The Arizona men and women’s track team will be defending its turf from Califorinia, the University of Nebraska, Kansas State University and the University of Minnesota at the Jim Click Invitational.

While the Jim Click meet has usually been a conference versus conference meet with two teams from the same league pairing together, this week’s meet will be five teams head-to-head.

Today, freshman Fabian Zazueta will be competing in the decathlon, which consists of 100-meter dash, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400-meter dash, 110-meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500-meter run. Former Arizona athlete Jake Arnold will also be competing as an open athlete in the decathlon as well.

For most of the sprinters, Saturday will be the first weekend that they get to run their main events.

“”I’m ready to open up in the hurdles finally,”” said junior LaTisha Holden, who will finally run her main event, the 100-meter hurdles. “”I didn’t have a chance to run them last week. I’m happy to finally get to this point. I’m ready to do some work.””

Holden hopes to see some fans in the stands this week, as it’s the biggest home meet of the season. 

“”We have a couple of fans, and I’m glad they finally get to come out and watch us run,”” she said. “”Especially the way our indoor season finished, I think we’ve gained more fans.””

Holden will also be running the 4x100m relay, the 100m and the 4×400-m B team. It will be the second meet that Holden has run on the

B team, but she doesn’t mind being the back up.

“”I like being the alternate. If they need me, I’m there, but I’d rather focus on my other events,”” Holden said. “”My main focus is the 100(m) hurdles and the 100-m. That’s what I’m looking to drop my times in, but I’ll do (the 4x400m) whenever.””

The home track provides the Arizona athletes with certain advantages. For redshirt sophomore Echos Blevins, it’ll be a track that she’s familiar with. Blevins will be running the open 400m and the A team of the 4x400m relay.

“”I practice on that track and I run the 400m in practice. Its something I know how to do,”” Blevins said.

“”I’m also just excited to run the open 400 outdoors,”” she added. “”I know I’ll do better outdoors. I have this thing with indoors and I just don’t like running the open 400m inside.””

The 4x400m A team has a slight change in the lineup this weekend with senior Christina Rodgers taking the first spot.

“”We added her based on the way she looked leading off at the (Willie) Williams meet and I think she has the ability to run even faster,”” said sprinter coach Francesca Green.

“”We’ll give her a shot and see what happens this weekend,”” Green added. “”Plus we have the B team to run with them because those girls are really fast too.”” The Arizona athletes are ready to defend their home track and are hoping that the competition brings its ‘A game.’

“”If other schools come out and run, it’s going to get you hyped up,”” Blevins said. “”We’re not going to let somebody come to our track and embarrass us.””