Kansas Track and Field Heads to Arkansas Saturday for Razorback Spring Invitational
March 30, 2011
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
The KU track and field team will make the trip to Fayetteville, Ark., April 2 for the Razorback Spring Invitational. The women’s team, currently ranked 14th in the nation, and the men’s team, following a second-place finish two weeks ago at the Mayaguez Spring Break Classic, are both looking to continue their strong starts to the outdoor season.
Sophomore thrower Mason Finley, last year’s Midwest Region Field Athlete of the Year, will be competing in the discus throw on Saturday and is primed to improve upon his runner-up finish in the event at last year’s NCAA Championships. Finley had a fantastic indoor season, notching four first-place finishes in the shot put and weight throw and runner-up finishes in the shot put at both the Big 12 and NCAA Indoor Championships. Finely also recorded the top collegiate mark of the indoor season in the shot put with a throw of 20.71m (67-11.25ft.). Senior Joel Krause will be joining Finley in the discus throw Saturday. Krause is coming off a first-place finish in the event at the Mayaguez Spring Break Classic.
Last year’s NCAA pole vault champion, Jordan Scott, will be back in action this weekend in Fayetteville as well. After a long off season, the senior is ready to begin his title defense on Saturday. During last year’s outdoor season Scott had a season-best jump of 5.71m (18-08.75ft.), which was the best mark in the Big 12 and the second-best mark in the nation. Scott, as well as teammates Alex Bishop, Cooper Merrill and Kevin Hays, will be in action at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
Sophomore Andrea Geubelle will be participating in the triple jump on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Last season she earned All-American honors in the event after finishing second in the Big 12 Outdoor Championships and 11th at the NCAA Championships. She continued her string of outstanding performances during this year’s indoor season, notching eight top-four finishes in the long and triple jumps and earning indoor All-American honors with an eighth-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Her mark of 13.02m (42-08.75ft.) was an indoor personal best and is the third-best indoor triple jump mark in KU history.
Leading the women’s distance runners will be Rebeka Stowe. The junior will be running in the 1,500 and 3,000 meters, two events that she has faired well in at past meets. Stowe is coming off of a third-place finish in the mile at the Big 12 Indoor Championships with a personal best time of 4:45.68, which currently ranks sixth in the KU indoor record books. Another runner to watch for on Saturday is junior Cori Christensen in the 1,500 meters and 4X400-meter relay. She is coming off a second-place finish in the 3,000 meters at the Mayaguez Spring Break Classic.
Freshman Diamond Dixon is ready to continue her impressive first year at KU with solid performance this weekend in the 200 and 400 meters, and the 4X100 and 4X400-meter relays. She set the new indoor school record in the 400 meters with a time of 53.06 at the NCAA Indoor Championships and recorded six top-three finishes in her first indoor season. She was also a member of the 4X400-meter relay team that took seventh at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
Sophomore Kyle Clemons will be the leader for the men’s sprinters on the track this weekend in the 200 and 400 meters, as well as the 4X400-meter relay. Clemons backed up an impressive campaign as a freshman with an even better performance in this year’s indoor season. Clemons is coming off of seven top-three finishes in the 60, 200, and 400 meters, including a fifth-place finish in the Big 12 Indoor Championships. Two weeks ago in Puerto Rico, Clemons led the men’s 4X400-meter relay team to a second-place finish with time of 3:13.43. Senior Keron Toussaint will be running in the 4X400-meter relay with Clemons, as well as the 400 and 800 meters. Toussaint racked up four first-place finishes during the indoor season and is looking to continue that string of success as he heads into his final outdoor season as a Jayhawk.
Newcomer Johann Swanepoel kicked his KU career off in style two weeks ago when he took home second place in the javelin throw at the Mayaguez Spring Break Invitational. His throw of 70.56 meters (231-06ft.) currently ranks him eighth in the nation and ranks fifth in the KU history books. Swanepoel, as well as teammates Jesse Vaughn, Iain Trimble, and Dan Hitman will be participating in the event on Saturday at 6:00pm.
Freshman Josh Munsch, who earned his second first-place finish as a Jayhawk two weeks ago in Puerto Rico, will be running in the 800 and 1,500 meters on Saturday. Some other notable runners to be joining Munsch in Arkansas this weekend are senior Nick Caprario (3,000 meters), juniors Austin Bussing (1,500 and 3,000 meters), Donny Wasinger (1,500 and 3,000 meters), and Sean Proehl (800 and 1,500 meters), and freshmen Brendan Soucie (800 and 1,500 meters) and Nick Seckfort (800 meters and 4X400-meter relay).
All eight women’s pole vaulters will be in action on Saturday. Seniors Jaci Perryman and Abby Row are looking to continue to their terrific final seasons at KU. Perryman had a stellar indoor season, notching the top mark for the KU women and recording four top-three finishes. Freshmen standouts Demi Payne and Abby Row are also expected to make significant contributions as they head into the outdoor season. The women’s pole vault will begin at 1 p.m.
The Razorback Spring Invitational will begin with the women’s hammer throw at 8 a.m. Saturday morning. The women’s 4X100-meter relay will kick off the track events Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.
