LEXINGTON, Ky. ? The University of Kentucky track team sends split squads to compete at the 99th annual Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, and the Triton Invitational hosted by the University of California at San Diego this weekend.
The Wildcats get the opportunity to test out the NCAA Championship outdoor track as Drake University plays host to the 2008 competition in June. The Relays get into full swing on Friday at 10:30 a.m. ET with a full event schedule and continue Saturday at 10:30 a.m. with another packed docket.
The No. 21 UK men?s squad joins a strong contingent of ranked teams from across the nation including No. 8 Arizona State, No. 9 Baylor, No. 20 Texas Tech, No. 23 Wisconsin and No. 25 Georgia. Southeastern Conference foe Ole Miss will also be on hand.
The Kentucky women face an equally formidable field of top-25 squads that include No. 2 Arizona State, No. 6 Texas Tech, No. 19 Arkansas, No. 20 Michigan, No. 22 Baylor and No. 24 Ole Miss. Fellow SEC members Georgia and Vanderbilt will compete as well.
Together the Wildcat men and women have built on their impressive indoor seasons to re-write UK?s outdoor record books. The Cats have broken five varsity outdoor records already this season as well as four freshman top marks. UK athletes have also recorded 25 new top-10 marks in school history.
Three Cats and two UK relay teams hold nationally-ranked top-10 performances going into this weekend. That group includes freshman Grant Lindsey (9th ? men?s high jump), freshman Victoria Dunlap (10th – women?s high jump), junior Rashaud Scott (10th ? men?s shot put), and the 10th-ranked men?s 4×100 and 4×400 meter relay squads.
While the rest of the team battles competition in the Midwest, the Kentucky throws squad takes the infield in sunny California at UC-San Diego?s Triton Invitational. The field event schedule begins Friday at 1:00 p.m. ET both Friday and Saturday.
Throws squad members from several ranked schools will join the Blue and White specialists out West. Male athletes from No. 6 Auburn, No. 7 UCLA and No. 11 USC join the Cats. Meanwhile, competing against the UK women are throwers from No. 5 USC, No. 12 UCLA, No. 15 Auburn, No. 21 Tennessee and No. 23 Arizona.
The UK throws team collected eight regional-qualifying marks at last week?s Indiana Invitational. Junior Emilee Strot and senior Andy Fryman led the Cats by accumulating two marks each for the UK women?s and men?s squads, respectively. Strot made the cut in the women?s discus and shot put while Fryman eclipsed the standard in the men?s hammer throw and discus.
Juniors Chase Madison and Scott each earned a regional spot in the men?s discus. Sophomore Kristin Smith posted a regional mark in the women?s hammer throw while freshman Jennifer Svoboda attained hers in the women?s shot put.
A full recap of the Cats? performances will be available after competition each evening on UKathletics.com.
