ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – After a week away from competition, the UCF track and field team heads to the American Athletic Conference Indoor Championship.
Returning to the Birmingham CrossPlex for the fourth consecutive year, the two-day meet begins Friday afternoon.
Friday’s track events begin at 1:25 p.m. ET with the mile. UCF will have competitors in the prelims of the mile, 400-meter dash, 60-meter hurdles, 60-meter dash, 800-meter run and 200-meter dash. The eight-person finals will take place on Saturday. UCF will also compete in the distance medley relay on Friday.
The first day slate will also feature a trio of field events starting at 3 p.m. ET. UCF will have a Knight in the long jump and the pole vault, while four Knights will compete in the weight throw.
On Saturday, a pair of triple jumpers will open the action on noon. Four Knights will compete in the shot put at 1:30 p.m. In addition to the finals for Friday’s events, Saturday will feature the 3000-meter run. The 4x400 relay rounds out the weekend at 3:40 p.m. and the awards ceremony will be held at 4:20 p.m.
Last season, the Knights finished eighth in the team standings. Three members of the 2018 squad that collected points for UCF will return to Birmingham for the 2019 championship. Gabby Durant earned a spot on the podium, taking third in the weight throw. Jhane’ Carter picked up points for the Knights in both the weight throw and shot put. In her rookie campaign, Shaniya Williams finished fifth in the 60-meter dash.
UCF holds 16 top eight marks in eight events entering the championship. Four Knights have marks that rank in the top eight in both the 60-meter dash and the 200-meter dash. Nelda Huggins, Imani Clark, Ciara Holback and Shian Hyde have top eight marks in both events this season. Zharia Moore posted the third-fastest 60-meter hurdles time among league competitors this season. Daneesha Davidson has the seventh-best mark in the triple jump.
Carter could pick up points for the Knights in both the weight throw and shot put again this season, as she enters the weekend with top-five marks in both events. Gabby Durant, who has come close to the UCF school record in the weight throw twice this season, enters weekend with the second-best distance in the event. Shanell Atkins ranks seventh in the shot put.
Both of UCF’s relay marks rank among the top eight this season.
Three War on I-4 points will also be on the line. UCF edged South Florida at last year’s indoor championship by less than a point in the team standings to collect three points. The Knights enter the championship with a 33-6 lead in the overall rivalry series this year.
The American Indoor Championship will stream on the American Digital Network. A full schedule of events and live result links can be found on The American championship central.
UCF Schedule
Friday
1:25 p.m. - Mile
1:55 p.m. - 400M
2:35 p.m. - 60M Hurdles
2:55 p.m. - 60M
3 p.m. - Long Jump
3:30 p.m. - 800M
4 p.m. - 200M
4:30 p.m. - Pole Vault
5:15 p.m. - Weight Throw
6 p.m. - Distance Medley Relay
Saturday
12 p.m. - Triple Jump
12:20 p.m. - Mile Final
12:50 p.m. - 400M Final
1:10 p.m. - 60M Hurdles Final
1:30 p.m. - 60M Final
1:30 p.m. - Shot Put
2 p.m. - 800M FInal
2:20 p.m. - 200M Final
3:10 p.m. - 30000M
3:40 p.m. - 4x4 Relay
4:20 p.m. - Awards Ceremony
*All Times Eastern