Nashville, Tenn. - Fourteen members of the Vanderbilt women’s track and field squad will participate later this week in the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships at the University of Florida.

The youthful Commodores, under the direction of Head Coach Lori Shepard, will attempt to improve off a 10th place in the ultra-tough 2002 SEC Championships. Nine of the 14 Vanderbilt athletes entered are either freshmen or sophomores.

“We have athletes that should contend to score in several events, but as a team, we are concentrating on improving off the 2002 result. Since we did not compete last weekend, we should have fresh legs and be ready to compete. I think a lot of our athletes are ready for indoor personal bests. This first exposure to elite competition will be eye opening to our younger athletes,” Shepard said.

Vanderbilt has never enjoyed great team success in the indoor championships, with its best finish being eighth place in 1998. A member from the powerful SEC has won or finished second at the NCAA Indoor Championships every year since 1990.

Commodore competitors include sophomore Josie Hahn, pentathlon and high jump; freshman Amanda Mullins-Hall, hurdles and relays; freshman Latisha Bryant, 400 meters and relays; senior Joy Parker, 800 meters and relays; junior Vanessa Lagios, 400 meters and relays; senior Vensherrie Campbell, weight throw; senior Cicely Campbell, 800 meters and relays; sophomore Paige Roberts, pole vault; junior Andrea Andrews, long jump; sophomore Shawnette Adams, triple jump; freshman Erika Schneble, 5,000 meters; freshman Caitlin Shannon, mile and relays; sophomore Nadiyah Humber, relays; and freshman Jackie Wachsman, 5,000 meters.

Hahn may have the best shot at notching Vanderbilt’s first individual win at the SEC Indoor Championships since Ryan Tolbert won the 400 meters in 1997. The native of Clinton, Tenn., is among the first contenders in two events, the pentathlon and high jump.

Hahn enters the SEC Championships off a pair of individual wins in the high jump. Her best effort this year, a personal best 5’8” at the Hoosier Invitational in Indiana, is tied as the fourth best jump this winter in the conference. She will competing in her first pentathlon of the season at the SEC Championships. At the 2002 SEC Championships, Hahn scored a school-record 3,598 points in the five-event competition to earn fifth place overall.

A pair of freshmen - Mullins-Hall and Schneble - could earn points for the Commodores. Mullins-Hall is ranked among the SEC’s top 10 in the 60-meter hurdles with a 8.53 effort. She likely needs to lower her personal best to qualify for the hurdle finals. Schneble enters the meet with the SEC’s fourth fastest 5,000 this winter,17:24.13. She enters the championships with the third fastest indoor 5,000 in Vanderbilt history.

Senior Cicely Campbell returns in the 800 meters after finishing third in the event in 2001 and narrowly missing the finals last year. To qualify, she will probaby need her best effort of the season.