the first day.  Garland will also complete the other three day one events (long jump, shot put, high jump) before finishing the final three events (60m hurdles, pole vault, 1000m) on Saturday.  The Philadelphia, Pa., native is ranked second nationally and in the league going into the meet.  The Bulldogs have won the last nine SEC heptathlon titles.

Junior Ana da Silva along with redshirt sophomores Elsie Igberaese and Mia Anderson start the open events for the Lady Bulldogs in the weight throw at 5:30 p.m. on Friday.

Junior Matthew Boling (long jump) is scheduled to compete in the first open event for the Bulldog men during the first day starting at 6:15 p.m. while freshman Nikolai van Huyssteen (pole vault) is also slated to begin at that time.  Boling is currently the national leader in the long jump as well as in the 200m.  Georgia has not won an SEC men's long jump championship indoors since 1985 (Lester Benjamin) and has captured five in program history.  The late great Torrin Lawrence won the Bulldogs' only 200m crown in 2009.

Who Is Ranked In The SEC?: A total of 18 SEC men and women's track and field programs are included in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) top 25 national rankings released Monday, including six in the top five.  A nation leading nine SEC men's teams are ranked: No. 1 Arkansas, No. 4 GEORGIA, No. 6 Alabama, No. 9 Kentucky, No. 10 Florida, No. 11 Tennessee, No. 17 Ole Miss, No. 21 LSU and No. 25 Texas A&M.

Also a nation best nine SEC women's teams are also ranked in the top 25:  No. 2 Florida, No. 3 Arkansas, No. 4 LSU, No. 5 Kentucky, No. 7 Ole Miss, No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 16 Tennessee, No. 23 South Carolina and No. 24 Alabama.

Where To Catch The SEC Championships: The ESPN broadcast talent will include Dwight Stones, Dan O'Brien, Jill Montgomery and John Anderson during the meet coverage.

Broadcast info for SEC Indoor Championships:
Friday (12:30pm – 4:55pm) - SECN+
LINK: http://gado.gs/8k2
Friday (6pm – 10:30pm) - SECN+
LINK: http://gado.gs/8k4
Saturday (2pm - 4:40pm) - SECN+
LINK: http://gado.gs/8k6
Saturday (4:45pm - 9pm) - SECN+
LINK: http://gado.gs/8k8

Sunday (8-11:30pm) - SECN (re-air)
SECN+ LINK: http://gado.gs/8ka

Live Results: For results throughout the weekend, please visit: http://gado.gs/8kq

Coach Caryl's Comments: "Our coaching staff trained these student-athletes all fall to prepare for meets like this one," said Caryl Gilbert Smith, who is in her first year as Georgia's head coach.  "While it's still a while before we perform at the NCAA Outdoor Championships this June, this is another step towards progressing to that goal.  The SEC meet is a preview of the NCAA Championships because of the level of elite talent in this conference and we are excited to see where we stack up this weekend."

What Bulldogs Are Competing?: For the Lady Bulldogs, seniors Anna Marian Block, Imani Carothers, Destiny Jackson, Titiana Marsh, Halle McClintock, juniors Sara Bailey, da Silva, Nicole John, Brandee Presley, Shelby Tyler, redshirt sophomores Anderson, Igberaese, redshirt freshman Charlotte Augenstein and freshmen Kenondra Davis, Elena Kulichenko and Eddiyah Frye traveled for SECs.

On the men's side, graduate transfer Ty Kunzman, seniors Delano Dunkley, Elija Godwin, Alencar Pereira, juniors Boling, Sam Bowers, Caleb Cavanaugh, Chase Condra, Garland, Wesley John, Clay Pender, sophomores Gavin Beverage, KC Heron, Zachary Roe and freshmen Bryce McCray and van Huyssteen will represent Georgia.

Top-10 Bulldogs Abound: The Bulldogs have five individuals and a relay who are ranked in the top 10 nationally in seven different events (SEC rankings also listed).
For the men:
Long Jump – 1^st, Boling (8.25 meters/27 feet, 1 inch) *1^st in SEC
400m – 2^nd, Godwin (45.38) *1^st in SEC
Heptathlon – 2^nd, Garland (6,163 pts.) *2^nd in SEC
4x400m Relay – 5^th, Boling, Cavanaugh, McCray, Godwin (3:04.07) *3^rd in SEC
60m – T-9^th, Boling (6.60) *T-2^nd in SEC

For the women:
Triple Jump – 10^th, Marsh (13.56m/44-6) *No. 6 in SEC
Shot Put – T-10^th, da Silva (17.19m/56-4.75) *No. 3 in SEC

Bulldog Vying For Bowerman: The Bowerman, which is presented annually by the USTFCCCA to the most outstanding male and female NCAA track and field student-athletes in the nation, announced its 2022 Mid-Indoor Watch Lists and Matthew Boling was included on the list.  Collegiate record holder Keturah Orji brought home the 2018 Bowerman for the Lady Bulldogs.

Boling, a native of Houston, Texas, currently leads the nation in the 200m (20.27) and long jump (a school record 8.25m/27-1), ranks tied for ninth in the 60m (6.60) and has been part of the nation's fifth-fastest 4x400m relay this year with a school record time of 3:04.07.  Boling is a combined 8-0 this season through his races in the 60m, 200m and 4x400m and pair of long jump competitions.

A Glimpse At The 2021 SEC Championships: The Lady Bulldogs finished third with 69 points and the Georgia men took 10^th (31).  In addition to Garland's second consecutive heptathlon crown, Georgia also brought SEC titles home in the women's triple jump and pole vault and the pentathlon.  The Bulldog 4x400m relay set what was a school record (3:04.72) for third place and were one of 16 scorers for UGA at the meet.

What's Next For The Bulldogs?: After the SEC meet, the Bulldogs will train through the first weekend of March before traveling to Birmingham, Ala., for the NCAA Indoor Championships (March 11-12).  The Birmingham facility has housed the NCAA indoor meet twice (2016, 2019).

The Bulldogs then immediately start their outdoor season at the Yellow Jacket Invitational in Atlanta on March 18-19.  They will play host to one home meet outdoors: Torrin Lawrence Memorial – April 29-30.

Where To Find Bulldogs News: Results and recaps from the SEC Indoor Championships will be found at georgiadogs.com.  News and updates from Georgia's track and field and cross country teams are always located on Twitter/Instagram at @UGATrack.