The No. 6 Arizona men’s and unranked women’s track and field teams will try to continue their success from last week’s Double Duel when they face the best of the West at the Pacific 10 Conference Championships in Eugene, Ore., this weekend and next weekend.
This Saturday and Sunday, the Wildcats will send their best multi-event athletes to compete in the Combined Events Championships. The rest of the team will compete May 13-14.
The men’s team, which placed seventh last year, should do much better this time around, said Fred Harvey, Arizona’s track and field head coach.
“”We have a great team, so I expect them to do very well,”” Harvey said. “”They should be a top three or four team going into the meet.””
Although he said he’s “”not going to predict a Pac-10 title,”” Harvey said the men definitely have the opportunity to make it that far.
“”The Pac-10 is one of the top two or three conferences in the nation,”” he said. “”It’s never an easy competition.””
On the throwing side, the power duo of senior All-American thrower Sean Shields and junior thrower Adam Kuehl should do well, Harvey said.
Shields placed first in the shot put with a throw of 19.95 meters last year, while Kuehl placed third in the discus with a throw of 57.06m.
On the men’s running side, Harvey said he fully expects senior All-American Robert Cheseret to come through for the Wildcats.
“”He’s a terrific athlete,”” Harvey said.
Cheseret said he is looking forward to the Pac-10 Championships, which will be his last.
Cheseret, who placed first in the 5,000-meter and in the 10,000m last year, said he is confident he will do it again.
“”Since it’s my last Pac-10, I need to finish strong,”” Cheseret said. “”I think there’s a bit more pressure, but I’m going to win again.””
This year, Cheseret said the Wildcats will try and compete more as a team rather than as individuals.
“”We are trying to see if we can win as a team this year,”” he said. “”I don’t think we’ve ever really competed as a team.””
Harvey said he also hopes the women’s team, which placed seventh in last year’s event, will do better, especially with the aid of runners like junior hurdler Jennifer Whitlock.
Whitlock, who placed seventh in the 100m hurdles last year, should do well for the team.
“”She’s definitely one of the top five hurdlers in our conference,”” Harvey said. “”She could go in and win the whole thing, or she could place fifth and still have a great meet.””
Whitlock said she sees herself doing really well at the championships.
“”Last year was my first time going to the Pac-10 Tournament, and it was intimidating for me because mentally and physically I wasn’t experienced,”” she said. “”(But) this year I know my potential, (and) I have lots of confidence in myself.””
