Track And Field To Compete In Bulldog Relays This Weekend

Friday, March 23

Starkville, Miss.

11 am

University of Memphis

Al Schmidt Bulldog Relays

Nicole Lawson, 2017-18 Women's Track and Field

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Track And Field To Compete In Bulldog Relays This Weekend

Mar 22, 2018 | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

Tigers still transitioning from indoor to outdoor seasons.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis track and field squads continue their transition period from indoor to outdoor with Al Schmidt Bulldog Relays Mar. 23-24. The meet is scheduled for the Mike Sanders Track and Field Complex on the Mississippi State University campus.

The action starts at 11 a.m. (CT) both days with the field events. The running events begin at 3 p.m. (CT) Friday and 11:50 a.m. (CT) Saturday.

Although they won 13 events and posted 33 top-three finishes in last week's Rhodes College Invitational, the Tigers still are trying to find their groove for the outdoor campaign. Some athletes that competed last week are taking off this meet for additional training and recovery, while others are seeing their first outdoor competition in Starkville, Miss., this weekend.

Teams Competing
Men (15 teams): Alabama-Huntsville, Alcorn State, Arkansas State, Grambling State, Lane College, LeMoyne-Owen, Memphis, Meridian CC, Mississippi State, Mississippi Valley State, Mobile, New Orleans, Rust College, Samford, Southeast Missouri

Women (18 teams): Alabama-Huntsville, Alcorn State, Arkansas State, Jackson State, Lane College, Memphis, Meridian CC, Mississippi State, Mississippi Valley State, Missouri State, Mobile, New Orleans, Rust College, Samford, Southeast Missouri, Tennessee Tech, UAB, West Alabama

Tigers Tidbits/Five "What To Watch For":

Long Time, No See: For the first time since head coach Kevin Robinson's first season as head coach (2006-07), the Tigers are competing in a meet at Mississippi State. The last outdoor meet held in Starkville, Miss., that Memphis was a part of came back in the spring of 2007 in the Bulldog Invitational.
Jumps Back At It : After most took time off last weekend, the Tigers jumps group is back in full swing at the Al Schmidt Bulldog Relays. On the women's side, Saida Burns-Moore (high, triple) and Nicole Lawson (long, triple) each compete in two jumps, and Sandra Ekblom and Jordan Shackleford are in the long jump. Shackleford was the only member of the jumps group that competed in the Rhodes College Invitational. For the Tigers men, Jordan Wesner (high) and Olushola Olojo (long) return to action after missing not only the outdoor season opener, but the entire indoor campaign due to injuries. Noah Agnew, who won silver in the men's high jump at the conference indoor championships, is scheduled to compete in the high jump this weekend.
Pryke Going For 11: Junior Ashley Pryke goes for her 11^th career title in the women's javelin at the Al Schmidt Bulldog Relays. The All-American has won nine of the last 11 javelin events in which she competed, including all seven regular-season meets in 2017. Pryke won her 10^th career javelin crown at last weekend's Rhodes College Invitational.
Chavez, DeMoss Out: Memphis' top sprinters in Cera Chavez (women) and Davon DeMoss (men) are not running in the sprints for a second-straight meet, as both still are training after a successful but taxing indoor season. DeMoss, though, did run in two relays in last week's Rhodes College Invitational. While Chavez and Moss are out, Loushanya Nemour and Imri Persiado are representing the Tigers in the women's and men's 100 meters, respectively, this weekend.
No Relays For Tigers: Although the name of the meet is the Al Schmidt Bulldog Relays, Memphis is not scheduled to run any relay events this weekend. The Tigers are gearing up for next week which has the team splitting up for three meets in Raleigh, N.C. (Raleigh Relays), Austin, Texas (Texas Relays), and Cape Girardeau, Mo. (Joey Haines Invitational).