Jan. 14, 2010

Live Results

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky track and field team opens the 2010 indoor season playing host to the annual Kentucky Invitational this weekend, Jan. 15-16 at the E.J. Nutter Field House.

The Invitational begins Friday at 6 p.m. EST with select field events. Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. field events resume before running events begin at 12:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, with live statistics and a complete schedule of events at www.ukathletics.com/track.  

The Kentucky men open the season ranked 17th while the women stand at 43rd in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association preseason poll.

Last season, three Wildcats earned Indoor All-America Honors. Rondel Sorrillo was named All-America for the 60m and 200m dash while graduate Chase Madison earned the honor for his performance in the shot put.  Finishing her collegiate career last spring, Ashley Trimble was named All-America after breaking the UK varsity record in the pentathlon. UK sent seven athletes to compete in the NCAA Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas, where the men finished in 19th place out of 66 teams.

“This meet will gauge the fitness level of our athletes,” UK Head Coach Don Weber said. “We would really like to see their training and hard work transfer into the meet. I expect to see people compete and push themselves outside of their comfort zones.”

Several returning athletes and a few new faces will combine to build on the team’s 2009 success.

After claiming the fourth-best NCAA Indoor Championship point total in school history last year, the UK men will look to some of its veteran athletes for continued success. Sprinter and 2008 Olympian Rondel Sorrillo returns for his senior season to compete in the 60m dash and 200m dash, along with the 4x400m and 4x100m relay. An Indoor and Outdoor All-American, Sorrillo is currently the varsity school record holder in the 200m dash.

Along with Sorrillo, the sprinting and relay corps will rely heavily upon senior sprinter Kwasi Obeng. Obeng, a 2008 All-American competed on the 2009 4x100m outdoor relay team that holds the fourth-fastest time in school history.

Justin Austin, a 2009 NCAA Indoor Semifinalist in the 4×400 relay will return to the sprinting lineup for his junior season after redshirting the 2009 outdoor season due to injury.

For the men’s field athletes, the Wildcats’ only thrower of the season is junior Colin Boevers. Junior David Banks returns as a long jump and triple jump specialist, and is joined by Texas A&M transfer Keenan Hall, also a jump specialist.

After an impressive freshman cross country campaign, distance runner Luis Orta returns for his sophomore season to compete in the 3,000m and 5,000m runs. Sharif Webb, a South Plains Junior College transfer, will make his debut as a Wildcat in the middle distance events this weekend.

The Kentucky women’s distance team will be led by senior Katherine Peterson who returns to indoor track from a cross country season in which she extended her meet scoring streak to two full seasons. Freshman Chelsea Oswald will make her indoor track debut along-side Peterson in the distance events. Oswald was named All Southeastern Freshman Team and All-SEC second team for her cross country performance.

Senior thrower and 2009 SEC Outdoor Co-Field Athlete of the Year, Ashley Muffet returns for her final indoor season. Muffet is the school indoor varsity record holder in the shot put and weight throw.

Senior Kristin Smith is a strong competitor for the Wildcats in the throwing events. Mary Angell and Jennifer Svoboda join Muffet and Smith to complete the women’s throwing squad.

Junior Ke’Undra Bishop will lead the women’s jump team and also compete in sprinting events. Junior Ashley Newby is a strong contributor for the Wildcats in the heptathlon and pentathlon events.

Varsity record holder in the indoor 4x400m relay and indoor 400m dash, senior Jenna Martin returns after redshirting the 2009 season.

Four men’s teams and three women’s teams competing in the invite are ranked in the USTFCCA Top 25 preseason poll. Ranked teams for the women include No. 6 Florida, No. 12 Tennessee and No. 18 Louisville, while the four ranked teams on the men’s side include No. 2 Florida, No. 15 Auburn, No. 17 Kentucky and No. 19 Georgia.

This is the first of two events that the Wildcats will host this season at Nutter Field House, including the Rod McCravy Memorial, Jan. 29-30.

Parking and event admission are free. Seating is limited in the northwest corner of the field house and spectators will not be permitted on the infield. Outside food and drinks are prohibited in E.J. Nutter Field House.

Event parking is located in the green lot of Commonwealth Stadium.

Schedule of Events

Friday, January 15

Saturday, January 16