April 18, 2008

JACKSON, MISS. - The Southwestern Athletic Conference will begin its 2008 Spring Championships schedule this weekend with men and women's outdoor track and field, men and women's golf and men and women's tennis.

This year, Jackson State University has the privilege to host the golf championships which will be held Apr. 20-22 at the Dancing Rabbit Golf Club in Philadelphia, Miss. The men and women's track and field championships will be held Apr. 19-21 at the Tad Gormley Stadium in New Orleans. The tennis championships will begin Apr. 17-20 at the City Park Tennis Complex in Alexandria, La.

The Jackson State Lady Tigers golf team will be looking to capture their second consecutive title and their 11th championship in 13 years. After last year's defeat to Texas Southern the Tigers golf team is looking to claim the 2008 SWAC Golf title. Prior to last year, Jackson State had won 19 straight men's titles.

In 2007, Alabama State University took home the women's track and field title, this year however, after capturing their 2008 SWAC Indoor Track and Field Championship the Jackson State Lady Tigers will be giving the Lady Hornets a run for the outdoor title.

Jackson State's Lavarius Giles brought home the 2008 men's 100 and 200-meter dash titles, and will be looking to capturing the titles again this year.

Competition begins on Saturday at 9 a.m. followed by action on Sunday that kicks off at 9 a.m. The finals will be held Monday with events starting at 8:00 a.m.

Tickets for admission are $5 for adults, $3 for youth and students with identification.

In tennis, the top three teams from both the Conference's Eastern and Western Divisions will meet in single-elimination team competition to crown the men and women's conference champions.

In the women's bracket, play begins on Thursday with Jackson State and Prairie View A&M meeting at 9 a.m. On Friday, the men's eastern-division winner Jackson State will play at 9 a.m. against the match winner of match one that will be held on Thursday. 

Quarterfinal matches will take place on Saturday while both brackets will conclude with their championship matches taking place at 10 a.m. on Sunday.