With the indoor track and field season winding down, several members of the No. 16 Arizona men’s and No. 21 Arizona women’s teams look to make a big impact this weekend at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark.

Arizona is sending five representatives from the men’s team and four from the women’s squad. These athletes will be competing against the best competition in the nation as only the top 15 to 20 competitors from each specific event are allowed to compete.

“”It’s unlike any other championship and the intensity level is a lot higher,”” said Arizona head coach Fred Harvey. “”There is no fluff, and if you don’t perform from the start, then you are going home.””

The men’s side features senior runner Bobby McCoy, senior jumper Daniel Marshall and freshman jumper Luis Rivera and throwers junior Zack Lloyd and senior Jarred Sola in the competition. Having two athletes in a specific event greatly increases the chance of putting a lot of points on the board, Harvey said, and will be one of the keys to the men’s overall placement. Rivera is competing in both the triple jump and the long jump, a fact that has Harvey excited about his team’s chances.

“”On the men’s side, if you can put up 25-35 points you have a legitimate chance at finishing in the top-three teams.”” Harvey said.

At the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships two weeks ago, the five athletes scored 42 of Arizona’s total 58 points. With the competition level higher for this meet, it would be illogical to thing they would perform as well this weekend, but a similar performance could produce surprising results.

The women’s events will see two premier high jumpers in sophomores Jasmin Day and Elizabeth Patterson, both ranked in the top 10 in the event. They will join the No. 3 ranked pentathlete, junior Shevell Quinley and 800-meter specialist sophomore Christina Rodgers as Arizona’s female representatives.

Harvey said it will be a lot harder on the women’s side to put up a lot of points, as the teams are not quite as competitive with each other. However, Harvey still has high hopes the quality of the four athlete’s performances will be enough to earn the team a top-10 finish.

“”If we can pull of a top-10 finish then that would be pretty special,”” Harvey said. “”We have to get on a roll heading into the outdoor season.””

The top eight American finishers in each event will be granted the All-American title.

While most UA students will be suffering from hangovers induced by Spring Break, the track team will be in full throttle as they prepare for next weekend’s Willie Williams Classic, its first home outdoor meet of the season.

Unlike with the indoor season, the Arizona team will not gradually increase the competition level, as they will be bringing one of track and field’s perennial powerhouses LSU to town. LSU currently has the No. 3 men’s and No. 1 women’s teams in the country.

“”We only have eight weeks until the regional championships,”” Harvey said. “”So we have to hit the ground running for the outdoor season.””