LEXINGTON, Ky. ? The University of Kentucky track and field team travels to Columbus, Ohio, this weekend to take part in the 23rd annual Jesse Owens Track Classic. The collegiate event schedule begins Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET evening with distance events and the men?s and women?s discus competition. The meet continues Saturday at 3:00 p.m. at Ohio State?s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
While Kentucky is the only school competing this weekend that is located south of the Ohio River many of the teams the Cats face this weekend, they will see again at the Mideast Regional in late May.
The No. 15 UK men?s squad is the lone ranked squad at the Classic. Host Ohio State and their Big Ten brethren of Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State and Purdue will be on hand to battle the Cats as well as several teams from the Mid-American Conference. The Kentucky women will battle two ranked teams in No. 12 Penn State and No. 21 Michigan. Again UK?s competition will mainly come from the Midwest-based Big Ten and Mid-American Conferences.
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 five freshman top marks. UK athletes have also recorded 27 new top-10 marks in school history.
Junior Chase Madison?s discus throw of 206-2 ranks 13th in the world this year as he became just the second Wildcat ever to throw over 200 feet in the event. The other is UK record-holder and two-time Olympian in the discus, Mike Buncic.
On the men?s side, three Cats and a relay team have helped buoy the Wildcats? ranking with top-10 national performances. Madison?s discus mark is fourth in the nation while throws teammate Rashaud Scott ranks tenth in the shot put. Grant Lindsey was named SEC Freshman of the Week for his high jump performance last weekend that ranks fifth in the country. The men?s 4x100m relay squad ranks 10th in the nation.
A handful of Wildcats will travel west to Palo Alto, Calif., for the Cardinal Invitational on Sunday.
A full recap of all of the Cats? performances will be available after competition each evening on UKathletics.com.
