Feb. 5, 2010

Carbondale, Ill. - At the halfway point of the indoor track and field schedule, the University of Memphis track and field teams traveled to Carbondale, Ill., for day one of the SIU McDonald's Invitational on Friday.  

Friday saw the Tigers compete in the men’s and women’s pole vault, men’s and women’s long jump and men’s and women’s weight throw. The meet will resume Saturday at 10 a.m. with the remaining field events of men’s and women’s shot put, men’s and women’s high jump and men’s and women’s triple jump.

Freshman pole vaulters Lauren Gale and Alyssa Northcutt tied season-best marks in the women’s pole vault. Gale finished second with a vault of 3.40m (11-01.75) while Northcutt finished fifth with a vault of 3.25m (10-08.00). Sophomore Brittany Brewster returned to competition for the Lady Tigers and placed sixth with a vault of 2.95m (9-08.00)

Sophomore Karlis Pujats had set the school record in the pole vault in his first two meets as a Tiger pole vaulter and he tied his personal-best and school record vault of 5.05m (16-06.75) Friday. Pujats finished second for the second time this season and freshman teammate Nate Arnold finished fifth with his vault of 4.45m (14-07.25).

Coming of a personal-best long jump of 5.86m (19-02.75) at the Rod McCravy Invitational last weekend, Deneen Kirk finished seventh with a leap of 5.40m (17-08.75). Junior Desiree’ Blow posted her best long jump since the opening meet as she finished 12^th with a leap of 5.00m (1­6-05.00).

In other field events, senior thrower Karmyn Clarke posted a season and personal-best weight throw toss of 16.91m (55-05.75), finishing ninth in the competition. Senior thrower Angela Wigley also threw a season and personal-best toss of 16.72m (54-10.25) to finish 11^th.

The men’s weight throw featured three tigers, one senior and two freshmen. Reigning C-USA Male Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week Steffen Nerdal did not compete in the meet. Senior thrower Harding Zills finished ninth with a toss of 16.07m (52-08.75m) and freshman Tom Wilcox finished 11^th with his mark of 14.34m (47-00.75). Freshman Andrew Miller posted a season and personal-best throw of 13.99m (45-10.75).

All track events will be contested tomorrow beginning at 10:30 a.m. The men's and women's 60m dash and 60m hudle preliminary heats will be followed by the mile and the finals of the 60m dash and 60m hurdles. The middle distance events will follow the 400m dash and 800m run. The 200m dash finals and 3000m run are the last individual running events of the meet. The meet's conclusion is marked with the running of the women's and men's 4x400m relay.