LEXINGTON, Ky. ? The Kentucky track and field teams return to action this weekend when split squads travel to three different events across the country as the end of the regular season nears. Members of the squad will travel to the EKU Invitational in Richmond, Ky., the Oregon Invitational in Eugene, Ore., and the Triton Invitational in San Diego.
Kentucky distance coach Pat Tyson makes a return to the Beaver State, where he competed for the Ducks during their running heyday of the early 1970s, when he takes his distance and mid-distance runners to the Oregon Invitational at historic Hayward Field. More than 1,000 athletes from 42 collegiate teams in each of the continent?s four times zones will be competing in the Eugene, Ore., meet. Activities begin at 5:20 p.m. PDT on Friday and continue at 1:55 p.m. PDT on Saturday.
Sophomore distance runner Taylor Miller (Owensboro, Ky.) posted the eighth-best 5,000 meter time in school history last weekend when she recorded a mark of 16:50.30 at the Sea Ray Relays in Knoxville, Tenn. Freshman Katherine Peterson (Louisville, Ky.) recorded her collegiate-best in the women?s 3,000 meter with a mark of 10:12.30. Junior Lavera Morris (Orlando, Fla.), an All-America selection last season in the 800 meter, owns UK?s best marks this season in the 800 meter and the 1,500 meter runs.
The Wildcat throwers also head West to participate in the Triton Invitational. Activities at the Triton Track and Field Stadium begin at 10 a.m. PDT on Friday with the hammer throw and continue Saturday at 10 a.m. PDT. More than 1,700 entrants will be participating in the meet.
Last weekend at the Sea Ray Relays, sophomore thrower Ashley Muffet (North Canton, Ohio) had a regional qualifier in the women?s invitational hammer throw with a toss of 187-7, which is the second-best mark in school history. It bested her previous mark of 186-6 that was recorded last season in San Diego. Fellow thrower Emily Bernhardt (Marietta, Ga.) won the women?s open hammer throw with regional-qualifying toss of 181-0. Alek Grietens (Nipomo, Calif.), in a return his native Golden State, has posted impressive marks in the hammer throw this season. At the Auburn Tiger Track Classic in early April, Grietens shattered his personal-best throw for the third consecutive week with a regional-qualifying mark of 183-4, which ranks as the fourth-best toss in outdoor school history.
The Kentucky jumpers are headed to nearby Richmond to participate in the EKU Invitational, which begins Friday at 4 p.m. EDT at the Tom Samuels Track.
The UK sprinters will remain in Lexington to prepare for the upcoming Penn Relays, which take place April 26-28.
Complete results and a recap of this weekend?s action will be available at ukathletics.com.
