The Florida A&M Lady Rattlers nearly pulled off a major upset in the 2013-2014 MEAC Indoor Track & Field Championship, Feb.13-15 in Landover, Md. The Lady Rattlers fell just 14 points shy of defending champion Hampton University in a bid to unseat them at the top spot in the MEAC.
Head coach Darlene Moore, Ed.D, has brought the team quite a way since here hiring as head women's coach. “When I got to FAMU in 2010, we didn't score a full point in our first championship. Actually, it was 0.25 of a point. It challenged me internally to rebuild this great program to it's rightful place atop the MEAC. With the great history of FAMU, we are returning to where we belong, and that's at the top of this great track conference,” Moore said.
Led by senior sprinter Nakia Linson, the team racked up 133 points, just 14 shy of Hampton who took top place with 147. The two teams distanced themselves from the field as the next nearest competitor was Morgan State with 74 points. The championship sets up a rematch in Greensboro, NC for the upcoming MEAC Outdoor Championship.
Linson took second place in the long jump, carding a leap of 6.01m (19-08.75), third place in the 60m dash at 7.46 and third place in the 200m dash in 24.36. She also helped the 4x400m relay team to a fourth place finish in a time of 3:50.03.
SashaAnn Lebert scored 18 points for the Lady Rattlers. She took first place in the weight throw, with a heave of 17.45m (57-03.00), while placing second in the shot put with a 14.25m (46-09.00) toss.
Distance Runner Effiey Kosgei paced the pack, winning the 3000 meter run, winning in 10:36.77, while placing third in the 5000 meter run (18:43.08).
Senior middle distance runner Chandelic Jackson scored multiple times for FAMU. She scored a third place finish with a 2:13.39 time in the 800m run. She also took fourth place in the mile run (5:10.02) and sixth place in the 3000 meter run.
In the relays, the Lady Rattlers made marks in the distance medley relay and 4x400m relays. The distance medley relay team of QuanDra Shanks, Christina Moodie, Linson and Jackson combined to run 12:24.27, topped only by the Lady Pirates.
The Lady Rattlers are now preparing for outdoor season, and this weekend's FAMU Relays is a crowning moment for Moore and her team. “All the years I spent as an opposing coach at Albany State, coming to the FAMU Relays, it does something special to you knowing that you are now the FAMU coach in the meet. There's a target on our backs, but our young ladies will be ready to Strike and represent the orange and green on our newly-renovated track,” she concluded.
