March 12, 2009
COLLEGE STATION, Texas –
Four University of Kentucky track and field athletes are slated to compete in individual events on Friday, the first day of competition at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships at Texas A&M University’s Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium at the McFerrin Athletic Center in College Station, Texas.
Big Blue fans will have the opportunity to watch the Wildcats compete live and free of charge on the internet this weekend. The NCAA Championships will be streamed live on ESPN360.com both Friday and Saturday. The live feed begins with the start of competition at 11:00 a.m. ET Friday and continues at 1:00 p.m. Saturday. Additionally, ESPN2 will air a 90-minute highlight show on Mar. 23 at 2:30 p.m. ET. Live UK results and text commentary will be available through ukathletics.com throughout the two-day event on the track and field page.
Multi-event specialist Ashley Trimble starts competition for the Wildcats in the women’s pentathlon at 11:00 a.m. ET Friday. The senior won a Southeastern Conference Championship in the event two weeks ago with a school record point total of 3,991 points. She became the first woman in school history to capture an indoor SEC pentathlon title; receiving All-AEC First Team honors in the process. Trimble’s point total leads the conference and ranks 16th nationally.
At 5:45 p.m. ET, senior Mikel Thomas will compete in the 60m hurdle preliminaries for the second straight year after placing 15th nationally last season. Last month at the Iowa State Classic, Thomas set the UK 60m hurdles record by winning the final in a blistering time of 7.74, edging his 2008 record of 7.75. His time stands second in the SEC and sixth in the country.
One hour later, sprinter Rondel Sorrillo will compete in his first event of the evening – the men’s 60m dash preliminaries. At the SEC Championships, the junior posted a time of 6.60 in his first collegiate meet as a Wildcat to automatically qualify for the NCAA race. Sorrillo’s mark ranks second all-time at UK. His time is tied for second in the SEC and ranks in a tie for fifth nationally.
Sorrillo returns to action at 7:45 p.m. in the 200m dash preliminaries. The sprinter recorded his season-best time of 20.83 for another NCAA automatic bid last weekend at the Iowa State Qualifier. His best time as a Wildcat ranks second all-time in school history. Sorrillo’s mark is second in the SEC and ties him for third in the nation. Sorrillo will also compete in the men’s 4x400m relay on Saturday.
Thrower Chase Madison will be the final Wildcat to begin competition on day one of the Championships. The senior competes in the men’s shot put trials and final at 7:50 p.m. ET. Madison attained his top NCAA provisional mark at UK’s McCravy Memorial Meet posting a personal-best throw of 61-7.75. The distance stands seventh all-time at UK. Madison’s throw ranks fifth in the SEC and 12th nationally.
The 200m dash final takes place late in the evening, at 9:10 p.m. ET, should Sorrillo advance.
The men’s 4x400m relay team of Sorrillo, freshman Justin Austin; seniors Brandon Austin and Jose Acevedo will participate in the meet’s last event Saturday night. Thomas and Sorrillo could also be in action in the 60m hurdles and 60m dash finals, respectively, should they qualify after their preliminaries.
The UK men’s squad is ranked 15th in the country heading into the last weekend of the season.
A full recap of the Cats’ performances will be available after competition both Friday and Saturday on UKathletics.com.
Kentucky NCAA Indoor Championship Participants Competing on Friday Mar. 13
Women’s Pentathlon – 11:00 a.m. ET
Ashley Trimble
Men’s 60 Meter Hurdles Preliminaries – 5:45 p.m. ET
Mikel Thomas
Men’s 60 Meter Dash Preliminaries – 6:45 p.m. ET
Rondel Sorrillo
Men’s 200 Meter Dash Preliminaries – 7:45 p.m. ET
Rondel Sorrillo
Men’s Shot Put Trials and Final – 7:50 p.m. ET
Chase Madison
Men’s 200 Meter Dash Finals – 9:10 p.m. ET
Rondel Sorrillo
