LEXINGTON, Ky. – Coming off of one of their most successful campaigns in recent history, the Kentucky track and field squads begin their 2007 indoor season this weekend when they play host to the Kentucky Invitational at E.J. Nutter Field House.
Action begins Friday at 5 p.m. and continues Saturday at 10:30 a.m. The two-day event is free to the public and live statistics will be available at ukathletics.com. It marks the first of three events the Wildcats will host this season at Nutter Field House, including next week?s Rod McCravy Memorial and the SEC Championships Feb. 23-25.
?This meet will be a good opportunity for us to see where we are heading into the season,? UK head coach Don Weber said. ?We have been back at practice for the last week and this will give us an accurate representation of our fitness level at this point. We expect people to do run and compete very well for this time of year.?
Participating teams at the event include: Alabama, Arkansas State, East Tennessee State, Eastern Kentucky, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan (women only), Middle Tennessee State, Marshall (women only), Ohio State, Tennessee, Western Kentucky and Wright State (women only).
Kentucky is coming off a strong 2006 indoor season that saw a number of strong accomplishments. The men?s 4×400 meter relay squad of Justin Harrison, Nathan Browning, Jose Acevedo and Luis Luna broke the Rod McCravy Memorial meet record and would later reach the NCAA Championships on the strength of the fourth-fastest mark in the country (3:07.01). Distance runners Lavera Morris and Georganne Way each qualified for their first NCAA Championships and Morris posted the second-fastest 800 in school history. Gavin Ball won the SEC shot put title, while the women?s distance medley relay team of Morris, Ashley Trimble, Andrea Brown and Way also claimed the league crown.
In addition to last season?s accomplishments, Kentucky also welcomes two new additions to the Kentucky staff. Pat Tyson is a renowned distance coach who competed at Oregon during the program?s heydey and has brought a renewed energy to the program. In addition, James Thomas, one of the nation?s top young jumps coaches has been added to the staff to help enhance UK?s jumpers and vaulters.
