Jan. 18, 2013

John Craft Invite Schedule 

Live Results

CHARLESTON, Ill.-Memphis track and field squads travel to the John Craft Invitational hosted by Eastern Illinois University, on Saturday, for their third meet of the indoor track and field season. The one day competition will test the Tigers in two very different ways.

"The purpose of this meet is a little bit different that last weekend," head track and field coach Kevin Robinson said. "We went to Kentucky to get on their over-sized track where the curves are not very tight and it gives us competition on a little more elite level. Going to Eastern Illinois we're on a 200m track so it's not going to be as fast. We are really going to be working on our competiveness and how to deal with adversity in our 200m and up events."

While some of the sprinters will be working on their competitiveness, the meet will be a strong opportunity for Memphis field-eventers and multi-eventers looking to find their groove in the young indoor track and field season.

"Our field-eventers have shook off a little of the rust," Robinson continued. "Our techniques are getting a little bit sharper, so it will give that group a chance to go out and improve on their marks. Finally, it will be a tune up for our heptathletes and pentathletes, who will see their first multi-event competitions the following week."

The one day meet kicks off at 9 a.m. (CT) on Saturday with field events followed by track events at 11 a.m (CT). Results final results from the meet will be posted on GoTigersGo.com as they are made available.

Records Continue to Fall
So far this indoor season, four program records have been broken or tied in only two meets. In the first meet of the season, Maya Williamson set a new program-best in the 800m with a time of 2:11.31. Williamson surpassed Tina Sherratt's record of 2:11.90 set in 2007.

Last weekend at the Kentucky Invitational, new records were set in the women's 200m and the women's 4 x400m relay. Kala Funderburk took sixth and set a new program-record in the women's 200m in a time of 24.61. Funderburk surpassed Keannan Gibson's previous record mark of 24.79 set in 2002

Funderburk, along with teammates Monica Mason, Keyona Neal and Maya Williamson then broke their own 4 x 400m relay school-record with a third-place finish of 3:44.35. The group beat their school-record of 3:45.40 set during the 2012 indoor season. Also at Kentucky, pole vaulter Sabrina Hochreuther tied the school's indoor pole vault record, clearing a height of 3.75m (12'3.5").

Ziegler's Hot Start
In the first two meets of the season, sophomore newcomer Manuel Ziegler has picked-up two straight wins in the men's triple jump. His latest effort at the Kentucky Invitational, Ziegler took first with a leap of 15.48m (50'9.5") a mark that currently ranks fourth in NCAA Division I competition. For his effort the Neustadt, Germany native was named Conference USA Male Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week.

Up Next for the Tigers
The Tigers return to Lexington, Ky., for the Rod McCravy Invitational. The event will feature the first heptathlon and pentathlon competition of the year for the Memphis multi-eventers.