Louisville Track and Field Embarks on BIG EAST Outdoor Championships

Louisville’s women’s squad is in search of its fifth-straight outdoor conference crown.

 

May 3, 2012

 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville track and field teams embark on Tampa, Fla., this weekend to participate in the BIG EAST Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which will be held at the USF Track and Field Stadium on the campus of the University of South Florida.

 

The event spans three days, beginning on Friday, May 4, with the decathlon and heptathlon events. The uncombined events taking place consist of the men’s and women’s hammer throw, the men’s and women’s 3,000m steeplechase events and the men’s and women’s 10,000m run. Action resumes on Saturday at 12:30 p.m., and on Sunday, the final day of competition, competition begins at 11:10 a.m. Live results can be accessed through www.halfmiletiming.com and live video is available free of charge at www.BIGEAST.org.

 

The Cardinals’ women’s squad will be in search of its fifth-straight BIG EAST outdoor title, an accomplishment no other women’s outdoor squad has achieved in conference history.

 

Louisville’s women boast a strong cast in the jumps and throws group, with seven top-10 marks in the jumping events and eight top-five marks in the throwing events.

 

Michelle Theophille currently ranks second in the conference in the high jump after clearing 1.80m/XXX. In the long jump, Charachesicia Lockhart stands second on a wind-aided mark of 6.30m/20-8. She is also second in the triple jump, with teammate Malina Simmers following at No. 4 in the BIG EAST. Chinwe Okoro anchors the throws group, holding the top spot in the shot put and discus events. Amashi Kendall ranks in the top 10 in both events and has a team-best 57.69m/189-3 in the hammer throw, which ranks No. 2 in the league. Jenna Wargo also has compiled a solid season, as she ranks second in the conference in the javelin after breaking the school record in the event earlier this season.

 

On the track, the Cardinals are led by distance runner, Holly Knight. An All-American in the 5,000m and 10,000m events, Knight is first in the conference in the 10,000m, while holding the No. 11 spot in the shorter distance. Ahlivia Spencer, who has continued to excel in the 800m, ranks 15th in the conference in the event, and Margret Harris and Gabrielle Jackson have set the pace for the sprints group. Harris hast the 16th-fastest time in the 100m, and Jackson, who will be doubling in both hurdle events, is fifth in the conference in the 400m hurdles.

 

The men’s side also boasts a heavy emphasis in the field events, with individuals ranking in the top 10 in the conference in all three jumping events (high jump, pole vault, long jump, triple jump), and Sam Bombaugh and Brad Vivace paving the way in the throws area. Notably, Wesley Smith, who captured the outdoor long jump title last year, is third in the event, while Seon Powell is second in the triple jump. Bombaugh is listed at No. 2 in the conference in the hammer throw and ninth in the shot put, with Vivace checking in at No. 8 in the shot put.

 

The Cardinals’ have multiple runners on the men’s side in the top 10 of their respective events. Emmanuel Matadi ranks fourth in the conference in the 100m and is seventh in the 200m. Also in the sprints, freshman Calvin Arsenault, the school’s record holder in the 110m hurdles, is fourth in the event and ninth in the 400m hurdles behind Jordon Frazier, who is sixth in the conference. Mattias Wolter, who finished second last year in the 3,000m steeplechase, is second in the conference with a season-best time of 8:56.51.

 

Tickets to the championships are available at the gate. Admission is free on Friday and costs $4 for adults and $2 for students and seniors on Saturday and Sunday. All students from BIG EAST schools will be allowed free admission.

 

For all of the latest information on Louisville cross country and track and field, log on to UofLsports.com, or, for up-to-the-minute updates, follow the team's Twitter account at www.twitter.com/louisvilletrack.

 

BIG EAST OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS (MAY 4-6 – TAMPA, FLA.)

 

Friday, May 4

 

Women’s Hammer Trials and Final, Noon

Amashi Kendall, Patrice Gates, Hannah Baker

 

Women’s 3,000m Steeplechase Final, 8:30 p.m.

Cassie Martin

 

Men’s 3,000m Steeplechase Final, 8:45 p.m.

Mattias Wolter, Gordon Dooley

 

Women’s 10,000m Final, 9:05 p.m.

Holly Knight

 

Saturday, May 5

 

Women’s Javelin Trials and Final, 2:30 p.m.

Jenna Wargo, Patrice Gates

 

Women’s Long Jump Trials and Final, 3 p.m.

Charachesicia Lockhart, Margret Harris, Kim Cardeiro

 

Men’s High Jump Trials and Final, 4:30 p.m.

Taylor Caldwell

 

Women’s 1,500m Trials, 4:30 p.m.

Michelle Molodynia

 

Men’s 1,500m Trials, 4:45 p.m.

Luke Lovelace, Andrew Stewart

 

Men’s Shot Put Trials and Final, 5 p.m.

Sam Bombaugh, Brad Vivace, Isaac Bowling

 

Men’s Long Jump Trials and Final, 5 p.m.

Wesley Smith, Seon Powell

 

Women’s 100m Hurdles Trials, 5 p.m.

Gabrielle Jackson

 

Men’s 110m Hurdles Trials, 5:15 p.m.

Calvin Arsenault

 

Women’s 400m Trials, 5:30 p.m.

Hadassah Bruno

 

Women’s 100m Trials, 6 p.m.

Margret Harris

 

Men’s 100m Trials, 6:15 p.m.

Emmanuel Matadi, Raymond Davis

 

Women’s 800m Trials, 6:30 p.m.

Ahlivia Spencer

 

Women’s Shot Put Trials and Final, 7 p.m.

Chinwe Okoro, Khadija Abdullah, Amashi Kendall

 

Women’s 400m Hurdles Trials, 7:10 p.m.

Gabrielle Jackson

 

Men’s 400m Hurdles Trials, 7:25 p.m.

Jordon Frazier, Calvin Arsenault

 

Women’s 200m Trials, 7:40 p.m.

Margret Harris

 

Men’s 200m Trials, 7:55 p.m.

Emmanuel Matadi

 

Women’s 5,000m Final, 8:10 p.m.

Holly Knight, Madie Davidson

 

Sunday, May 6

 

Men’s Pole Vault Trials and Final, 10 a.m.

Kevin Jackson

 

Men’s Discus Throw Trials and Final, 10 a.m.

Sam Bombaugh, Isaac Bowling

 

Women’s Triple Jump Trials and Final, 10 a.m.

Malina Simmers, Charachesicia Lockhart

 

Women’s 4x100m Relay Final, 11:10 a.m.

Louisville ‘A’ (M. Harris, G. Jackson, C. Lockhart, H. Bruno, D. Horne)

 

Men’s 4x100m Relay Final, 11:25 a.m.

Louisville ‘A’ (W. Smith, E. Matadi, S. Powell, M. Hobbs, R. Davis, J. Frazier)

 

Women’s 1,500m Final, 11:40 a.m. (contingent upon advancing)

Michelle Molodynia

 

Men’s 1,500m Final, 11:45 a.m. (contingent upon advancing)

Luke Lovelace, Andrew Stewart

 

Women’s 100m Hurdles Final, 11:55 a.m. (contingent upon advancing)

Gabrielle Jackson

 

Men’s Triple Jump Trials and Final, Noon

Seon Powell

 

Women’s Discus Throw Trials and Final, Noon

Chinwe Okoro, Khadija Abdullah, Amashi Kendall, Hannah Baker

 

Women’s High Jump Trials and Final, Noon

Michelle Theophille, Megan Schubert, Maggie Gilbertson, Kim Cardeiro

 

Men’s 110m Hurdles Final, 12:05 p.m. (contingent upon advancing)

Calvin Arsenault

 

Women’s 400m Final, 12:15 p.m. (contingent upon advancing)

Hadassah Bruno

 

Women’s 100m Final, 12:25 p.m. (contingent upon advancing)

Margret Harris

 

Men’s 100m Final, 12:30 p.m. (contingent upon advancing)

Emmanuel Matadi, Raymond Davis

 

Women’s 800m Final, 12:35 p.m. (contingent upon advancing)

Ahlivia Spencer

 

Women’s 400m Hurdles Final, 12:50 p.m. (contingent upon advancing)

Gabrielle Jackson

 

Men’s 400m Hurdles Final, 1 p.m. (contingent upon advancing)

Jordon Frazier, Calvin Arsenault

 

Women’s 200m Final, 1:10 p.m. (contingent upon advancing)

Margret Harris

 

Men’s 200m Final, 1:15 p.m. (contingent upon advancing)

Emmanuel Matadi

 

Women’s 4x800m Relay Final, 1:40 p.m.

Louisville ‘A’ (J. Diaz, M. Frigo, M. Klein, M. Molodynia)

 

Men’s 4x800m Relay Final, 1:55 p.m.

Louisville ‘A’ (G. Dooley, E. Hibbs, L. Lovelace, A. Stewart)

 

Women’s 4x400m Relay Final, 2:10 p.m.

Louisville ‘A’ (H. Bruno, A. Spencer, M. Harris, C. Lockhart, G. Jackson, M. Theophille)

 

Men’s 4x400m Relay Final, 2:25 p.m.

Louisville ‘A’ (J. Frazier, M. Hobbs, C. Arsenault, E. Matadi, A. Stewart)

 

-ig-

 

For More Information, Contact:

Ira Green, (502) 852-4857

Ira.Green@louisville.edu