Archive for June, 2012

Georgia Tech grad Chaunte Lowe won the women’s high jump at the U.S. Olympic Trials, claiming her fifth national outdoor title and her third Olympic team berth.

Saturday in Eugene, Ore., Lowe cleared 6 feet 7 inches, breaking the trials record set in 1988. Lowe, 28, will pursue her first Olympic medal in London. She is the first and only Tech women’s track and field athlete to compete at the Olympics. Lowe (née Howard) still trains with Tech assistant track and field coach Nat Page.

Former Tech track star Angelo Taylor will try to make his fourth Olympic team Sunday in the finals of the 400-meter hurdles. Taylor advanced out of Friday’s semifinals with the fastest time of the day, 48.77 seconds. Taylor is attempting to become the first person in Olympic history to win three golds in the 400-meter hurdles. The hurdles finals will take place at 7:12 p.m. EDT Sunday.

Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog

Continue reading Chaunte Lowe wins high jump for Olympic berth »

Texas A&M has reportedly found its new athletic director, which can put to rest the possibility of Georgia Tech athletic director Dan Radakovich’s candidacy for the position.

However, Radakovich may find himself in a game of speculation musical chairs. The person that the San Antonio Express-News reported Thursday will take the job is South Carolina athletic director Eric Hyman. Radakovich worked at South Carolina from 1994-2000 as an associate athletic director.

Early Friday morning, in fact, the Post and Courier of Charleston listed Radakovich as a possibility to replace Hyman. (link behind pay wall)

Radakovich’s name has previously been connected, legitimately or otherwise, with openings at Miami, Tennessee and, this week, Texas A&M. Wednesday, Radakovich denied a report that he was a top candidate for the A&M position.

Hyman’s experience recommends him for the position as Texas A&M joins the SEC on Sunday. Hyman has worked in both the SEC and in Texas, having been …

Continue reading Report: Texas A&M tabs South Carolina AD »

On an eventful night for Georgia Tech grads at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore., Angelo Taylor ran the second fastest time in the 400-meter hurdles Thursday, winning his heat in 49.53 seconds.
Taylor, attempting to become the first person in Olympic history to win the 400 hurdles three times, will run in the semifinals Friday.
High jumper Chaunte Lowe also had a successful evening. Lowe cleared 6 feet to advance out of qualifying. Lowe, the American record holder seeking her third Olympic team berth, will compete in the finals on Saturday.
Triple jumper Alphonso Jordan narrowly missed the finals, finishing in 14th. His mark of 53 feet, 1 ½ inches was 1 ½ inches shy of the last (12th) qualifier.

Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog

Continue reading Taylor, Lowe advance at U.S. track trials »

Quarterback Synjyn Days offered his breakdown of the match race between A-back Broderick Snoddy and quarterback Justin Thomas, run Wednesday at the Brock Football Practice Facility.

The race was prompted by playful banter between the two, both of whom had won state high school 100-meter dash championships.

“And then somebody else said, ‘I bet you guys won’t race,’” Days said.

The race, billed on players’ Twitter accounts as a 100-meter dash, was set for 5 p.m. Wednesday. The setting unfortunately prevented that distance, as the indoor field is about 95 yards long. It was later pushed back until after a 7-on-7 session because Thomas had a class. As the two took their mark, teammates lined up on either side, eager to see who would lay claim to being Tech’s fastest player.

“I know (defensive end) Euclid (Cummings) was like, ‘I got my money on Justin,’” Days said.

Days himself held up his backpack, likening it to Floyd Mayweather’s famous cash-filled duffel …

Continue reading Synjyn Days’ report from Snoddy-Thomas »

Georgia Tech grad Angelo Taylor’s pursuit of Olympic history takes a big step Thursday, when he’ll begin qualifying for a spot on the U.S. track team in the 400-meter hurdles.

Taylor, who won gold in 2000 and again in 2008, is aiming to become the first person to win three Olympic golds in the event, surpassing Edwin Moses (1976, 1984) and Glenn Davis (1956, 1960). Taylor won in 2000 in Sydney and four years ago in Beijing.

“That’s a goal of mine,” Taylor said earlier this week. “It’s something I really, really want.”

Taylor, a three-time NCAA champion, while at Tech, glowed about his condition prior to flying to Eugene, Ore., site of the trials.

“I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life right now,” he said. “Training sessions have been going very well.”

Taylor has paid extra attention to staying injury-free, receiving regular massage and chiropractic care.

“This is an Olympic year, so this is a very important year, and one of the (crucial) …

Continue reading Tech’s Angelo Taylor chasing Olympic history »

The issue of who is Georgia Tech’s fastest player has apparently been settled.

In a sprint competition touted on Twitter by Tech players, A-back Broderick Snoddy bested quarterback Justin Thomas Wednesday afternoon in a matchup of former state 100-meter track champions.

Snoddy, who redshirted last fall as a true freshman, and Thomas raced in what appears to be a 40-yard dash at the Brock Football Practice Facility. In a video posted on Facebook, Snoddy and Thomas took their stances with teammates lining the field on either side. Snoddy steadily separated from Thomas, looking back at him as he passed the finish line.

A Tweet from quarterback Vad Lee said it all: “I know one thing. Broderick Snoddy is the fastest man I have seen with my own two eyes!!!!”

Snoddy won the Georgia Class AAA 100- and 200-meter championships as a junior, winning in 10.69 and 21.46 seconds. Thomas, who arrived at Tech last week with the incoming freshman class, won the Alabama Class 4A-6A this …

Continue reading Tech’s fastest? Looks like Broderick Snoddy »

Georgia Tech athletic director Dan Radakovich’s name has again been floated as a possibility for an opening at another school, prompting another denial.

Texas A&M has targeted Radakovich as a top candidate for its athletic director position, the Rivals website reported Wednesday.

In an e-mail, Radakovich dismissed the report’s accuracy, writing that he has “not had a minute to think about another job.” Set to officially join the SEC on Sunday, Texas A&M is searching for a replacement for former AD Bill Byrne, who retired in May.

“I am sure Texas A&M is a great job,” Radakovich said. “But I have one at Tech.”

UPDATE: Texas A&M vice president Jason Cook told the San Antonio Express-News that “we’re nearing the finish line” of the job search for an athletic director. Cook is co-chairing the search committee. Friday, at a meeting of A&M regents, school president R. Bowen Loftin is expected to be authorized to hire a new AD. The hire could well happen within days of …

Continue reading Radakovich denies reported Texas A&M candidacy »

At long last, a four-team playoff for major college football has been approved. CineSport’s report.

Continue reading Video: 4-team football playoff approved »

Georgia Tech baseball coach Danny Hall called the dismissal of pitching coach Tom Kinkelaar extremely difficult and gut-wrenching, but in his opinion necessary for the future of the team.

“Tom is a great friend, a very good coach and was a key part of our staff at Georgia Tech,” Hall said in an e-mail Monday. “Sometimes you just need a fresh start, a change in philosophy both on the field and in recruiting. It doesn’t mean you’re necessarily doing anything wrong, you just need a change in direction. We had reached that point.”

Kinkelaar and Hall were roommates and teammates at Miami (Ohio) in the mid-70’s. Kinkelaar joined Tech’s staff as director of baseball operations in Nov. 2004, serving three seasons before being promoted to pitching coach for the 2008 season.

Pitchers Jed Bradley and Deck McGuire were some of Kinkelaar’s best work. Neither was drafted out of high school, and both were eventually selected in the top 15 of the Major League Baseball draft …

Continue reading Tech’s Hall calls Kinkelaar dismissal difficult but necessary »

Georgia Tech has sent seven swimmers from the 2011-12 team to the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials in Omaha, Neb. Including graduates, the number of swimmers who qualified is 10 (two chose not to compete), a record for the Tech program, not counting two incoming freshmen. Tech had three qualifiers in 2008.

A list of swimmers competing in Omaha. The meet began Monday and runs through next Monday. The top two swimmers in each event earn a place on the Olympic team.

Tech already has one swimmer who will compete in London – Andrew Chetcuti, a rising sophomore who will swim for Malta. Chetcuti holds three Maltese national records and was a part of four national record-breaking relays.

RETURNERS

Eric Chiu – 100-meter butterfly (preliminary heats Saturday)

Andrew Kosic – 100 free (Thursday), 50 free (Saturday)

Ryan Salmon – 100 breaststroke (Salmon did not advance Monday, placing in a tie for 109th out of 139)

Kate Woolbright – 400 freestyle (Tuesday)

ALUMNI

Heidi Hatteberg – 100 …

Continue reading 10 Tech swimmers at U.S. trials »