The UA men’s and women’s track and field team will be competing in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championship meet in Seattle this weekend.
The meet will feature a total of 33 teams, including all of the Pac-12 Conference teams. Teams from the Big West and West Coast conferences will be competing as well.
The Wildcats will look to continue the success they have had this season, competing with their biggest squad of the year for the upcoming meet.
Head coach Fred Harvey said he expects to have 20 athletes compete on the women’s team and 18 to 19 compete for the men’s, the largest either team has sported this season.
As many of the athletes are competing, Harvey is having each athlete compete in the primary event.
“The theme of this week was to not strategically place people for points in the upcoming meet,” Harvey said. “We want to see how well everyone scores when competing in their primary event. The way training is going we just want everyone to have a personal best in their area or at least a season best.”
As the season has gone on, the expectations that Harvey holds for his athletes remain the same.
“I want them to get better every time we go out,” Harvey said. “Even when we have a great meet the week before, we have to get better in the next meet.”
Considering the Wildcats have put on strong performances nearly every meet this season, it can be a challenge for them to set personal records every week. They have done it, however.
Harvey is very happy with his team and how they performed this season, but he said he believes there is more that the Wildcats can show.
“I’m happy with the team this season, but I know there is a lot more there,” Harvey said. “We have had a lot of young athletes who have stepped up. This meet we are hoping to see some things happen.”
This meet marks the beginning of a conference competition that is important for the Wildcats, as they are competing in one of the tougher divisions in collegiate track and field.
“One of my goals for this season is to be as highly competitive in the conference championship as possible,” Harvey said. “If you can finish as an upper five team in our conference, you’re one of the country’s better teams.”
As this is a difficult task to finish in the top of the conference, Harvey said the thinks the Wildcats will be in the top, when all is said and done.
“Arizona is one of the premiere teams. We have been in the top three, four, or five the majority of the last ten years,” Harvey said. “This year with our young team we are looking to finish in the top five.”
The Wildcats will look to do this as they start the MPSF Championship meet Friday, starting with the women’s weight throw.
The Wildcats will also be in action Saturday, starting with the men’s heptathlon 60-meter hurdles.
