Jayhawks Spreading Across America
Feb. 14, 2008
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />LAWRENCE, Kan. – Three states, two time zones and thousands of miles will be covered by the University of Kansas track and field teams this week as the 18th-ranked women and 15th-ranked men seek to set and improve upon their NCAA qualifying marks. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” />
Many of the middle distance and distance runners will be in Ames, Iowa along with the multi-event athletes for the ISU Classic on Feb. 14-16. There will also be some distance runners taking part in the Husky Classic in Seattle, Wash., on Saturday, Feb. 16. Most of the sprinters and field athletes will be heading to Fayetteville, Ark., the home of the 2008 NCAA Indoor Championships, for the Tyson Invitational at the RandalTysonTrackCenter on Feb. 15-16.
Kansas will look to build upon their success from the New Balance Invitational last weekend. At one of the premiere meets of the indoor season, the Jayhawks had six NCAA qualifying marks, three event winners and two broken school-records. The New York, N.Y., meet was the first scored competition of the year for KU and each team turned in an impressive performance. The women placed eighth out of the 48 teams that scored, while the men finished 14th in a competitive field of 49.
For those heading to Iowa, the LiedRecreationalCenter features a 300-meter track, making it one of the fastest tracks in the nation. The meet is scheduled to begin with multi-events on Thursday with field events starting at 11 a.m. (CST) on Friday. Running events start at 2 p.m. on Friday and 9:25 a.m. on Saturday. Field events on the final day begin at 10:30 a.m. with the meet concluding at 7:15 p.m. with the men’s 1,600-meter relay.
Kansas has four athletes ranked in the NCAA top-10 in five events. Each one of those athletes will be at the Tyson Invitational which begins at 9 a.m. (CST) on Friday with the men’s pole vault and women’s 5,000 meters. Running and field events start at 10 a.m. on Saturday and the meet will conclude at 5:30 p.m.
Several distance runners will attend the Husky Classic where they will run on Saturday in hopes of claiming an NCAA qualifying mark.
Complete and up-to-date results from all of Kansas’ action this week can be found at www.kuathletics.com.
