Feb. 13, 2006

AMES, Iowa - With just eight individuals in action this weekend at the Iowa State Classic, the Tulane women's indoor track team cruised to 11 season-best marks, including freshmen Whitney Hampton and Valencia Wilson both improving their own personal-bests for the third straight week in the 800 meter run and 400-meter dash, respectively.

Hampton, notched a time of 2:19.36 in the 800 on Jan. 28 at the Bayou Bengal Invitational and then improved to 2:15.36 at the New York Armory Invitational last weekend. Amazingly, she shaved nearly three more seconds off her time in Iowa, recording a mark of 2:12.39.

Wilson had similar improvements in the 400-meter dash. After running 58.17 at LSU, she improved to 57.23 in New York. This week, she ran 55.53 to take seventh place in the ISU Classic. Wilson also registered a personal record of 25.40 seconds in the 200-meter dash.

Sophomore Kyra Lobbins, a transfer from Eastern Illinois, recorded her best Tulane time in the 200-meter dash at 25.63. The Green Wave's 4x400 and distance-medley relay teams also recorded season-best times of 3:49.19 and 12:19.26, respectively.

Tulane is back in action this Friday at the LSU Twilight Invitational in Baton Rouge. That will be the final tune-up for the 2006 Conference USA Indoor Track and Field Championships, which will be held Feb. 24-25 in Houston.

Tulane Results:
Shanon Beelendorf
400 Meters: 59.14 - season-best

Whitney Hampton
800 Meters: 2:12.39 - PR

Vanessa Kienast
400 Meters: 59.00 - PR

Kerriann Langley
3000 Meters: 10:32.15

Kyra Lobbins
60 Meters: 8.04
200 Meters: 25.63 - PR

Aubrey Phillips
3000 Meters: 10:33.12 - season-best

Valencia Wilson
200 Meters: 25.40 - PR
400 Meters: 55.53 (7th place) - PR

Tulane
4x400 Relay: 3:49.19 - season-best
DMR: 12:19.26 - season-best