April 17, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - The entire UCF track and field team returns to action this weekend when split squads travel to the Vanderbilt Invitational in Nashville, Tenn., and the National Training Center Spring Fling in Clermont, Fla. The Knights will be competing for the third consecutive week and are looking to build on the six NCAA regional-qualifying scores that they have already achieved this season.
The Vanderbilt Invitational commences at 5 p.m. EDT on Friday with the field events followed by the 200-meter dash and the long distance events. The remainder of the events begin at 10:30 a.m. EDT Saturday at the Vanderbilt Track and Field Complex.
Schools participating in the Vanderbilt Invitational include: Alabama, Arkansas State, Austin Peay, Belmont, Eastern Illinois, Illinois State, Middle Tennessee State, SIU-Edwardsville, Southern Illinois, Tennessee, Tennessee State, UAB, host Vanderbilt and Western Kentucky.
"It should be a pretty competitive meet this weekend in Nashville," UCF head coach Caryl Smith Gilbert said. "It will be a change of teams and competition for us with some conference schools and some SEC teams. Since it is a two-day meet it will give our athletes a better change to qualify for regionals since there will be more time for them to rest between events. Our goals are to set personal bests and qualify for regionals. It will be nice to see Lizzie Harris, Sheree Carter, Jamie Rzepecki and Kristen Zieminski back in action this week."
The remainder of the UCF track and field squad will travel to the National Training Center Spring Fling in Clermont, Fla., on Saturday to participate in a number of events to prepare for the upcoming Conference USA Outdoor Meet.
"We wanted to give everyone on our team the opportunity to make the travel squad for the Conference USA meet," Smith Gilbert said. "We are sending a group of our athletes to Clermont to compete and gain experience. Our goals for that meet are the same as for those athletes going to Nashville: We want to set PRs and qualify for regionals."
The Knights are coming off their finest meet of the outdoor season at the Miami Elite Invitational in Coral Gables, Fla., last weekend. UCF broke school records in the 4x400-meter relay and the shot put (LaKendra Thames). Senior Victoria Chin (Orlando, Fla.), the Knights' reigning Athlete of the Week after qualifying for regionals in the 100-meter hurdles and the 400-meter hurdles.
Chin's 400-meter hurdles time - 1:00.68 - is the best in Conference USA this season and she ranks third in the league in the 100-meter hurdles with a best time of 13.91.
So far this outdoor season, the Knights have broken five school records after setting 12 all-time best marks during the indoor campaign. The outdoor school records shattered in 2008 include the 100-meter dash, the 800-meter run, the shot put, the 4x400-meter relay and the sprint medley relay.
For the latest news and information on the Knights, tickets or apparel log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. Also check out UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
Vanderbilt Invitational Schedule (Nashville, Tenn.)
Friday, April 18, 2008
- 5 p.m. - Long Jump
- 5 p.m. - Shot Put
- 6:30 p.m. - 200-Meter Dash
- 8 p.m. - 1,500-Meter Run
- 8:45 p.m. - 3,000-Meter Steeplechase
- 10 p.m. - 3,000-Meter Run
Saturday, April 19, 2008
- 10:30 a.m. - Hammer Throw
- 1 p.m. - Pole Vault
- 1 p.m. - Triple Jump
- 1 p.m. - High Jump
- 1 p.m. - 4x100-Meter Relay
- 1:20 p.m. - 100-Meter Hurdles
- 1:50 p.m. - 400-Meter Dash
- 2:30 p.m. - 100-Meter Dash
- 3:10 p.m. - 800-Meter Run
- 3:55 p.m. - 400-Meter Hurdles
- 4:30 p.m. - 4x400-Meter Relay
Conference USA Teams in Action This Week
Thursday, April 17, 2008
- SMU at Mt. Sac Relays - Walnut, Calif.
- UAB at Kansas Relays - Lawrence, Kansas
Friday, April 18, 2008
- SMU at Mt. Sac Relays - Walnut, Calif.
- UAB at Kansas Relays - Lawrence, Kansas
- Marshall at Eastern Kentucky Invitational - Richmond, Ky.
- Houston hosts Tom Tellez Invitational - Houston, Texas
- Rice at Tom Tellez Invitational - Houston, Texas
- East Carolina at North Carolina A&T Invitational - Greensboro, N.C.
- UCF at Vanderbilt Invitational - Nashville, Tenn.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
- SMU at Mt. Sac Relays - Walnut, Calif.
- UAB at Kansas Relays - Lawrence, Kansas
- Houston hosts Tom Tellez Invitational - Houston, Texas
- Rice at Tom Tellez Invitational - Houston, Texas
- East Carolina at North Carolina A&T Invitational - Greensboro, N.C.
- UCF at Vanderbilt Invitational - Nashville, Tenn.
- UCF at NTC Spring Fling - Clermont, Fla.
- Memphis at John McDonnell Arkansas Invitational - Fayetteville, Ark.
- Rice at John McDonnell Arkansas Invitational - Fayetteville, Ark.
- Tulsa at John McDonnell Arkansas Invitational - Fayetteville, Ark.
- Southern Miss at LSU Alumni Gold - Baton Rouge, La.
- Tulane at LSU Alumni Gold - Baton Rouge, La.