The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Track & Field Set to Embark on 2016-17 Campaign
11/23/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UAB track & field team begins its 2016-17 season in less than two weeks. The Blazers will be competing in the Birmingham Southern Icebreaker on December 2nd as they are ready for their eighth season under the guidance of head coach Kurt Thomas. UAB returns 16 letterwinners from last season.
“I know all the girls are ready to compete,” said Thomas. “Fall training is hard and long, and we all look forward to putting on spikes, stepping on a track and just competing hard.”
Sprints
The Blazers sprinters for this season features a group of predominately upperclassmen. Junior Shelbi White is one of the leaders of the group and is excited for the upcoming year.
“I feel like the offseason training is going well and we’re prepared and getting better every day,” said White. “I’m really confident that we’ll have some people that should do really well this season.”
White, along with other upperclassmen sprinters Kandiss Briggs, Lauren Capone and Fanta Diabate, are looking to overcome previous injuries to post career-years.
“If we are healthy, we can do some damage in Conference USA,” stated Thomas. “Shelbi White has a chance to score in multiple events, and Fanta and freshman Karri Green can also score in the 200 meter and 400 meter.”
Jumps/Hurdles/Throws
The jumps and hurdles are led by junior Ali Meister but has a strong mix of freshman and upperclassman throughout. Meister finished sixth at the Conference USA Outdoor Championships in the pentathlon last season with a career-best 3,411 points. She added her fastest time ever in the 60 meter hurdles of the pentathlon, finishing in 8.92 seconds.
Meister, JaCarey Heard, Aisha Nelson and Jameisha Wilder are each return for UAB while the additions of freshman Green, Kyla Horn, Keilla Robertson, and Jennifer Sharpe should contribute.
“We’ve been pumped since the summer,” said Sharpe. “We’re all excited for our meet when we comeback from Thanksgiving.”
Sophomore Zieandrea Bridges returns as the lone thrower on the Blazers squad but has already etched her name in the UAB record books.
“I think we have great depth in certain areas and that should help us be able to score more points,” stated assistant coach Reava Potter. “I think they will jump, throw a lot further/higher than they did last year. I expect Ali to continue the path she was on last year. I also expect Zieandrea, Aisha and Avril to take it to another level this year and surprise a lot of people. I am very excited to get the season started. I am anxious to see how they perform in a competition setting and also to break the monotony of fall training.”
Distance
Fresh off its 2016 cross country campaign, the distance athletes will help to aid the Green & Gold throughout the track & field season.
Junior Rebecca Evans was named an All-Conference USA Second Team performer this fall and placed 46th overall at the NCAA South Regional (21:24.5) after finishing eighth at the C-USA Championships. Senior Sarah Livett added a season-best 13th-place performance at the championships with a time of 17:55.5.
Senior Hannah Coffin also returns after claiming a Conference USA Championship in the 3000-meter steeplechase last season. Her time of 10:03.71 last May was the second-fastest time in school history.
“The distance side should provide us with good depth,” Thomas added. “The mile and 5K should each have a number of quality performers and we have some great options for the 800 meter run and the Distance Medley relay.”
Players Mentioned
