Posted on: Tuesday, May 14, 2002

UH TRACK
Rainbow Wahine head to WAC meet

By Mike Tymn
Special to The Advertiser

The University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine track and field team is being put to the test.

First, there was a meet at Occidental College Saturday night. That was followed by final exams administered by coach Carmyn James in Los Angeles Sunday and yesterday. Today, the team heads for the Western Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships scheduled for tomorrow through Saturday at Rice University in Houston, Texas.

"It's pretty stressful for them right now," said James, following the Occidental meet. "Once we have the exams out of the way, we can focus on the WAC championships."

Since UH is in just its second year of track and field competition and still building, James does not expect a high finish in the 10-team competition.

"But we've got more depth and we're improving," she said. "We do have four athletes who could finish in the top three in Houston."

Senior Cheryl Smith ranks as the favorite to defend her WAC title in the 10,000-meter run. She also took second last year in the 5,000.

Smith's top time in the 10,000 this year is 34:48.18, which is 24 seconds slower than her best of last year but well ahead of the WAC's second-best time of 35:55.03 by Sarah Haskins of Tulsa.

"Cheryl didn't make the last trip (to San Diego) because of a foot problem, but she's fully recovered and should win the 10,000," said James.

However, because of the heat in Houston, James doubts that Smith will be able to run fast enough to qualify for the NCAA championships in St. Paul, Minn., May 22-25.

Smith, who won the 5,000 at Occidental with a 17:14, will double in Houston. Her 17:08 best of this year places her third in the WAC but well behind top-ranked Karin van Rooyen of Southern Methodist, who has a 16:03 best this year.

The other three UH athletes who have a chance at top-three finishes are Casey McGuire-Turcotte, Alethe West and Olivia Smoody.

McGuire-Turcotte will double in the 800 and 1,500 and may even attempt the 5,000. She is ranked eighth in the 800 (2:11.67) and fifth in the 1,500 (4:32.75). In a non-conference meet on April 19, McGuire-Turcotte bettered her 1,500 conference time as well as the UH record with a 4:30.67. In the Occidental meet Saturday, she finished third with a 4:35.58.

West, a junior from Australia, is ranked sixth in the 1,500 (4:32.78) and fifth in the 5,000 (17:21.36), while Smoody's 5-7 high jump ranks third in the WAC.