Track standouts eye top NCAA finishes
By BRIAN LANDMAN
Published March 10, 2005
Former Tampa Baptist Academy star Garrett Johnson, who sat out the 2003 indoor and outdoor track seasons with a potentially life-threatening malady, continues his amazing comeback this weekend at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.
The redshirt sophomore has the nation's top shot put, 66 feet, 9 inches, and figures to be one of a handful of Seminoles to watch as the meet begins Friday at Fayetteville, Ark.
"We have the potential to really, really do well; to really, really make some noise," said Bob Braman, named the South Region indoor coach of the year by the United States Track Coaches Association.
In addition to Johnson, junior Rafeeq Curry, only recently re-instated after an eight-month suspension for his part in a brawl at the outdoor championships last June, owns the nation's second-best triple jump (54 feet), freshman Ricardo Chambers has the fourth-best 400-meter time (46.05 seconds), freshman Walter Dix has the fifth- and seventh-best times in the 200- and 60-meter dashes (20.73 and 6.66 seconds and sophomore Tom Lancashire has the seventh-fastest mile (3:59.84).
"It's a small but good group," Braman said. "We just have to go in there and compete hard."
On the women's side, redshirt junior Lacy Janson has the nation's second-best pole vault (14 feet, 1 inch). The Sarasota Cardinal Mooney standout won the 2003 indoor title.
AWARD WATCH: The women's basketball team, which overcame the death of promising forward Ronalda Pierce in June, has been named one of five finalists for the fifth annual V Foundation Comeback Award. It's named in memory of coach Jim Valvano and his battle against cancer.
"It's good to be a finalist," senior guard Roneeka Hodges said. "We did a good job this year of overcoming things and not letting adversity set us back."
Despite losing in the quarterfinals of the ACC women's tournament, FSU (23-7, including a 9-5 regular-season mark in the ACC), isn't waiting to see if it gets into the NCAA field, but rather how high it will be seeded and where it will begin.
ONE FOR THE BOOKS: Senior forward Adam Waleskowski will play in his 122nd career basketball game today against North Carolina State in the ACC Tournament, tying Rodney Dobard (1989-93) for the FSU record. Waleskowski is third on the team in scoring (8.6 points) and first in rebounding (4.5).
GETTING ATTENTION: Sophomore outfielder Shane Robinson, the former Jesuit High star who leads the Seminoles in just about every offensive category, was added to the watch list for Brooks Wallace National Player of the Year. A dozen semifinalists will be named on May 24. Meanwhile, senior captain Aaron Cheesman, enjoying his best season, was added to the list of candidates for the Johnny Bench Award, which recognizes the nation's top catcher.
GO FIGURE: The baseball team was 20-1 entering Wednesday's game in Hawaii and still can't get any love from Baseball America. The Seminoles are No. 17 in that periodical's latest top 25. Collegiate Baseball has the Seminoles at No. 3.
ODDS AND ENDS: Former stars Ron Simmons and Charlie Ward are among 75 players on the ballot for election to the Division I-A College Football Hall of Fame. ... Center Dave Cowens, who led FSU to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1968 and went on to an illustrious NBA career with the Boston Celtics, will represent FSU at the ACC Tournament's annual Legends Brunch. Among the other 10 legends, one for each league school, are Danny Ferry (Duke), Dennis Scott (Georgia Tech) and Rick Barry (Miami). ... You might have missed it, but former FSU assistant Jim Platt nearly led Charleston Southern to an upset of Winthrop in the Big South tournament finale for the school's first NCAA basketball bid since 1997. His Buccaneers lost 68-46.
Brian Landman covers Florida State athletics. Reach him at 813 226-3347 or at landman@sptimes.com