Colonels Rewrite School Record Book at Season Opening Meet

Dec. 5, 2009

ASU Kickoff Classic Results 

JONESBORO, Ark. - Sophomore sprinter Samantha Calhoun set new school records in the indoor 55 m and 200 m, freshman Dakota Goodman and juniorKadi Whisnant each bettered the school's old indoor mile record and the Nicholls State University women's track and field team wrapped up a successful opening meet with 11 conference championship qualifying times at the ASU Kickoff Classic at Arkansas State on Saturday.

With a six week layoff between meets, head coach Scott Williamson believes Saturday's showing bodes well for the Colonels.

"I think it was important for our girls to come out and have a good meet before the holiday break," Williamson said. "It was important for our girls to see where they are at and get away from the monotony of training. I'm very pleased with how things went today."

The Colonels were led by Calhoun's two school records, as the Morgan City native got things started with a time of 7.13 in the 55, the third-best time on the day. Calhoun followed that performance with a fourth-place 200 m time of 25.42 for her second record-setting performance of the meet.

After Calhoun got the ball rolling in the sprints, Nicholls' distance crew took over the second half of the meet. Goodman and Whisnant dominated the mile as Goodman took first with a school-record time of 5:16.44. Meanwhile, Whisnant was hot on her heels in second with a time of 5:16.61, which also bettered the school record heading into the meet.

Goodman would return later in the day, running the anchor leg of the distance medley relay and helping the Colonels to establish a new meet record. Jessica McLeod, Marion Chebet, Monisha Glee and Goodman led the Colonels to a time of 12:40.58, setting a new DMR standard at the Kickoff Classic by beating Lamar's 2003 record time of 12:42.47 by nearly two full seconds.

Most importantly, with the 2010 Southland Conference Indoor Championships introducing qualifying standards for the first time this season, Nicholls turned in 11 qualifying times in its first meet of the season.

"We had some huge performances today," Williamson said. "We turned in some times in the first meet of the year that would have scored at the conference meet last year. So, we didn't just qualify, we did it in convincing fashion. Sam had a huge breakthrough meet and our distance runners ran very well. Now, we have to make sure that we our girls make their training a priority over the holidays, so that we can come back in January and pick up where we've left off."

The Colonels will return to action on Jan. 15 at the Leonard Hilton Invitational at the University of Houston.