By
Francisco Merced
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Tomorrow's Iowa State Last Chance Meet will provide Wildcats with the final opportunity to improve their standing for next week's NCAA Indoor Championships.
The most prominent UA athlete competing in Ames, Iowa will be junior Brianna Glenn, who will be running in the 60-meter dash in an attempt to improve her current time of 7.38 seconds.
While her time is currently a provisional qualifier, UA sprints coach Fred Harvey quickly points out that the NCAA cutoff mark may eliminate Glenn.
"Her mark is still sitting on the edge, and she may be counted out when the cut comes," Harvey said. "We want to make sure she's in the meet."
The decision for Glenn to compete in this final meet was decided by the amount of provisional qualifying times that were set during invitationals last weekend. Glenn must now improve her time or risk being shut out.
"There were a lot of last-minute qualifiers, and it was surprising to see that," Glenn said from her hotel room in Ames. "I don't want to be stuck as the odd man out."
The game plan for Glenn, however, won't change as she prepares to take on this race.
"You don't want to put pressure upon yourself," she said. "You just want to be calm and confident."
Last year, Glenn entered the NCAAs with a 7.31 mark and finished fifth in the finals, earning All-America honors.
Junior Cara Cline will try to mimic her teammate this weekend by solidifying her position in the 800m.
An NCAA committee will convene this week to determine the cutoff point for all events in this year's indoor championship.
A smaller portion of the Wildcat team will compete tomorrow at the team's first outdoor meet, the Bill Sawyer Invitational in Tempe.
Arizona's field athletes - those who throw the javelin, discus and the hammer - will face their first real competition. Middle and long-distance runners who have not qualified for the NCAAs will join them.
"We're looking to get some of our athletes some competition outdoors," Harvey said.
For the athletes that have a secure spot for the NCAA Championships - which will be held in Fayetteville, Ark. - the weekend break will serve as well-deserved rest in preparation for the meet.
