Sean Smith sets SCAC record in 200 meters; baseball player honored

RELEASED: May 23, 2002

DANVILLE, KY-Centre College sprinter Sean Smith will compete in the 200-meter dash at the NCAA National Championships at St. Paul, Minn., May 23-25.

Smith, a sophomore from Louisville, broke the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference record in the 200 meters last month with a time of 21.69 seconds. Smith broke the previous record of 21.75 at the conference championships in Memphis where the Colonels finished third out of 10 teams. Smith also finished second in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.85.

Head track coach Lisa Owens said, "Sean is a tremendous worker and leader. He leads by example and is extremely deserving of this honor. He currently has the fourth best time in the country in the 200 meters and I expect him to do very well in Minnesota. It's great having him back for two more years."

Smith doubles as a wide receiver on the Centre football team.

In other Centre sports, outfielder Scott Schlegel was named to the first-team all-SCAC baseball team. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound senior batted .355 for the Colonels with seven doubles, a triple and a home run. Schlegel's on-base percentage of .455 was second best on the team and he led the team in stolen bases with 13.

"Scott is the best centerfielder and best lead-off man I've ever coached," said head coach Ed Rall. "He understands the strategy in a game, and he'd be a great coach some day. He gets an unbelievable jump on the ball in the outfield and makes tough plays look routine. He's a team-oriented guy and a tremendous student and leader. He will be sorely missed next year."

The four-year letterman from Russellville, Ky., had a .330 career batting average with 36 career stolen bases leading the team in steals three out of four years. The speedy outfielder also carries a 3.33 grade point average majoring in economics.

Baseball players Matt Durham and John Ortega were both named honorable mention all-conference.

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