OwlSports.com • 1 • 2017-18 Temple Track & Field TEMPLE TRACK & FIELD 2017 QUICK FACTS TEMPLE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS Location....................................... Philadelphia, Pa. Track & Field Contact Kelsey Boyd Founded.........................................................1884 Office Phone 215-204-0624 Enrollment..................................................39 ,000 E-mail [email protected] President.................................. Richard M. Englert Website www.OwlSports.com Director of Athletics...................... Dr. Patrick Kraft Nickname.......................................................Owls TABLE OF CONTENTS Colors.........................................Cherry and White Quick Facts .......................................................1 Home Track......................Temple Sports Complex 2017-18 Schedule ........................................... 2 Conference................................ American Athletic Season Outlook .............................................. 3 Coaches and Staff ........................................5-9 COACHING STAFF Athlete Profiles...........................................10-26 Head Coach Elvis Forde 2017-2018 Top Performances .................27--28 Phone 215-204-8258 History and Records ................................29-31 E-Mail [email protected] American Athletic Conference ......................32 Assistant Coach (Distance) James Snyder University and Owls Staff ........................33-38 Phone 215-204-3563 E-mail [email protected] Assistant Coach (Jumps) Tramaine Ellison Phone 215-204-1783 E-mail [email protected] Director of Operations Ieisha Jackson Phone 215-204-2761 E-mail [email protected] THE TEAM Returners 13 Freshmen 18 Transfers 0 2017 American Indoor Finish 10th/11 2017 American Outdoor Finish 11th/11 Under Armour® is the official outfitter ofemple T Athletics. The originators of performance apparel, Under Armour has transitioned athletes into moisture-wicking apparel since 1996. Under Armour products are sold worldwide and worn by athletes at all levels, from youth to professional, on playing fields around the globe. CREDITS The 2017-2018 women’s track& field media guide was written, edited, and designed by Kelsey Boyd. and Blanca Fernandez. Layout, template, and cover design by Kelli Sheesley. Additional editing by OwlsXCTnF Al Shrier. Cover photos and Interior photography provided by Joseph V. Labolito. Published by the @ Temple University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. GREATNESS DOESN’T QUIT. • 2 • OwlSports.com 2017-2018 SCHEDULE INDOOR Date Day Meet Location DEC 1 (FRI) FASTRACK SEASON OPENER STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. DEC 5 (TUE) NAVY LID LIFTER ANNAPOLIS, MD. JAN 13 (SAT) NITTANY LION CHALLENGE STATE COLLEGE, PA. JAN 26-27 (FRI-SAT) PENN STATE NATIONAL STATE COLLEGE, PA. FEB 3 (SAT) VILLANOVA INVITE STATENT ISLAND, N.Y. FEB 9 (FRI) FASTRACK NATIONAL INVITE STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. FEB 23-24 (FRI-SAT) AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS BIRMINGHAM, ALA. MAR 9-10 (FRI-SAT) NCAA INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS OUTDOOR Date Day Meet Location MAR 16-17 (FRI-SAT) 49ER CLASSIC CHARLOTTE, N.C. MAR 30-31 (FRI-SAT) OLE MISS INVITE OXFORD, MISS. APR 6-7 (FRI-SAT) SAM HOWELL INVITE PRINCETON, N.J. APR 13 (FRI) TEMPLE OWLS INVITE TEMPLE SPORTS COMPLEX APR 20-21 (FRI-SAT) VIRGINIA CHALLENGE CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. APR 21 (SAT) MORGAN STATE LEGACY BALTIMORE, MD. APR 26-28 (THU-SAT) PENN RELAYS PHILADELPHIA, PA. MAY 10-12 (THU-SAT) AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS CINCINNATI, OH MAY 24-26 (THU-SAT) NCAA EAST REGIONAL TAMPA, FLA. JUN 6-9 (WED-SAT) NCAA OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS EUGENE, ORE. *Home meets in cherry. • 3 • 2017-18 Temple Track & Field 2017-2018 SEASON OUTLOOK Entering its fourth season under the direction of head coach Elvis ing high quality performance. We are remaining cautiously optimistic that her Forde, Temple women’s track and field is looking to make great strides in the healing process is coming along and are looking forward to her getting back coming year. The squad will kick off its indoor season on Friday, Dec. 1 at the out there.” Fastrack Season Opener. Key sophomore returners for the season include Millie Howard, Ebonee Jack- “When I arrived at Temple, I said that by my fourth season I expected to see our son, Grace Moore and Mariah Slade. team make a transition, reaching more success than it had then,” said Forde. “Part of that was the expectation that everyone on our staff would recruit ath- Howard made several notable contributions to the track and field program as a letes of quality. The past couple of years we have brought in 16-plus freshmen freshman. During the indoor season, she set the 1000m run record with her time and more than half of them, we consider high-caliber performers.” of 2:52.02 at the Artie O’Connor Invitational. At the American Outdoor Champi- onships, Howard earned third place in the 800m. Her top-three performance Returning to the track this season are senior Katie Pinson and juniors Crystal qualified her for the NCAA East Regional Preliminaries. Jones, Katie Leisher, and Sylvia Wilson. Last season, Pinson broke her own school record in the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 10:43.50 at the Larry El- “Last season, Millie was a standout,” says Forde. “We will rely on her heavily lis Invitational in April. The senior also contributed to the record-setting distance when it comes to middle distance events.” medley relay team at Penn Relays. The squad will look to her to step up as a se- nior to aid the program in reaching its goal of success in middle distance events. As freshmen, Moore, Jackson, and Slade, proved to be great talents. Last sea- son, Moore topped Pinson’s 3000m steeplchase record at the Larry Ellis Invita- Jones was named a 2017-18 co-captain for the team. As a sophomore, Jones tional with a time of 10:41.68. While Jackson and Slade both suffered injuries set a program record in the pentathlon at the American Athletic Conference In- during their freshman campaign, the coaching staff can see their potential. door Championships with a mark of 3,528 points. The performance earned her Forde is looking forward to each of them continuing to grow in their respective a spot on the podium and events. Jones brought a second place medal back to north “Grace is a huge talent. We are Philadelphia. looking forward to helping her be the kind of successful ath- “For Crystal, the lights are lete that we believe she can coming on more and more be,” says Forde. “Ebonee has every year,” says Forde. been putting in some good “She has huge expecta- work. The expectations are tions for herself this sea- now that as a sophomore, she son and if she meets those can be much more valuable expectations, it will benefit to the program. The same our program tremendous- goes for Mariah, who had ly. We are looking forward also battled some injuries as to her dominating some a freshman. Having them both events, which she has the healthy this year will definitely ability to do, such as the make a difference in the suc- indoor pentathlon and cess of the program.” the high jump. Crystal is a multi-talented athlete that The freshman class is made will go far this year.” of up state champions and district champions as well as All-Conference and All-East cross country honor- Leisher will enter the track and field season coming off a great cross country ees. With outstanding high school, international, and Division I cross country season. This fall, she served as women’s cross country’s top runner in sever- performances under their belts, this year’s freshmen are expected to make an al meets, highlighted with a top-10 finish at the American Athletic Conference immediate impact on the track. Championships where the junior placed seventh overall to earn All-Conference honors for the second year in a row. Last year, Leisher broke the 5000m pro- The 2017-18 indoor season track and field season is highlighted with competi- gram record, previously held by Jenna Dubrow (‘15), at the American Indoor tions at the Penn State National (Jan. 26-27), the Villanova Invitational (Feb. 3), Championships. and the American Athletic Conference Championships (Feb. 23-24) in Birming- ham, Ala.. Each will feature national caliber athletes, posing great competition “We definitely see that bright light come on in Katie,” says Forde. “We are ex- for the Owls. This outdoor season, Temple will host the Temple Owls Invite on pecting a great indoor season from her building off of a tremendous cross coun- April 13. The American Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships are set for try season.” May 10-12 in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 2016, Wilson was the 60m hurdle champion at the American Athletic Confer- “As a coaching staff, we have to do our best coaching and teaching job,” says ence Indoor Championships. After a standout freshman season, the Ellenwood, Forde. “The task is on us to be the kind of mentors we need to be in helping to Ga., native sat out in 2017 due to injury. As the 2017-18 season approaches, the instill the discipline that the team needs to succeed. We want to make them real- now co-captain is projected to make a gradual impact. ize that they are here because they are skilled and have talent, but at the same “Our only track and field champion besides Blanca Fernandez (‘16), is Sylvia,” time, they have to believe in their abilities more than we do. The bar is set high.” says Forde. “We are looking forward to her joining the fray again. She would be a huge addition in regards to returning to competition off injury and concern- GREATNESS DOESN’T QUIT. • 4 • COACHES & STAFF 2017-18 Temple Track & Field HEAD COACH Elvis Forde 4th Season Elvis Forde, who has a quarter century of experience as a head track and field/cross country coach at the NCAA Division I level, was named the track and field/cross country coach at Temple University in August of 2014. Forde, a four-time All-American and two-time Olympian, came to the Owls after spending a dozen years as the head track and field coach at Illinois State.