By Colby Wilson
Senior Sports Information Student Assistant

Gamer is a word that gets tossed around a lot. Any time an athlete competes in an athletic contest while battling a cold, the coach will describe them as a 'gamer'. Such hyperbole often isn't warranted.

Amanda McCoy is an exception.

"She is a gamer," said Austin Peay head track and field coach Doug Molnar. He will say this many times to describe his star senior hurdler and high jumper. "She loves to compete and she's such a strong competitor. She would rather have a meet every single day. She consistently brings it to every meet."

The senior has excelled in the high jump and the 100-meter hurdles as a Lady Gov, and this season has become an integral part of the 4x100-meter relay team. That makes for a hectic schedule during the meet, but the cool-headed McCoy has it under control.

"I focus on one event at a time," said McCoy. "I have a routine, I get my stuff together and warm up the same for every event. I have to focus on one event at a time, because otherwise I'll get nervous. It helps me to stay on one event at a time."

Unsurprisingly, the Nolensville native is somewhat limited in practice in order to save her troublesome shins and keep her healthy for meets.

"We work a lot on her technique," said assistant coach Troy Morris, who coaches McCoy in the 100-meter hurdles. "Her preparation during practice and warm-ups makes her very successful."

"She may only practice the high jump once a week," said Molnar. "Coach Morris does a tremendous job with her in hurdles, and then she comes over to the high jump area and puts in between 10 to 15 jumps. She really is a master at both (the hurdles and high jump) with a limited amount of practice time."

The hectic schedule she currently keeps (three events in track and field plus a high-level grade-point average in Austin Peay's highly time-demanding nursing school) would affect many student-athletes in their on-field performance, but in McCoy's case, she's actually slowed down. At Ravnewood High School, she was also a cheerleader and dancer, in addition to track and field, where she competed in the relays, high and long jumps, hurdles and sprints.

"I never really thought much about high jump until high school," said McCoy, with her ever-present smile. "One day I tried it and cleared 5' 6", so I decided maybe I should be a high jumper. With my background in cheering and dancing, the coaches also thought I could be flexible enough to be successful in hurdles. When I came here, they taught me technique, so it's really worked out for the best."

But McCoy has specialized since then, and is now approaching school records in the high jump and 100-meter hurdles. Her career-high 5' 7.00" (1.70 meter) high jump at the Alabama Relays put her just an inch behind the school record equaled by three Lady Govs: Felicia Hill (2000), Lisa Addison (2001) and Lauren Maul (2002).

Meanwhile, her career-best 14.11 in the hurdles is a little further behind Roni Hopkins 2002 school-record mark of 13.77, but is certainly still within striking distance for McCoy, who will compete in both events this weekend at the Ohio Valley Conference Championships, beginning Friday at Tucker Stadium.

Her coach certainly has confidence in her.

"I think she can do it," said Molnar. "To get both at the conference meet her senior year would be special. She has a little strep throat right now, which is bad timing, but she's got medication and I know she'll give it everything she has."

McCoy concurs, albeit apprehensively.

"I hope so," she said. "I've worked so hard, it's my senior year and my last (conference) meet, so all I can do is hope. I tried (for the high jump) at the last Austin Peay meet (the Governors Invitational) and my last jump was really close."

Monday, McCoy earned an honor from Austin Peay athletics when she was named the 2010 Most Valuable Track Athlete.

McCoy will need to eclipse both school records if she wants to continue her career at the NCAA Regional Championships, May 27-29. She will need to be in the top-48 in the East Regional to qualify; currently, she would need a 5' 7.75" high jump and a 13.84 second 100-meter hurdle run to qualify, with four weeks left to go in the outdoor season. If she is unsuccessful this week, her last chance could come at the Georgia Tech Last Chance Meet in Atlanta, May 14-15.

- AP -