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Knights Set to Defend Title This Weekend at C-USA Championships Hosted by Rice

May 12, 2011

C-USA Championship Heat Sheets in PDF Format

C-USA Meet Program

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By Pat Salvas
UCFAthletics.com

ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) -The 2011 Conference USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships got underway Thursday afternoon at Rice's Holloway Field/Ley Track, but the defending champions from UCF will have to wait until Saturday to begin their title defense. The Knights are not scheduled to begin competition until Saturday evening as they will not participate in any of Thursday or Friday's events.

Last May, the Black and Gold claimed their first C-USA title as they came from behind at home to claim the championship in the last few events on the final day. This season, UCF enters as the defending champs and boasts the highest national ranking of any team in the conference as the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) has the team at No. 17 in the latest poll.

After posting a C-USA program-record 114 points at last season's championship meet, UCF will look to build on the momentum gained at the 2011 C-USA Indoor Championships at Houston in February heading into this weekend. The Knights claimed first place at indoors for the first time in program history and, thus, will look to win their third-straight overall C-USA track & field championship with another first-place finish this weekend across town at Rice.

Last season's C-USA Coach of the Year Caryl Smith Gilbert has six members of the Knights competing in the preliminaries of the 200 meters Saturday night at 9:30 p.m. ET. Freshman Aurieyall Scott posted the fastest time in the conference this season in the event, running a UCF program-record 22.98 at the Florida Relays on April 1. In all, UCF runners posted five of the league's top 10 times in the 200 meters in 2011.

The field in the 100-meter hurdles is much the same as four Knights posted times in the top six amongst conference runners. Jackie Coward claimed the top spot, while Karessa Farley and Mica Wimberly recorded times that ranked second and fourth in the league, respectively.

Coward also owns the fastest time in the 400-meter hurdles this season, running a 57.78 to take first place at the Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville. That time was also good for another UCF program record.

The Knights will also look to Sonnisha Williams in the long jump and high jump, Tomika Story in the triple jump, Erica Weiss in the pole vault and the trio of Erica Winston, Ne'Ausha Logan and Carley Dart in the 800 meters to earn points this weekend. Freshman Satrina Oliviera and Destinee Romain will compete for the Knights in both the shot put and discus as well.

The Black and Gold are considered by many as strong contenders in both the 4x100- and 4x400-meter relays. The Knights enter the championship meet with the top times in each event and figure to earn points in both towards their total score.

In all, UCF will be represented in 14 events beginning Saturday night with several preliminary heats and the finals of the long jump, shot put and high jump. Sunday will consist solely of final heats as the championship will be determined that evening.

A FREE live video stream will be provided for fans for the final two days by clicking the Knights All-Access tab or by visiting the conference Website. Knights fans can also follow the action with live results provided by C-USA.

2011 C-USA OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)

THURSDAY, MAY 12
1:00 pm // Heptathlon-Day 1 - weather delay
1:30 pm // Decathlon-Day 1 - weather delay

FRIDAY, MAY 13
12:00 pm // Hammer-Women (Final)
2:30 pm // Hammer-Men (Final)
5:00 pm // Decathlon-Day 2
5:00 pm // Heptathlon-Day 2
(7:30 pm) // (800-Heptathlon)
8:00 pm // 10,000- Women (Final)
8:45 pm // 10,000- Men (Final)
(9:30 pm) // (1500-Decathlon)

SATURDAY, MAY 14

LIVE STREAMING Running Events (all prelims except the 3000m steeplechase)
6:00 pm // 1500-Women
6:15 pm // 1500-Men
6:30 pm // 100 Hurdles-Women
6:45 pm // 110 Hurdles- Men
6:55 pm // 400-Women
7:05 pm // 400-Men
7:15 pm // 100-Women
7:25 pm // 100-Men
7:35 pm // 800-Women
7:45 pm // 800-Men
8:00 pm // 400 Hurdles-Women
8:15 pm // 400 Hurdles-Men
8:30 pm // 200-Women
8:40 pm // 200-Men
8:55 pm // 3000 Steeple-Women (Final)
9:15 pm // 3000 Steeple- Men (Final)

Field Events(all finals)
5:00 pm // Long Jump-Women
6:00 pm // Pole Vault-Men
6:00 pm // Discus-Men
6:00 pm // Shot Put-Women
7:30 pm // High Jump-Women
7:30 pm // Long Jump-Men
8:00 pm // Javelin-Women

SUNDAY, MAY 15

LIVE STREAMING Running Events (all finals)
6:00 pm // 4 x 100 Relay-Women
6:05 pm // 4 x 100-Men
6:15 pm // 1500- Women
6:25 pm // 1500- Men
6:35 pm // 110 Hurdles-Women
6:45 pm // 100 Hurdles Men
6:55 pm // 400-Women
7:00 pm // 400-Men
7:10 pm // 100-Women
7:15 pm // 100-Men
7:25 pm // 800-Women
7:30 pm // 800-Men
7:40 pm // 400 Hurdles-Women
7:50 pm // 400 Hurdles-Men
8:00 pm // 200-Women
8:05 pm // 200-Men
8:10 pm // 5,000-Women
8:35 pm // 5,000-Men
9:00 pm // 4 x 400-Women
9:10 pm // 4 x 400-Men
9:15 pm // Awards Ceremony

Field Events (all finals)
4:00 pm // Triple Jump-Men
5:00 pm // Discus-Women
5:30 pm // Shot Put-Men
6:00 pm // Pole Vault-Women
6:30 pm // Triple Jump-Women
6:30 pm // High Jump-Men
7:30 pm // Javelin-Men