April 8, 2009
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – This weekend the Kentucky track and field squads will compete at the 43rd annual Sea Ray Relays hosted by the University of Tennessee at the Tom Black Track inside LaPorte Stadium beginning Wednesday afternoon.
The first two days of competition will focus on multi-events and the women’s hammer throw. Two UK men and three women are scheduled to take part in the men’s decathlon and women’s heptathlon on Wednesday. The decathlon begins at 3:30 p.m. ET Wednesday while the heptathlon starts 30 minutes later. The men kick off the multi-event with the 100m dash, long jump, shot put, high jump and 400m dash. The women begin with four events including the 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put and 200m dash.
Both multi-events conclude Thursday with the decathlon competition at 2:30 p.m. and the heptathlon at 4:00 p.m. At 7:00 p.m., the women’s hammer throw begins with an invitational followed by the open event. Remaining field events begin Friday at 12:15 p.m. while running events start at 1:45 p.m. On the final day of competition, Saturday, field events start at 9:15 a.m. and running events get out of the blocks at 12:40 p.m. Live results can be found at UKathletics.com
The Kentucky men’s track and field team achieved its highest ranking in program history last week.The Wildcats claimed the No. 6 position in the outdoor preseason United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) poll released last Wednesday. Last season, the UK men placed ninth nationally at the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Championships, the Cats’ best finish in the 87-year history of the championships, with three medalists and seven All-America honorees.
Besides the sixth-ranked Wildcats, athletes from No. 24 Louisville and the ninth-ranked host Volunteers will compete this weekend. On the women’s side, athletes will represent several ranked squads including No. 2 Virginia Tech, No. 3 Oregon, No. 4 Tennessee, No. 17 South Carolina and No. 24 Louisville. Other schools include Connecticut, Indiana, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, San Diego State, Seton Hall, Villanova and West Virginia.
Last week at the Florida Relays, the Wildcats set three school records. Freshman Luis Orta posted a time of 9:00.27 to win the steeplechase competition by more than four seconds and set the UK freshman record. The Wildcat’s time qualifies him for the NCAA Mideast Regional in late May and ranks seventh all-time at UK. In the women’s pole vault, junior Mary Chris Durham matched the UK varsity record of 12-1.50. Freshman Samantha Stenzel cleared 11-7.75, topping her old freshman record set two weeks ago that she shared with Durham.
At the Auburn Tiger Track Classic last weekend eight throwers posted 13 NCAA regional-qualifying marks in the shot put, hammer and discus competitions. Four Wildcat seniors notched multiple marks: Ashley Muffet earned three while Chase Madison, Rashaud Scott and Emilee Strot posted two.
Daily recaps of the Cats’ performances will be available on UKathletics.com beginning Thursday evening.
