Wildcat track team returns to Tucson for Elite Classic

Charles C. Labenz Arizona Daily Wildcat UA sophomore Bryan Malloy lands a long jump in the Jim Click Shootout in March. The Wildcats host the Arizona Elite Classic Ä the first home meet in two months Ä on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at Drachman Memorial Stadium.

But at Saturday's Arizona Elite Classic, the focus will not be on the friendly confines of Drachman Stadium, but on qualifying for the NCAA Championships in June.

Though the Pacific 10 Conference Championships are two weeks, UA head coach Dave Murray said "we've qualified everyone we're going to qualify" for that meet.

"Our goal this weekend is to maintain our good performances and get more national qualifications," Murray said.

Arizona's most recent national qualifier was senior Dee Dee Buzzi, who won the 100-meter hurdles at the Sun Devil Invitational in Tempe last weekend with a school-record time of 13.21 seconds.

Others to have received automatic qualifying marks are sophomore Amy Skieresz in both the 5,000m (15 minutes, 54.13 seconds) and 10,000m (32:31.65), freshman Erin Aldrich in the high jump (6-feet, 3 1/2 inches), senior Holly Montoya in the hammer throw (179-2) and sophomore Jussi Autio in the pole vault (18-1 1/4).

Those athletes with provisional marks, whom Murray is hoping will get automatic times, include freshman Tara Flaming in the high jump (5-10), sophomore Emily Nay in the 10,000m (34:38.62) and sophomore Tapio Kolunsarka in the hammer throw (216-1).

There are a number of others that Murray hopes can also post NCAA caliber marks tomorrow.

Junior Bob Keino, who struggled early in the season in the 1500m due to bouts with illness, has had several strong performances of late, including winning the 1500m at the Pepsi Invitational in Eugene, Ore. and being named co-Oustanding Performer of the Drake Relays two weeks ago, an honor he shared with Olympian Michael Johnson.

Senior Luther Kopf is coming off a first place finish in the 800m at Tempe last weekend, which was good enough to qualify him for the Pacific 10 Conference Championships on May 24-25.

"Luther is ready to make the jump into the NCAA picture," Murray said.

The Classic starts Saturday with field events beginning at 4:30 p.m. and track events at 6. Drachman Stadium is located at the corner of 15th and Plumer.