May 9, 2007

MEMPHIS - After completing the regular season last weekend, the Memphis track team is now ready to begin its postseason run Thursday when it heads to Houston to compete in the Conference USA Outdoor Championships at the Rice Track Stadium.

The meet will open Thursday with men's decathlon and women's heptathlon events and will continue through Saturday, May 12.

Both the Tiger and Lady Tiger squads are expected to make vast improvements from last year, but both squads will have to deal with tough competition, including perennial powerhouse Houston and a UTEP team that ranks in the Trackwire men's and women's top 25.

For the Tiger men, 20 competitors rank in the top-five in C-USA in their respective events and three have the league's top marks going into this weekend's championships, including the 400-meter hurdles where Memphis controls first, second and third-place.

On the women's side, several competitors are looking to come away with conference crowns, including two-time All-American Gail Lee who will try to add to her already impressive list of four C-USA titles. Lee currently ranks first in the shot put, fifth in the discus and fourth in the hammer throw in C-USA and is 10th in the shot nationally according to the Trackwire Dandy Dozen.

After returning to Memphis, the Tigers will have a two week break before the NCAA Mideast Regional in Columbia, Mo., on May 24. So far the Tigers and Lady Tigers have 11 athletes qualified for NCAA competition in 12 different events.