Jayhawks Split to New York, Lincoln
Feb. 5, 2009
LAWRENCE, Kan. – For the first time this indoor season, the Kansas Jayhawks track and field team will compete at two separate meets, as some select athletes will compete at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational in New York, N.Y., while others head to the Husker Invitational in Lincoln, Neb. Both are two-day meets, taking place Friday and Saturday, Feb. 6-7.
“We need to get the athletes to continue to better their performances,” Kansas head coach Stanley Redwine said. “They’ve been doing that so far. We had a much better meet last week, and we’re expecting a better meet this week.”
There will be KU athletes from all events at both meets this weekend, as the Jayhawks look to divide and conquer.
“You have to qualify to get into both meets, and some of the team qualified for one meet while other athletes qualified for the other,” Redwine explained. “We have to have an opportunity for our athletes to compete, and we split the team this weekend.”
Reigning Big 12 Male Athlete of the Week Jordan Scott will be competing at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational. Scott was named athlete of the week by the conference after matching a season-best and national-leading pole vault of 5.50 meters (18-00.50 ft.) last weekend at the adidas Classic in Lincoln, Neb. It was his fourth pole vault title in as many meets this season, and also the second meet in a row in which he posted an automatic NCAA-qualifying mark.
Other Jayhawks to watch in New York will be freshman Corey Fuller (triple jump), senior Victoria Howard (60 meters, 200 meters), senior Jarrell Rollins (500 meters, 4×4 distance medley relay), junior Lauren Bonds (mile), freshman Shayla Wilson (400 meters, 4×400-meter relay), freshman Keith Hayes (60-meter hurdles, 4×400-meter relay) and senior Stephanie Horton (shot put).
Howard found the winner’s circle last weekend at Nebraska in the 200 meters, running a season-best time of 24. Bonds came away with a win in Lincoln in the women’s 800 meters and was the runner-up in the mile.
KU athletes to look for at the Husker Invitational include freshman Jamaica Collins (200 meters, long jump), senior Colby Wissel (mile), freshman Donny Wasinger (mile) and senior Eric Fattig (long jump, triple jump).
Action at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational begins Friday at 10:30 a.m. CST and on Saturday at 8 a.m. CST. The Husker Invitational kicks off on Friday at Noon CST and continues on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. CST. Full results can be found at www.kuathletics.com shortly after the meet has concluded. Also, full coverage of the New Balance Collegiate Invitational, including a live Webcast, can be found at TrackShark.com.
