May 14, 2007

WINSTON-SALEM, NC - In just her second season at the helm for Winston-Salem State University Track & Field, head coach Halcyon Blake led the WSSU Rams and Lady Rams teams to a successful 2007 season that offered a glimpse into the bright future of WSSU track & field. 

"Track and Field at Winston-Salem State University is becoming a way of life," WSSU head coach Halcyon Blake said. "The team has excelled more than we thought they would after a full year and two seasons of actually training."

The 2007 season was the team's first indoor season and was a major success. Heading into some of the best meets in the country by invitation, the Rams and Lady Rams' Indoor Track & Field team had some great performances, especially by some of its' top performers. Seven WSSU student-athletes traveled to the New Balance Collegiate Invitational at the 168^th Street Armory in New York City where they competed against some of the top competition in the country, including Arkansas, Southern California, Florida State, Auburn, Tennessee, Stanford, South Carolina, and Florida, among others. WSSU freshman Javonna Brown and sophomore Sandy Harrison represented the Lady Rams while sophomore Gerrod Sidbury and Jordan Holley joined freshman Brandon Howe at the prestigious event. The teams were awesome in their performances at the prestigious meet. The men's 4x200m Relay team had the best performance of the Rams' first indoor season with a second place finish in their event. "As the coach, the staff and I are so proud of their accomplishment as the event was a test of their will and their heart," WSSU head coach Halcyon Blake said of the team's efforts.

After such a strong indoor season, the Winston-Salem State track and field teams continued their stellar efforts in the outdoor season and made some tremendous strides against some of the best competition in the country and the world. Highlighting the season was the team's performance at the Wake Forest Invitational in the team's hometown of Winston-Salem, NC.

"During the outdoor season we performed extremely well at the Wake Forest Invitational to show our families, friends, and fans that here at WSSU we are building a dynasty," Blake added. "And we are something in the near future to be reckoned with."

The teams went on to finish the season in one of the biggest meets in team history when they took part in the 113^th running of the Penn Relays. In front of a raucous crowd, the WSSU track & field teams had some great performances. Their efforts at the prestigious meet announced the arrival of WSSU track & field and showed that the Rams and Lady Rams have earned a place among the track & field elite and will be there in the future.

"The athletes ran in front of 60,000 screaming fans showing their support and sometimes their sympathy to the athletes," Blake said of the team's efforts at the meet. "Our athletes' eyes were wide open as they had never been on a stage of this magnitude before. They made WSSU very proud in the way they carried themselves and showed great maturity."

The team's trophy case got a bit bigger to end the year when head coach Halcyon Blake was honored as the C.E. Gaines Coach of the Year by the Winston-Salem State University Department of Athletics.

"I am so very blessed and proud to be the coach of a wonderful group of student-athletes," Blake said. "And with the encouragement of faculty and staff we will continue to grow, excel and make WSSU very proud."