FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. ? Nine University of Kentucky track and field athletes and the men?s 4×400 meter relay team are slated to compete at the NCAA Indoor Championships this weekend at the University of Arkansas? Tyson Track Complex in Fayetteville, Ark.
Big Blue fans will have the opportunity to watch the Wildcats compete live and free of charge on the internet this weekend. The NCAA is providing a live video stream of the entire championship. The feed begins with the start of competition at 10:45 a.m. ET Friday and Noon ET Saturday. To view the feed go to the NCAA Championships webpage off www.ladybacks.com and click on the live video link. Live UK results and text commentary will be available through ukathletics.com throughout the two-day event on the track and field page.
Thrower Rashaud Scott starts competition for the Wildcats in the men?s shot put at 3:30 p.m. ET Friday. The junior earned All-SEC Second Team honors in the shot put after placing second at the SEC Championships. Last week, Scott notched his personal-best shot put throw of 62-6.50 that placed him fourth all-time at UK and seventh nationally.
Senior Lavera Morris will make her third consecutive NCAA Indoor Championship appearance in the women?s 800 meter run preliminaries at 5:45 p.m. ET. The veteran improved her time last week at the Iowa State Qualifier to 2:06.05, just 0.05 seconds off her personal best, ranks tenth nationally. Morris earned All-SEC second team honors as a member of the women?s distance medley relay team that placed second at the SEC Championships.
Newly-crowned SEC Track and Field Male Freshman Field Athlete of the Year, Derrick Locke, leaps into the spotlight at 6:00 p.m. ET, competing in the long jump. The two-sport star holds the first-year record in the event with a leap of 25-5.25 that ranks second all-time at UK, two inches shy of the varsity record.
At 6:05 p.m. ET, junior Mikel Thomas will compete in the 60m hurdle preliminaries. He qualified last week after breaking his own varsity record for the third time this season at Iowa State. His time of 7.75 is eighth in the nation.
Sprinter Jenna Martin races in the 400m dash preliminaries at 6:50 p.m. ET. At the SEC Indoor Championships, Martin improved her UK varsity record in by 0.39 seconds, clocking in at 52.32. The sophomore finished third in the event behind athletes that ran the top two times in the NCAA this year.
In primetime, senior John Richardson competes in the mile preliminaries at 7:45 p.m. ET. The veteran broke the four-minute mile barrier for only the second time in Kentucky history at the final home meet of his career, the Rod McCravy Memorial Track Meet. Richardson was the first collegiate runner across the finish line at 3:59.35. His time stands as a personal-best and ranks second all-time at UK behind Bob Whelan?s time of 3:58.77 ? a mark that has stood for 18 years. Richardson?s mile run is the best in the SEC and ranks seventh nationally.
Junior Jose Acevedo competes at 8:20 p.m. in the 200m dash preliminaries. The sprinter recorded his season-best time of 21.08 at Arkansas? Tyson Track Complex last month. Acevedo will also compete in the men?s 4x400m relay on Saturday.
The finals for the 60m hurdles and 200m dash take place late in the evening at 9:10 p.m. ET and 9:55 p.m., respectively should the Cats advance.
Throwers Ashley Muffet and Andy Fryman will wait until Saturday to compete as will the men’s 4x400m relay team.
The UK men?s squad is ranked 19th in the country this week, while the Wildcat women?s team is 25th nationally.
A full recap of the Cats? performances will be available after competition both Friday and Saturday on UKathletics.com.
Kentucky NCAA Championship Participants Competing on Friday Mar. 14
Men?s Shot Put ? 3:30 p.m. ET
Rashaud Scott
Women?s 800 Meter Run Preliminaries ? 5:45 p.m. ET
Lavera Morris
Men?s Long Jump ? 6:00 p.m. ET
Derrick Locke
Men?s 60 Meter Hurdles Preliminaries ? 6:05 p.m. ET
Mikel Thomas
Women?s 400 Meter Dash Preliminaries ? 6:50 p.m. ET
Jenna Martin
Men?s Mile Preliminaries ? 7:45 p.m. ET
John Richardson
Men?s 200 Meter Dash Preliminaries ? 8:20 p.m. ET
Jose Acevedo
Men?s 60 Meter Hurdles Finals ? 9:10 p.m. ET
Mikel Thomas
Men?s 200 Meter Dash Finals ? 9:55 p.m. ET
Jose Acevedo
