Track And Field To Compete In Three Meets This Weekend

Friday, March 30

Austin, Texas

11 am

University of Memphis

Texas Relays

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Track And Field To Compete In Three Meets This Weekend

Mar 29, 2018 | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

Tigers to be represented at Texas Relays, Raleigh Relays, Joey Haines Invitational.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – After getting into the outdoor season groove the past two weekends, the University of Memphis track and field squads elevate their competition level this Friday and Saturday, Mar. 30-31 when the Tigers divide up to participate in three meets.

The Tigers are competing at the Texas Relays in Austin, Texas (University of Texas, host); the Raleigh Relays in Raleigh, N.C. (NC State, host); and the Joey Haines Invitational in Cape Girardeau, Mo. (Southeast Missouri, host).

Reunion Reminder
The Memphis track and field program is holding a reunion weekend Apr. 27-28 on the University of Memphis campus. A special event is scheduled for the Hardaway Hall of Fame, located at 570 Normal Street, on Friday, Apr. 27 from 7-10 p.m. The 2018 Memphis Invitational takes place Friday and Saturday, Apr. 27-28 at the Memphis Track and Field Complex located on the University's Park Avenue campus.

Head coach Kevin Robinson comments
"We've come off the indoor season and made a quick transition to the outdoor campaign. We've had a couple of outdoor meets to knock the rust off. In some of these outdoors events, we haven't competed in since last May or June.

"I'm pleased with how we've started, but we still have a long way to go. We've had some individuals step up in our first two meets and do some special things. Over the next couple of months, we have the opportunity do some special things individually and collectively as a team if we continue to improve."

Tigers Tidbits/"What To Watch For" At Texas Relays
Criticos, Pryke In Javelin: Michael Criticos and Ashley Pryke are set to throw in the men's and women's javelin in Austin. Criticos holds the men's school record, and Pryke the women's school mark. Both threw in the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championships, with Criticos earning All-America second team honors and Pryke All-America first team accolades.
Vaughn In Discus, Shot Put: Luke Vaughn throws in both the men's discus and shot put this weekend. Vaughn, who owns the school's indoor shot put record, threw a personal-best 60-8.75 (18.51m) shot put at the Rhodes College Invitational two weeks ago. Vaughn earned All-America second team honors in the discus in 2014 and 2015.
The (Men's) Relays Have It: The Tigers men's 4x100 and 4x400 meter relays are running at the Texas Relays. Both relays are close to breaking the 40-year-old plus school records in both events. The school's 4x100 meter relay record (39.60) was set in 1973, and the 4x400 meter relay mark (3:08.80) in 1978.

Tigers Tidbits/"What To Watch For" At Raleigh Relays
A Rodriguez Sala Re-set: Graduate student Martina Rodriguez Sala is running in Friday's women's 1500 meters in Raleigh, N.C. She already holds the school record in the event with a time of 4:20.46, which she set in the 2016 outdoor season. At the Rhodes College Invitational two weeks ago, Rodriguez Sala broke the 11-year-old school record in the women's 5000 meters (16:34.51) by 14 seconds.
Zitting in 10k: Arnica Zitting also looks to set a school mark in the women's 10,000 meters Friday night. She ran a 35:36.59 in the event at last year's Raleigh Relays. That time is just under five seconds off the school record set by Chelsea Ladd last season.

Tigers Tidbits/"What To Watch For" at Joey Haines Invitational
Teams Competing: Austin Peay, Lipscomb, Marquette, Memphis, Middle Tennessee, Murray State, Southeast Missouri, SIUE, UT Martin, Western Illinois
Record holder Back In Action: A week after setting the school record in the women's discus, Mona Jaidi returns to the circle at Southeast Missouri. Jaidi throws in the women's discus, shot put and hammer this weekend. At last week's Bulldog Relays in Starkville, Miss., Jaidi broke the 10-year-old discus mark by three feet.
Olojo's Triple Jump Debut: Last week, Olushola Olojo made his first jumps appearance in 2018, competing in the long jump. Olojo's jump was his first since his fourth-place finish in the triple jump at the 2017 American Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships, as he was out the entire 2017-18 indoor season due to injury. He placed sixth in the long jump at last week's Bulldog Relays. Olojo won the conference indoor triple jump crown in 2017.