By Ryan Gray
Arizona Daily Wildcat
The undefeated UA track and field team begins the 1995 outdoor season Saturday at Arizona State's Bill Sawyer Invitational.
"Basically, this week's meet at ASU will be an all-comers meet," coach Dave Murray said. "We are not going to run some people, such as those who have qualified for the NCAA Indoor meet."
Nine Wildcats have set NCAA indoor provisional qualifying marks. They are: Suzanne Castruita (3,000 and 5,000 meters), Viola Shaffer (5,000), Leo Simmons (55 hurdles), Bob Keino (mile), Dee Dee Buzzi and Michelle Johnson (55 hurdles), Felicia Lane (55 dash), Allison Dring (400) and Rebecca Butt (triple jump and high jump).
The decision on which marks are good enough to qualify for the NCAA meet will be announced on March 6.
David Loshonkohl, an All-America senior, has set the only NCAA outdoor automatic qualifying mark, a 68-foot, 10-inch distance in the 35-pound weight throw. He will be the only championship qualifying athlete to compete Saturday.
This weekend will give those athletes who sat out the indoor season an opportunity to run, throw and jump.
"We plan to take a lot of people who didn't travel with us during the indoor season to give them a chance to compete," said Murray.
Arizona will be attempting to start off the outdoor season where it left off at the conclusion of the indoor campaign.
The Wildcats are coming off a season which featured wins in the U.S. Direct Invitational at the United States Air Force Academy, the UA-ASU-Northern Arizona triangular meet and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Indoor Championships in Reno, Nev.
In addition, UA won all three events it entered last week in the Alex Wilson Invitational at Notre Dame.