Jan. 27, 2006

NEW ORLEANS, La. - The Tulane University women's indoor track and field team is action on Friday at the Bayou Bengal Invitational at LSU's Maddox Fieldhouse. It will be the first full competition for the Green Wave since Hurricane Katrina.

Two weeks ago, the Green Wave's 4x400 relay team of Valencia Wilson, Vanessa Kienast, Shania Pelham and Kyra Lobbins competed at the Purple Tiger Invitational. Freshman Whitney Hampton also ran the 800, registering a time of 2:21.50 to earn second place. The 800 squad posted a time of 3:57.01, for fifth place.

This weekend, Tulane has 17 individuals traveling to the Bayou Bengal. Senior Brianne Darragh will open the action, competing in the shot put at 4:30 p.m.

A host of newcomers will also compete. Lobbins, a sophomore transfer from Eastern Illinois, sophomore newcomers Andrea Rosemond and Pelham, a freshman, will all run in the 60-meter dash at 6:50 p.m., as will veterans Taneekwa Ross, Christina Tegbe and Marilyn Sauls.

Wilson, a freshman from Las Vegas, will compete in the 400-meter run at 7:40 p.m. while Hampton, a freshman from Lake Forest, Calif., will run in the 800 at 8:20 p.m. Jasmine Momoh, a freshman from Houston, will join the 4x400 relay team as well.

Two New Orleans natives will also make their debuts for the Green Wave. Kerriann Langley, a graduate of Mount Carmel Academy, was redshirted due to injury last year and will compete in the 3,000-meter run at 9 p.m. Arianne Larimer, a true freshman from Newman High School, is also scheduled to run in the 3,000.

Following Friday's event, the Green Wave will be back in action February 3-4 at the Armory Invitational in New York City.

Full Tulane schedule for Bayou Bengal: 4:30 p.m. - Shot Put - Brianne Darragh 6:50 p.m. - 60 Meters - Kyra Lobbins, Shaina Pelham, Andrea Rosemond, Taneekwa Ross, Marilyn Sauls, Christina Tegbe 7:10 p.m. - Mile - Aubrey Phillips 8:20 p.m. - 800 Meters - Whitney Hampton 8:40 p.m. - 200 Meters - Shanon Beelendorf, Kyra Lobbins 9 p.m. - 3,000 Meters - Kerriann Langley, Arianne Larimer, Jill Shriver, Lauren Swenson 9:30 p.m. - 4x400 Relay - Shanon Beelendorf, Whitney Hampton, Kyra Lobbins, Jasmine Momoh, Shaina Pelham, Valencia Wilson