SportsWeek
May 1, 2014
Pho?o by Charles F.. I^ftwich Jr.
Isis Brooks is looking to race her way to the top.
Brooks looks to further
ascend on the track
BY CRAIG T. GREENLEE
FOR THE CHRONICLE
In her second year of high school track, Isis Brooks of
East Forsyth has firmly established herself as an up-and
coming talent. There's no way to predict if she'll challenge
for a top-three finish at the Class 4-A State Outdoor Track
Championships on May 17. What is abundantly clear is
that she has a promising future in the 100 and 200-meter
sprints.
Brooks put on a noteworthy display at the Scott Brent
Invitational in April. She won both races convincingly in a
meet that serves as the City-County Track and Field
Championships. Brooks, however, quickly acknowledged
that some of the top sprinters in the county did not com
pete. Parkland's girls were no-shows because the
Mustangs opted to run in the prestigious Arcadia
Invitational (Calif.) on the day that the Brent event was
held.
"I realized that some of the top people weren't there,"
said Brooks, who ran 12.24 seconds in the 100 and 25.10
seconds in the 200. "But at the same time, it was still good
competition and I was happy with my times for that day.
Winning those races gave me a lot of confidence. It proves
that as long as 1 put my mind to it, 1 can do whatever it is
that I set out to do."
Brooks, a sophomore who runs with the Tri-City
I
Relays during the summer months, admittedly has a way
to go in her development. The prime focus of her training,
explained Coach James Studevent, is to build strength and
stamina.
"Isis was skilled when she came to East Forsyth," he
said. "So now it's a matter of enhancing what she's already
developed. In order for her to be at her best, she has to be
durable so she can consistently run strong in the prelims
and finals of her events. Staying injury free is the key."
Earlier this year. Brooks served notice that she would
be a factor. In the 55-meter dash at the state indoor track
championships, she ran 7.26 seconds, which was good
enough for sixth place. In that race, the third, fourth, fifth
and sixth-place runners were separated by only .15 sec
onds. With that finish. Brooks made good on her goal to
make the 55-meter finals at the state championships.
Brooks, who stands 5-feet 3 Vi and weighs 115
pounds, is on course to earn a trip to the outdoor champi
onships. She's already met the qualifying standards for the
Midwest 4-A Regional Championships in her events
(12.14 seconds in the 100 and 25.10 seconds in the 200).
With a top-four regional finish, she advances to the state.
"There's some great talent in the sprints around the
state," she said. "My goal for outdoor state is the same as
1 had for indoors. I want that opportunity to compete (in
the finals) so 1 can see where 1 stand against the best."
i
Eagles Swoop into Governor's Mansion
i r m ? m M 1
NCCU PhMo
Gov. Pal McCrory
congratulates the
M E A C
Championship-win
ning N.C. Central
Men's Basketball
Team at the
Governor's Mansion
in Raleigh last week.
The team presented
the governor with his
own Eagles jersey.
McCrory presented
the team with a reso
lution honoring their
big win.
I 1
WSSU Photo by Garrett Garms
Tajanel McNeil soars.
Rams
handout
annual
awards
-
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT
The Winston-Salem State University Athletics
Department celebrated another successful year last week
at its annual banquet.
The Wednesday, April 23 event was held at the Benton
Convention Center. Alan L. ? Caldwell, director of
Community & Civic Engagement at Reynolds American,
delivered the keynote address.
WXIl's Cameron Kent served as emcee. Student-ath
letes were feted for their good work
on the field and court, in the class
room and the community.
The top honors went to senior
linebacker Carlos Fields Jr. and jun
ior jumper Tajanel McNeil, who
were named the Mary Garber
WSSU Male and Female Student
Athletes of the Year.
Fields earned the honor after
being named the C1AA Co
Defensive Player of the Year and
earning first team All-Super Region
1 Honors from the Don Hansen Football Gazette. McNeil
earned the honor after being named the field events MVP
at the 2014 CIAA Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field
Championships and earning All-American honors in her
second straight trip to the NCAA Division II Indoor Track
& Field Championships.
Senior offensive lineman Nathaniel Hartung took
home the Chancellor's Cup after building a 4.0 GPA, the
highest GPA for all WSSU student-athletes. The Lady
Rams Softball team took home several honors, including
the Athletic Director's Cup for the having the highest team
GPA, as well as the Cameron Kent Community Service
Award for logging the most community service hours.
WSSU Head Baseball Coach Kevin Ritsche was hon
ored as the C.E. "Big House" Gaines Coach of the Year
after leading the Rams to their fourth straight CIAA
Championship and a fourth straight trip to the NCAA
Division II Atlantic Region Tournament. WSSU supporter
Carolyn Anderson won the Ultimate Ram Award, an honor
given to top supporters of WSSU Athletics. Assistant
Athletic Trainer Theodora Scott won the Weston Spirit
Award for exemplifying the spirit of Rams Athletics by
showing support for all athletic teams.
Fields
Top Aggie bowler is an All-American
SPECIAL TP THE CHRONICLE
The most decorated bowler in North Carolina A&T history has done it again.
Sophomore Emily Strombeck added another accolade to her flourishing career
last week as she was named a ZU13-14 honorable mention All-American by tne
National Tenpin Coaches Association.
The All-American teams are selected based on votes from collegiate head coach
es who are members of the NTCA.
"She earned it," Head Coach James Williams said. "Emily improved her game
from last year and the coaches recognized her hard work."
Strombeck, who received the program's first ever Ail-American honor, helped
take the Aggies to a remarkable year.
A&T saw its program reach its first national ranking when it entered the NTCA
poll ranked 20th in January. The Aggies' progression throughout the season included
defeating several other ranked teams, which allowed them to finish 13th in the
Williams
nation.
Strombeck turned in A&T's highest average throughout the season and was named the MEAC Player
of the Year, which was the first time an Aggie had earned that honor.
The sophomore totaled a pinfall of 8.889 and averaged 202.0 in 44 games. She bowled a season-high
254. and was selected MEAC Bowler of the Week four times. Strombeck, who was named MEAC Rookie
of the Year last season, earned tournament MVP honors at the Aggie Master's Challenge and was selected
to four all-tournament teams this season. >
AAT Photo
Bowling standout Emily Strombeck.
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