UA track team faces double competition

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Junior sprinter Carolyn Jackson will compete in the two-day Cannon IV Classic in Indianapolis, Ind. Sprinters Jackson and Patrick Nduwimana, and distance runners Abdi Abdirahman and Tara Chaplin will try to earn NCAA provisional qualifying times.

Four athletes, distance runners Abdi Abdirahman and Tara Chaplin and sprinters Carolyn Jackson and Patrick Nduwimana, will compete in the two-day Cannon IV Classic in Indianapolis. These athletes will be in search of NCAA provisional qualifying times on the exceptionally fast banked track at the National Institute for Fitness and Sports complex.

"The track is very fast, from a running standpoint one of the fastest tracks in the country," head coach Dave Murray said. "These people have an excellent chance at getting NCAA qualifying times."

The Wildcats will also send 23 athletes to the Husker Invitational in Lincoln. A partial men's team and a full female squad will make the trip to the Bob Devaney Sports Center for the two-day competition.

Coming off last weekend's win of a five-way meet in Colorado Springs, Colo., coach Murray felt confident about both competitions.

"We expect to do well in the competitions this weekend," Murray said. "Our kids performed really well at Colorado Springs last weekend."

The Indianapolis meet will begin tonight at 7:30 (CST) and start up again tomorrow afternoon at 4:30. The Husker Invitational also begins today at 4:30 p.m. and competition continues tomorrow, starting at 11:45 a.m.

Brian Wahlund can be reached at Brian.Wahlund@wildcat.arizona.edu.