The Arizona track and field team only had one participant, junior middle distance runner James Eichenberger, on Saturday at Washington’s Dempsey Indoor in Seattle.

Eichenberger went to Seattle in hopes of qualifying for the NCAA Indoor Championships in Boise, Idaho, this weekend. Unfortunately, he missed the mark by a second.

Six other Arizona track and field athletes hold bids to compete in championship events. Sophomore runner Lawi Lalang will represent the men in the mile, 3k and 5k events. Senior Stephen Sambu will join him in the 3k and 5k while juniors Nick Ross and Edgar Rivera-Morales will vie for a title in the high jump.

“I am excited to compete in the championship. My goal is to win at least one event,” Sambu said.
On the women’s side, junior Brigetta Barrett will return to defend her title in the high jump and junior Julie Labonte qualified for shot put.

The Mountain Pacific Sports Federation announced its annual awards following the MPSF Championships a week ago in Seattle. Lalang was awarded MPSF Male Athlete of the Year and Barrett won the Female Athlete of the Year Award.