UAB Track & Field UNIVERSITY QUICK FACTS TABLE OF CONTENTS Team Information Location: Birmingham, Ala. 2008 Roster . .2 Founded: 1969 Conference USA . .2 Enrollment: 16,697 Head Coach Ray Stanfield . .3-4 Nickname: Blazers Colors: Forest Green and Old Gold Assistant Coaches/Support Staff . .5 President: Dr. Carol Garrison The 2008 Blazers Faculty Representative: Dr. Johnny Scott Season Outlook . .6 2008 Athlete Bios . .7-19 DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS Conference USA . .20 Athletics Director: Brian Mackin The 2007 Season Senior Associate AD: Lee Moon 2007 Season Review . .21 Senior Associate AD/External Affairs: 2007 Top Performances . .22-23 Shannon Ealy Senior Associate AD/Senior Woman UAB Records Administrator: Rosalind Ervin All-Time Records . .24 Associate AD/Academic Affairs: Danez Marrable Indoor Top-Five . .25 Associate AD/Business Affairs: Andy Hollis Outdoor Top-Five . .26-27 Associate AD/Compliance: Chad Jackson Greatest Sprinters in UAB History . .27 Associate AD/Marketing: Sam Miller Freshman Records . .28 Associate AD/Media Relations: Norm Reilly This Is UAB Associate AD/Ticket Operations and Football UAB Administration . .29 Administration: Matt Wildt Assistant AD/Athletic Training: Mike Jones Proud Past/Bright Future . .30-32 Assistant AD/Financial Affairs: Dave Henze Assistant AD/Facilities: Reid Adair ABOUT OUR NAME Director of Strength & Conditioning: Stacey Torman The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has been an autonomous member of the University of Alabama system since TRACK & FIELD STAFF 1969, and has had an intercollegiate athletic program since 1977. Head Coach: Ray Stanfield UAB is sometimes confused with the University of Alabama (Crimson Assistant Coach: Kurt Thomas Tide), which is located in Tuscaloosa; while this is inevitable, it is Assistant Coach: Danielle Keplinger important to note that the two are indeed separate institutions. Athletic Trainer: Brandon Burris In addition, the UAB name is often altered by various media, oppo- ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS nents, merchandisers, etc. Associate AD/Media Relations: Norm Reilly Please note that there are only two correct versions of our Associate Director: Aaron Jordan name, the acronym “UAB,” or the full “University of Alabama at Assistant Director: Michelle Cunningham Birmingham.” In addition, the Associated Press sports style- Assistant Director: Mark Vellek book now uses UAB on first reference, not Alabama- Media Relations Assistant/Track Contact: Colin Birmingham. General Information Waters We are: PHONE DIRECTORY UAB UAB Department of Athletics: (205) 975-8221 Media Relations: (205) 934-0722 University of Alabama at Birmingham Media Relations Fax: (205) 934-7505 Head Coach Ray Stanfield: (205) 934-7236 We are not: Assistant Coaches: (205) 934-7257 Alabama-Birmingham, Ala.-Birmingham, UA- MEDIA INFORMATION Birmingham or U.A.B. The 2008 UAB track and field media guide has been written to provide members of the media with statis- CREDITS: The 2008 UAB track & field media guide is an official pro- tics and information needed to adequately cover the duction of the UAB Athletic Media Relations Office. The guide was UAB track and field team. If you need further infor- compiled, designed, written and edited by Colin Waters and Michelle mation on the team, photographs, or wish to set up Cunningham, with editorial assistance by Norm Reilly and Ray interviews with head coach Ray Stanfield or any of Stanfield. Photography by Steve Wood, Mike Strawn, Aaron the team members, please contact the UAB Athletic Burnstein and Ashley Fleming. “UAB At A Glance” section designed Media Relations office at (205) 934-0722. by UAB Creative Services. Cover design by Old Hat Creative, Tulsa, Okla. Special thanks to Theresa Bates and UAB Printing Services. Page designs by Theresa Bates. 2008 BLAZERS 1 UAB Track & Field 2008 ROSTER Name Year Event(s) Hometown/Previous School Elizabeth Ambrus Sr. Distance Arlington Heights, Ill./Rolling Meadows HS Christina Chambers So. Sprints/Mid-Distance Cullman, Ala./Cullman HS Genoah Collins Sr. Mid-Distance Huntsville, Ala./J.O. Johnson HS Tara Colvin Sr. Sprints Tuscaloosa, Ala./North Ridge HS Janelle Gaines Fr. Hurdles Brookfield, Ill./Lyons Township HS Stephanie Gammon Fr. Distance Central, S.C./Daniel HS Samantha Hamilton Fr. Jumps/Hurdles Killeen, Texas/C.E. Ellison HS Katrina Harrell So. Sprints Birmingham, Ala./Erwin HS Elizabeth Hilligoss Jr. Distance Houston, Texas/ Stratford HS Kendal Hood So. Distance Spring, Texas/Klein Collins HS Katie Horton So. Mid-Distance Jasper, Ala./Walker HS Veronica Johnson Fr. Sprints Birmingham, Ala./A.H. Parker HS Bianca Le’Blanc Fr. Sprints/Mid-Distance Houston, Texas/Klein Forest HS Whitney Mays Sr. Distance Bloomington, Ill./Bloomington HS Timara McMillan So. Hurdles/Multi Birmingham, Ala./Vestavia Hills HS Nora Mehl So. Multi Rottweil, Germany/Droste Huelshoff Gymnasium Kristina Olsen So. Distance Jackson, Mich./Jackson HS Tracy Rowan Sr. Mid-Distance Birmingham, Ala./Clay-Chalkville HS Erika Russ Sr. Hurdles Hoover, Ala./Hoover HS Jacinta Scruggs Fr. Multi Round Rock, Texas/Stony Point HS Jasmie Sheffield Fr. Sprints/Mid-Distance Phenix City, Ala./Smiths Station HS Penny Shields Sr. Jumps Denver, Colo./Montbello HS Katryce Sykes So. Sprints Portsmouth, Va./Warwick HS Alina Varpiotaite Jr. Sprints/Mid-Distance Klaipeda, Lithuania/Vytautas Didysis Gymnasium Amber Walker So. Sprints Flower Mound, Texas/Lewisville HS Erica Whitby Fr. Jumps Smiths Station, Ala./Smiths Station HS Thela Woodring So. Distance Anderson, S.C./T.L. Hanna HS Lacey Wright Fr. Distance Scottsboro, Ala./Scottsboro HS Head Coach: Ray Stanfield (Mid America Bible, ’78, Sixth year) Assistant Coach: Kurt Thomas (Tennessee ’04, First year) Danielle Keplinger (Auburn ’05, First year) 2008 Seniors 2008 Roster 2 2008 BLAZERS UAB Track & Field which was UAB’s highest finish since 1996. The Blazers had Ray Stanfield six all-conference performances and Stanfield was named Women’s Coach of the Year. UAB set a total of eight school Head Coach records during the indoor season and sophomore Genoah Collins qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 800 meters. Additionally, Elizabeth Ambrus took the indoor con- Sixth Season ference title in the 5,000 meters. During the outdoor season Mid-America Bible, ‘78 UAB set a total of eight school records and two freshman records. The Blazers had two all-conference performances and eight NCAA Regional Championship qualifiers. UAB Ray Stanfield, who has spent more than 20 years coach- also took the title at the 2005 Alabama Relays. ing track and field in the college and high school, is in his sixth During the spring of 2004, the Blazers broke 10 school year at the helm of UAB’s track and field and cross country records, setting four for the indoor season and an additional programs. Stanfield has coached Olympians, All-Americans six for the outdor season. The Blazers finished eighth at the and NCAA Champions, and has also earned Coach of the C-USA Indoor Championships and ninth at the C-USA Year honors in Texas, Louisiana and Alabama. At UAB, he Outdoor Championships. The Blazers’ 400 meter relay team has produced numerous Conference USA Athletes of the also finished in ninth place at the NCAA Midwest Region Week, one C-USA Athlete of the Year in Elizabeth Ambrus Championships. and the Blazers’ cross country squad has earned the In 2003, his team broke five school records and added Academic All-American team award six times. His UAB track HE TANFIELD ILE teams have also set 35 school records over five season. T S F In 2007, Stanfield led his charges to a fourth place finish at the league’s indoor championships while putting eight ath- EDUCATION: letes on the indoor all-conference team. Although concluding Mid-America Bible College, 1978 the C-USA Outdoor Championships in ninth place, UAB had Bachelor of Arts - Secondary Education three all-conference athletes and sent five to the NCAA Sam Houston State, 1988 Mideast Regional Meet. Master’s degree - Exercise Physiology During the 2006 season, COACHING EXPERIENCE: the Blazers 1976 Northwest Academy HS - Texas earned a fifth (asst. Basketball and Football) place finish at 1977 Broadway Baptist HS - Texas the C-USA (head Basketball and Track) Outdoor 1978-81 Saint Pius X HS - Texas Championships, Stanfield Head Coach Ray (head track and basketball, football assistant) which marked 1982-87 Rice University their best finish (asst. track coach) since the 1998 season. With 1988 Sam Houston State the guidance of (head cross country, asst. track) Stanfield, seven 1989-92 Huntsville HS - Texas Blazers qualified (head coach) for the regional 1993-94 McNeese State meet and (head coach) Elizabeth 1995-97 Corrigan-Camden HS - Texas Ambrus qualified (head coach) for the NCAA 1998-99 Crockett HS - Texas National (head coach) Championship 2000 Canton HS - Texas meet in two (head coach) events. 2001 Samford University At the (asst. coach) 2005 C-USA 2002-present UAB Indoor (head coach) Championships, Stanfield guided PERSONAL: the Blazers to a Wife - the former Patricia Conway third-place finish, Children - Tori and Tyler (twins) 2008 BLAZERS 3 UAB Track & Field QUOTING COACH STANFIELD On UAB: “What a great university we have, with the aca- demic programs already in place and the guidance of the athletic department under our administration. The sky is the limit for UAB.” On the Student-Athlete: “Academics are very important to me, going back to my years at Rice. I have seen the importance of being a great student. An athlete can only run for so long, then their degree must carry them on.” numerous performers to the all-time top-five list in Blazer Stanfield has also coached collegiately at McNeese State track history. One athlete was also named C-USA Athlete of (head coach,1993-94), Sam Houston State (assistant coach, the Week. 1987-88) and Samford University (assistant coach, 2001-02). Stanfield showed his recruiting ability during the off-sea- While at McNeese State, his women’s team won the son. His first recruiting class as coach of the Blazers includ- Louisiana Collegiate Championship in 1993.