Milligan to host indoor national for eighth consecutive year

Press Release Milligan College

 Milligan College, Tenn. (Mar 4, 2008) --- The Buffs and Lady Buffs enter the 2008 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Indoor National Track and Field Championships with 12 athletes competing. Rebecca McDowell (Mechanicsville, Va.) (5,000 meters), Jacklyn Talbert (Mt. Carmel, Tenn.) (Mile / Distance Medley Relay), Brittany Bales (Kingsport, Tenn.) (1,000 meters / Distance Medley Relay), and MacKenzie LaBonte (Port Charlotte, Fla.) (3,000 meters / Distance Medley Relay) return to take on the nation in the same event that brought them All-American status last year. 


McDowell, the only Lady Buff freshmen to claim All-American honors during last years’ championships, will once again take on the nation in the 5,000 meters along with teammates, Ashley Pearce (St. Cloud, Fla.) and Erika Fox (Gambrills, Md.). 

Talbert will aim for success similar to last year’s double All-American honors she garnered while competing in the mile and Distance Medley Relay event at this year’s championships. Bales will compete in the 1,000 meters which is unique to the NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championship event, and LaBonte will run the 3,000 meters looking to snatch All-American honors. In addition, freshman Lili Zaldana (Bristol, Tenn.) will run the 3,000 meters also. Adding junior Nicole Moore (Boise, Idaho.) to the mix the Lady Buffs will once again chase All-American honors in the Distance Medley Relay.

 

Wegene Degefa (Rochester, N.Y.), a junior transfer originally from Ethiopia, leads the Milligan’s men squad. Degefa will contest both the mile and 3,000 meters. Freshmen Ben Ronoh Mogogosiek, Kenya) will also make his indoor nationals debut in the 3,000 meters event. Sophomore Aaron Wood (Aurora, Colo.) will contest his first national indoor championships in the 1,000 meter run event while junior Jamal Phelps (Chicago, Ill.)will compete in the men’s triple jump.

 
"Milligan is proud to play host to our indoor national championships for the eighth year in a row, and we welcome the rest of the country to the great state of Tennessee,” said Head Coach Chris Layne.

The Buffs and Lady Buffs have a lofty goal to achieve. The 2007 Indoor National Championships produced as many entrants as the Milligan College Buffs and Lady Buffs had and with nearly four more athletes representing the Milligan Buffs this years promises to be even better.  

Competition gets under way at Memorial Center in Johnson City, Tenn., on Thursday, March 6th at 1 pm.