Track And Field Preview: Jaguar Invitational

Sunday, February 3

Birmingham, Ala.

All Day

University of Memphis

South Alabama Jaguar Invitational

Christian Hill, 2018-19 Women's Track and Field

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Feb 01, 2019 | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

2019 Jaguar Invitational Schedule 2019 Jaguar Invitational (Heat Sheets/Field Events)2019 Jaguar Invitational (Heat Sheets/Track Events)

Tigers get preview of venue for league indoor championships later this month.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis track and field squad gets a little head start on the American Athletic Conference field Sunday when the Tigers compete in the 2019 South Alabama Jaguar Invitational, which is being held at the Birmingham Crossplex in Birmingham, Ala.

Sunday's meet starts at 12 p.m. (CT) and concludes by early evening.

The Birmingham Crossplex also is the site for the 2019 American Athletic Conference Championships Feb. 22-23. Memphis is one of two league teams that is competing in a meet at the site prior to the championships. USF is scheduled for the Samford Invitational Feb. 8.

According to head coach Kevin Robinson, the Tigers are using this meet in preparation for the conference championships. For Sunday's Jaguar Invitational, Robinson is taking what he expects to be his roster for the league meet at the end of the month.

Head coach Kevin Robinson comments
"We still have a long way to go. We've had a handful of athletes step up and perform consistently at a pretty high level. I don't feel like we've put together a high-quality performance across the board. That's what I'm looking for. I want to see more consistency across the board. We, as a team, need to put together a good meet to build confidence and gain a little momentum heading into the (conference) indoor championships at the end of the month.

"Sunday's meet provides a good opportunity for us because we get to compete on the track (Birmingham Crossplex) where the conference meet will be held in three weeks. It especially gives our 200, 400 and 800 (meter) groups the chance to run on a 200-meter banked track compared to a 300-meter flat one. It gives our athletes the opportunity to feel the bank and learn how to use it.

"We went to the same site (Birmingham Crossplex) for a different meet last season, and it served us well in preparing for the league indoor meet. I'm hoping it will do the same for us this year. We've got some really good athletes that are on the verge of putting up some really solid numbers. I'm anxiously waiting to see some of those marks come through in a meet situation."

Competing Teams
Alcorn State, Jackson State, Lee (Tenn.), Louisiana Tech, Memphis, Mercer, Meridian CC, Mississippi Valley, Samford, Southeastern Louisiana, South Alabama, Texas State, UAB

Team Scoring
The Jaguar Invitational is a non-scoring meet.

Tigers Tidbits

Sunday's meet is the first of two – and possible three – trips to the Birmingham Crossplex this season. In addition to the Jaguar Invitational, the Tigers travel to Birmingham, Ala., for the 2019 American Athletic Conference Championships Feb. 22-23. The third possible trip to the Birmingham Crossplex would be the NCAA Indoor Championships Mar. 8-9.
The distance group is back to full strength this weekend. The Tigers are running five in the men's 3000 meters and four in the women's 3000 meters. In addition, Paige Sandwell is scheduled to run in the women's mile, and Matthew Kamph, Tate Wyatt and Zachary Wyatt in the men's mile.
DeeNia McMiller will attempt to make it 4-for-4 Sunday. In each of the previous three meets this season, McMiller has re-set her own school record in the women's weight throw. In improving her mark three times, her school record jumped from 65-3.25 (19.89m) entering the 2018-19 season to 66-11.25 (20.40m) heading into this weekend.
After a weekend off from competition, Davon DeMoss returns to action Sunday in the 60 and 200 meters. Two weeks ago at the Vanderbilt Invitational, DeMoss re-set his school record in the 60 meters at 6.61 seconds.
Saida Burns-Moore and Olushola Olojo return to action Sunday after solid performances in the last two outings. Olojo set his personal-best in the men's triple jump at the Jan. 25 A-State Invitational, and Burns-Moore posted an indoor personal-best in the women's triple jump at the Jan. 18-19 Vanderbilt Invitational.

Tigers Records Set In 2018-19
Men
Davon DeMoss – 60m (6.61)
Jordan Wesner – high jump (7-4.5; 2.25m)
Women
DeeNia McMiller – weight throw (66-11; 20.40m)

Tigers In the Nation's Top-50
Men
Davon DeMoss – 60m (7^th)
Imri Persiado – 200m (45^th)
Sir Newton Lee – 400m (24^th)
Jordan Wesner – high jump (5^th)
Olushola Olojo – triple jump (32^nd)
Adar Sheere – weight throw (43^rd)

Women
Saida Burns-Moore – triple jump (35^th)
DeeNia McMiller – weight throw (22^nd)