BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The LIU Brooklyn men's and women's indoor track and field teams open the 2014-15 season with two meets starting this weekend. The Blackbirds head to Teaneck, N.J. for the Fairleigh Dickinson Patch Meet on Sunday, Dec. 7 before competing at the Bill Ward Invitational, hosted by St. John's in South Huntington, N.Y.
LIU Brooklyn is coming off an impressive 2013-14 season, as the men's team won the Northeast Conference Indoor Championships last year, the first since 2010, while the women earned a runner-up finish.
The Blackbirds had a total of nine NEC individual Champions and 17 All-NEC honorees between both the men and women, including Second Team All-American and senior Brendon Rodney. Rodney, the NEC's most Valuable Performer, won two titles and broke the conference record in the 200-meter dash. He broke the LIU program record, previously held by Richard James, earlier in the season with his time of 20.78.
Sophomore Adam Walker-Khan also returns for LIU Brooklyn. Walker-Khan made a name for himself as a freshman in the conference, earning Most Outstanding Rookie and Most Outstanding Field Performer honors after the NEC Indoor Championships. He won the triple jump and the long jump in his conference debut.
Seniors Kemar Lewis and Alistair McLean and junior Mica-Jonathan Petit-Homme, who all won individual crowns last season, will also aid the Blackbirds. Lewis won the high jump for the second straight year, while Petit-Homme also successfully defended his 500-meter title. McLean was victorious in the 400-meter dash.
Senior Katrina Anderson will lead the women. Anderson broke the LIU program record in the 800-meter run in 2014 and won the event at the NEC Indoor Championship. She also placed third in the 400-meter dash.
In the sprints, Josephine Watson, Anise Cuffee and Bryanna Williams will all make contributions, as all placed in the top-five in NEC events last season. Kyaira Wright-Harmon will make significant contributions in the jumps.
The Blackbirds will compete nine-regular season indoor meets this season, including four at the Armory in New York City. The 2015 NEC Indoor Championships will be held from Feb. 21-22 in Landover, Md.