The Arizona Wildcats track and field team is competing in the 55th annual Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, Calif. today and tomorrow.
According to head coach Fred Harvey, this is the oldest and largest invitational in the country. University track and field teams will be joined by junior colleges, high schools, and professional athletes in competition.
Harvey said this meet marks the start of championship season, where performances must be at a high level. Luckily, the team hasn’t suffered any significant injuries that would impair performance at the meet.
“We want to focus a lot on the individual events and see how we can compete against the top competition in the country. For those on our team that already put out quality marks, what I’m looking for each week is for them to come out and do the same thing,” Harvey said. “That’s kind of the model of our program. In this competition, we’re looking to be the best we can be.”
Today, for the No. 6 women’s squad, senior Shale’ Garland will compete in the open 400-meter race. Juniors Germe Poston and Tamara Pridgett will run in the 100-meter dash. In the open 100-meter hurdles, freshman Traci-Lynn Hicks will compete. Senior Georganne Moline, Garland, Pridgett and Poston will run in the 200-meter dash. For the distance runners, senior Jen Bergman will run in the invitational elite section of the 5,000-meter race. Sophomore Nicci Corbin is set to compete in the 5K in the Olympic development section. The field competition will begin with senior Asia Easley throwing javelin. Senior Taylor Freeman will participate in the open section of shot put and go on to compete in the hammer throw along with sophomore Baillie Gibson. Freeman and Gibson will then be joined by senior Alyssa Hasslen and junior Julie Labonté in the invitational elite section of the women’s discus.
Competition will continue on Saturday with junior Shapri Romero, who is set to run in the invitational elite section of the 400-meter run and the 200-meter dash in the Olympic development section. Romero will also run with Hicks, Pridgett, and Poston in the invitational elite section of the 4×100-meter relay. Moline will compete in the invitational elite section of the 400-meter hurdles. In field competition, Gibson, Hasslen, Labonté and junior Omotayo Talabi will participate in the invitational elite section of shot put. Senior Brigetta Barrett will compete in the invitational elite section of the high jump.
The No. 22 men’s team will compete today with junior Sean Delfani, who is set to compete in the 400-meter run along with senior Clifton Leake. Sophomore Lezo Urreiztieta will run in the 110-meter hurdles. In the 200-meter dash, freshman Bernard Dickerson-Quinn will compete. Sophomore Sam Macaluso and sophomore Kenji Bierig will run in the Olympic development section of the 5K. In field competition, sophomore Jovon Cunningham will look to make his outdoor debut in the triple jump and freshman Jonny Giess will compete in the high jump.
Competition on Saturday is set to begin with Dickerson-Quinn running in the invitational elite section of the 400-meter sprint. He will be joined by sophomore Thomas Moronta, Leake and senior Elliot Taylor in the invitational elite section of the 4×100-meter relay. Leake will go on to compete in the Olympic development section of the 400-meter hurdles. Field competition will begin with senior Tyler Johnson throwing the hammer and will conclude with senior Edgar Rivera-Morales competing in the invitational elite section of the high jump.
