With an abundance of experienced seniors and talented recruits, Arizona's track and field teams look poised to challenge once again for Pacific 10 Conference prominence.

The Wildcats make their 1996 debut in the annual Arizona All-Comers meet tomorrow. The meet begins at 10 a.m. at Roy P. Drachman Stadium.

The Arizona men's team enters this season looking to build on last year's fourth-place Pac-10 finish. The men are strong in the field events this year and are led by senior Aaron Corcorran, who qualified for last year's NCAA Outdoor Championships in the hammer throw.

Tyson Lingenfelter, Gabriel Torre and newcomer Chima Ugwu should add strength in the shot put and discus. Ugwu, a native of Nigeria, was last year's National Junior College shot put champion at Central Arizona College.

"We are looking at Chima as a potential national champion in the shot put over the next two years in both the indoors and outdoors and he will be one of the best discus throwers in the country," head coach Dave Murray said.

Arizona also recruited two potential NCAA scorers from Finland in pole vaulter Jussi Autio, who has vaulted 17 feet, 11 inches, and hammer thrower Tapio Kolumsarka. These top recruits prompted Track and Field News to name Arizona's 1995 recruiting class as the third best in the nation.

Once again Arizona will be strong in the middle-distance and distance events led by sophomore Bob Keino. Murray looks for Keino to compete in events ranging from the 800 meters to the steeplechase. Margarito Casillas returns as a Pac-10 point scorer in the 10,000. Jeff Haynes, Arthur Jiminez, Chad Wenger and Jeff McLarty round out a strong distance unit.

On the women's side, Arizona is loaded with many fourth- and fifth-year seniors and is returning five All-Americans to this year's roster.

"This year's (women's) squad is senior dominated and made-up of unbelievable, fine young people with outstanding talent," Murray said.

Michelle Johnson, who was a NCAA qualifier in two events last season € the 100 and 400 hurdles - returns for her final year as a Wildcat.

Viola Schaffer returns as the school recordholder in the 10,000 and will be joined in the distance events by another All-American, freshman Amy Skieresz. Skieresz earned that honor from the 1995 cross country season that saw her finish second overall in the NCAA championships.

Also returning to add depth to the women's squad are 1994 NCAA qualifiers Karen Bennett (800), Veronica Burton (long jump) and Nicole Engstrom (javelin).

Dee Dee Buzzi, an NCAA indoor qualifier in the hurdles a year ago, gives Arizona a talented one-two punch along with Johnson. The Wildcats also return all of their sprinters from last year.

"If we remain healthy and continue to run well, this could be one of our most successful years as a program," Murray said.