ORLANDO – The UCF track and field team returns to Gainesville for the two-day Alachua County Invitational later this week. The Knights will compete at the brand-new Alachua County Sports Complex at Celebration Pointe.
Both track and field events get started at 2 p.m. on Thursday, before an earlier start at 10 a.m. the following day. The high jump will get the meet started, along with the mile where the Knights set three personal bests last weekend. On Friday, the 500-meter and the shot put will begin the Knights final day at the meet.
The Black and Gold enter the weekend ranked seventh in the USTFCCCA South Regional rankings, 61st in the nation, as they edge closer to the AAC Tournament. UCF has multiple athletes in the top 25 in the nation in their respective events, with Daija Lampkin (200m/18th), Kiah Williams (400m/15th), Jasmine Scott-Kilgo (Long Jump/22nd), Asherah Collins (Triple Jump/10th), and Natalia Madison (Pentathlon/3704) all among the nation's best.
Last weekend, at both Vanderbilt and Texas Tech, the Knights had yet another great meet to continue their start to the season. Distance saw multiple runners set new personal bests as Mariana Rodriquez set two PRs in the 1000-meter and the mile. The new freshman crop has given fitting introductions with Kendall Hughes (800m) and Riley Jaszczak (5k), leading the Knights in their events. The newcomer Lampkin has the squad's fastest time in both the 60 and 200-meter dash.
Following this week's invite, UCF will split up for the next two weeks, traveling to Boston twice and back to Clemson for the Tiger Paw Invitational.