December 14, 2015

Needs releases C-N's '16 outdoor schedule

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn.—Carson-Newman track and field coach David Needs announced his team’s 2016 outdoor schedule earlier today, a slate which features five meets across the span of three weeks leading into the South Atlantic Conference Championship Meet on April 15th.

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn.—Carson-Newman track and field coach David Needs announced his team's 2016 outdoor schedule earlier today, a slate which features five meets across the span of three weeks leading into the South Atlantic Conference Championship Meet on April 15^th.

"Most of the meets we are going to, we are going to see a lot of Division I teams there," coach David Needs said. "You only get better from competing against the best competition."

Carson-Newman will take a month off following the conclusion of the indoor schedule on Feb. 19^th at Appalachian State before taking part in the Power Sox Invitational on March 19^th. The Eagles will then split their squad into two teams on the weekend of March 25^th and 26^th to take part in both the Wingate and Shorter Invite.

The Tennessee Relays will then be the site for a three-day event on the weekend of April 7^th-9^th. The team will also be split into two once again as the University of the Cumberlands will play host to Carson-Newman as well on April 9^th.

If qualified, Carson-Newman will compete in the SAC Championships on the weekend of April 15^th-17^th and at the Appalachian Outdoor on May 7^th in Boone, N.C to wrap up the 2016 track and field schedule.

"We try to go to as many good meets as we possibly can, some that face Division II competition and certainly some that will face some Division I competition," Needs said. "We like to go to some local places such as the University of Tennessee and to ETSU, but we also like to make trips. We are looking at going to Tiffin and to the Penn Relays and to some other places that will be good for us. It really gives us a balance of great tracks and great competitions."

Needs believes his team is in a good position to build on the positive things they accomplished over the past year. The coach expects a number of his athletes to be competing at the national level come season's end.

"Our end goal is Nationals every year," Needs said. "We have a lot of people who have been here for a while and we are getting some other people that we are real excited about. Hopefully in January, we will have some real good additions to add to the team, and to the strength, to achieve some pretty good success. "

Carson-Newman will continue surging through its indoor track schedule while also utilizing it as a time to train for the outdoor events that will take place in the near future.

"It [indoor track] gets you ready for the outdoor season because it keeps you in check to where your training matches your event schedule and the athletes have something to look forward to at the end of the week," Needs said. "You can win a National Championship as easily in indoor as you can outdoor and one doesn't mean any more than the other."

Stay in tune with track and field, as well as the rest of Carson-Newman athletics, by following us online at cneagles.com and on twitter at @CNathletics.

Team	Date
Power Sox Invitational	Mar. 19
Wingate Invite	Mar. 25
Shorter Invite	Mar. 25
Shorter Invite	Mar. 26
Wingate Invite	Mar. 26
Tennessee Relays	Apr. 7
Tennessee Relays	Apr. 8
Tennessee Relays	Apr. 9
University of the Cumberlands	Apr. 9