Feb. 2, 2005

Robert Boulware

Matthew Lapp

Jeff Trembley

Robert Boulware, Matthew Lapp and Jeff Trembley were elected captains of the 2005 Tennessee track and field team by vote of their teammates. Boulware and Trembley are first-time collegiate captains. Lapp has served as captain for the cross country team the last two seasons.

Boulware, a junior from Charlotte, N.C., specializes in the 60-meter hurdles during the indoor season and 110 hurdles outdoors. He owns a season-best time of 8.01 in the 60 hurdles at the Kentucky Invitational. He also plays safety for the Tennessee football team. Boulware is the first dual-sport captain of the Tennessee track and field squad since Volunteer legend Sam Graddy served in that role on the 1985 team. Until Justin Gatlin won three medals at the 2004 Olympics, Graddy stood as Tennessee track's most decorated Olympian for 20 years after winning a gold and silver medal at the 1984 Games. Before Graddy, dual-sport star Willie Gault was elected co-captain in 1982 with David Patrick.

"It's a great feeling to know your team has faith in you to lead them," Boulware said. "It's a lot of responsibilty. We have a lot of young guys on the team. We've got to help them get into the routine. We're the gateway between the team and the coaches.

Lapp, a junior from Coatesville, Pa., is a long distance specialist. Lapp is continuing training to improve his fitness after missing the 2004 cross country season with injuries sustained in a traffic accident. He has not raced yet in the 2005 track season. Lapp is help in such esteem that the track co-captain now has filled that role three times in his collegiate career. The 2003 and 2004 cross country squads also elected Lapp a captain. In the outdoor season, Lapp's career-best 10,000 time of 30:21.75 ranks among the team leaders.

"It's an outstanding honor," Lapp said. "It was really a surprise to me. The main thing I think I've learned about being a captain is listening to your teammates. You have to learn everyone's different. Everyone doesn't respond to the same motivation. The job of a captain is to make people compete higher than they thought they could and compete together.

Trembley, a junior from Maryville, Tenn., specializes in the pole vault. Trembley became the first native Tennessean to captain the Vols since Tim Bell, another Maryville product, was elected co-captain in the NCAA indoor championship year of 2002. Trembley owns a season-best leap of 16-1 3/4 at the Tennessee All-Comers Meet. Trembley owns a career-best leap of 16-4 3/4 and was the only Vol pole vaulter to score at the 2004 SEC outdoor championships. Trembley's father, John, is a legendary former Vol swimmer and current Tennessee swimming head coach.

"I take it as a huge honor from my teammates," Trembley said. "I'm excited to go through this year with these guys. We've got some great people. I love being around this team. I plan to lead with integrity.