Pre-NCAA Notes (Day 1)
· Junior Marshevet Hooker will take part in the long jump qualifying rounds beginning at 5:30 p.m. CDT. Hooker, the 2006 NCAA indoor long jump champion, placed second in this event at the 2005 NCAA Outdoors.
· Senior Melaine Walker and sophomore Alandra Sherman are set for the opening round of the 100-meter hurdles beginning at 6:30 p.m. CDT. Walker enters the event as the third seed behind Nebraska's Priscilla Lopes and Southern California's Virginia Powell. Sherman will make her first career NCAA appearance, indoor or outdoor. Walker and Sherman will advance to the semifinal round beginning at 8:30 p.m. should they clock qualifying times in the opening round.
· Senior LaTashia Kerr is slated for the 400-meter opening round at 7:50 p.m. CDT. She clocked a personal best of 52.39 at the NCAA regional meet in Austin.
· Freshman Destinee Hooker, who officially graduated from San Antonio's Southwest High School last week, will make her first NCAA outdoor appearance after placing third in the high jump at the NCAA indoor meet in March. She enters the competition as the second seed with a top clearance of 6-2 ¾. The women's high jump begins at 9 p.m. CDT with the qualifying round.
· Texas' 4x100-meter relay team begins competition at 5 p.m. CDT. The Longhorns are seeded No. 1 with a top national time of 42.84 clocked at the Texas Relays.
NCAA Press Conference Quotes (June 6)
UT Coach Bev Kearney
On her plans to use Marshevet Hooker...
"We have a limited plan with limited events. Our plan is to do the best we can with what we've been gifted with at this point, which is the long jump and possibly the 4x100 (meter relay). The only thing we can focus on is what we have at hand, and those are our two opportunities at this point."
On Texas' chances of winning its second consecutive NCAA outdoor title...
"I think it's a very difficult situation when you start to talk about the loss of an athlete like Marshevet Hooker (in the 100m and 200m) in terms of the depth of the team. It hasn't changed our vision, and it hasn't changed our goals, and it doesn't affect what each individual does coming into the national championship. Honestly, that what a national championship is comprised of; it's a matter of individuals seeking individual goals for a common cause, and that's what we're focused on now, each of our individual point scorers. I think that we have as good of a chance (to win) as anyone at the meet; not a better chance, but as good of a chance. We're coming into this meet looking to maximize our earnings potential, so to speak, in terms of points."
Day 1 NCAA Schedule - Texas Women (all times Central)
5 p.m. - 4x100m relay - semifinals
5:30 p.m. - Long jump (qualifying round) - Marshevet Hooker
6:30 p.m. - 100-meter hurdles (first round) - Alandra Sherman and Melaine Walker
7:50 p.m. - 400 meters (first round) - LaTashia Kerr
8:30 p.m. - 100-meter hurdles (semifinals)
9 p.m. - High jump (qualifying round) - Destinee Hooker
