Decathletes, heptathletes set to compete at UA track meet


By Lindsey Frazier
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Tuesday, March 23, 2004

Today and tomorrow, Arizona track and field will host the Mike Maynard Wildcat Combined Events, a competition that features decathletes and heptathletes.

The competition will feature squads from Arizona State, Army, Oregon, Kansas State and South Dakota, and several unattached athletes.

Three Wildcat women are set to represent Arizona in the heptathlon - Amanda Underwood, Jessica Corkill and Lexie Viggiano. Underwood will take on a leadership role, as she has been the only heptathlete on the Arizona roster for the last two years.

Sophomore Jake Arnold would have participated in the decathlon, but is redshirting this semester after undergoing surgery.

"(It is) the most demanding track event because it has 10 events - three jumping, four running and three throwing," said Arnold. "So you need strength, speed and endurance. Pretty much anything that involves an athlete, you need to have."

"Our multi-event athletes are more in the developmental stages right now," said UA head coach Fred Harvey.

"It's a great opportunity for them to have elite athletes to compete with and we hope to get a high regional position."

Competition gets underway with the decathlon both today and tomorrow at 11 a.m. at Drachman Stadium. On Saturday, the Arizona teams are prepared to battle in the Jim Click Shootout, their biggest outdoor meet of the season.