LEXINGTON, Ky. ? The University of Kentucky track and field squads visit New York City this weekend to take part in the eighth-annual New Balance Collegiate Invitational after earning their first national rankings of the season. The UK men stand 10th, while the Wildcat women rank 15th in their respective U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association polls released Wednesday.
Both squads were unranked last week but catapulted into the rankings after strong performances at the Rod McCravy Memorial Track Meet last weekend. The UK women?s team is the highest ranked team this week that was not part of the top-25 a week ago. Meanwhile, the Kentucky men are one of three top-15 squads not in the poll a week ago.
The prestigious two-day Invitational at the Armory Track and Field Center commences at 11:45 a.m. ET on Friday and continues at 9 a.m. ET on Saturday. Six women?s teams from the USTFCCCA top 25 will participate, including the Cats and No. 1 LSU. On the men?s side, eight top 25 men?s teams will compete including UK and No. 1 Tennessee. Live statistics are available at the official homepage (http://ny.milesplit.us/pages/2008CollegiateResults).
The Cats tallied 10 NCAA provisional marks last time on the track. One of those included the men?s 4x400m relay team that ran the fastest time in the world this year at 3:07.72.The relay squad consisting of seniors Justin Harrison and Nate Browning, freshman Kendrick Maiden and junior Jose Acevedo also set a new McCravy meet record.
Senior John Richardson also turned heads when he broke the four-minute mile barrier for only the second time in Kentucky history, crossing the finish line at 3:59.35 and clinching an NCAA automatic-qualifying mark for his performance. In the 60 meter hurdle finals, Mikel Thomas (7.93) broke Kentucky?s 36-year-old varsity record in the event while freshman Brendan Ames set his own record – the UK all-time freshman mark at 7.97.
For their tremendous performances last weekend, the Southeastern Conference awarded Richardson with the SEC Male Runner of the Week Award and recognized Ames with the conference award for SEC Male Freshman of the Week.
On the women?s side, junior Maggie Tincher set the UK women?s pole vault indoor varsity record and freshman Danielle Sampley shattered the freshman record in the women?s 60 meter hurdles with a time of 8.35. Junior Ashley Muffet?s shot put throw of 55-03.00 placed her second nationally in the event, while sophomore Jenna Martin?s time of 53.55 ranked second on the 400m dash listing.
In the 2007 New Balance Collegiate Invitational, Texas A&M claimed the women?s team title, while Texas won the men?s team championship.
Complete results and a recap of this weekend?s action will be available at ukathletics.com.
