Wildcats set for weekend Shootout

The Wildcats have four home meets all season, and two (the annual All-Comers Meet and the Willie Williams Classic) have come and gone.

This weekend they matchup with Baylor, Michigan State and Colorado at the Jim Click Wildcat Shootout, which begins tomorrow at 11 a.m. at Roy P. Drachman Stadium.

Arizona hopes to rebound from last weekend, when several key performers missed the Classic due to illness or injury.

Senior weight-thrower Tapio Kolunsarka and junior runner Bob Keino were both ill, while thrower Chima Ugwu is redshirting due to spring football practice. Two-time NCAA champion runner Amy Skieresz missed the Classic due to family matters.

Last weekend saw several stand-out individual performances. Freshman Erin Aldrich won the high jump at 6 feet, 3 1/4 inches, the highest any Wildcat has achieved since 1992. Other Wildcat women to gain automatic qualifying times for June's NCAA Outdoor Championships were senior Holly Montoya in the hammer (166 feet, 8 inches) and senior Dee Dee Buzzi in the 3,000 meter run (9 minutes, 44.39 seconds).

A pair of freshmen led the men's squad, with Micheil Jones topping the entire field in the 1,500m (3:52.55) and Jeremy Lyon finishing third (3:54.82) after winning the first heat.

The Wildcats will be on the road for the rest of the season until May 10 when they host the Arizona Elite Classic.