McNeese\'s Brad Gebauer and Steve Manz to perform in AT&T USA indoor track championship meet this we

Feb. 21, 2007

McNeese State will have two representatives at the AT&T USA indoor track and field championship meet in Boston.

Cowboy pole vaulter Brad Gebauer and assistant coach Steve Manz will be the participants. Gebauer goes in as the top ranked collegiate vaulter while Manz will be competing unattached in the shot put event.

The pole vault event will take place on Saturday and the shot put on Sunday and highlights from all events will be televised by ESPN2 on Sunday.

Gebauer is fresh from winning the Southland Conference indoor championship and his top vault of 18-4 1/2 this season is the No. 1 mark among collegiate vaulters.

That mark is also the sixth best in the nation.

This will be his first appearance in the USA indoor championship and he will be going up against the best in the nation including former McNeese coach Russ Buller, former USA indoor and outdoor champion Jeff Hartwig and collegiate champion Thomas Skipper of Oregon.

The Cowboy graduate student figures that he will have to clear 18-6 to place among the top three.

Manz, who hs gone 65-6 3/4 in the shot this season, is looking at having to post a personal record for a top three finish. Manz finished fourth in the event a year ago.

TRACK NOTES: McNeese State's Brad Gebauer has been named the Southland Conference indoor track newcomer of the year for 2007. He won the pole vault event last week at the championship meet.

The McNeese State track officials association will conduct a "learning by doing" session Sunday at 3 p.m.at the McNeese track complex. All members present at the last association meet are required to bring back their USATF certification exams.

New members are welcomed to attend and join the association. The registration fee is $20. More information can be obtained from the McNeese track office at 475-5278.