UTPA SETS TRACK AND FIELD SCHEDULE
For Immediate Release: Monday, 19 January 2004
Contact: Dave Geringer, UTPA Sports Information Director, (956) 381-2240
EDINBURG, TX-The University of Texas-Pan American's track and field team will compete at some of the top meets in the region during the upcoming indoor and outdoor track and field season.
The Broncs and Lady Broncs will compete at two indoor meets prior to the NCAA Championships, then compete at nine in-state meets and the prestigious Stanford Invitational during the outdoor season before the NCAA Regional Championships and the NCAA Outdoor Championships, both of which will be held in-state.
"We have put together a solid schedule," said UTPA Head Coach Ricky Vaughn. "Once again, the emphasis is on the outdoor part of the schedule. We're going to a few more big meets than we've gone to in the past, so our people who qualify for the NCAA Regionals will have the experience to do well."
Texas-Pan American will compete in at least two events at the University of Houston during the indoor season. On February 7th, they will attend the Houston Indoor Invitational, and the following week, they will return for the Houston/RunSport All-Comers Meet. They could also attend additional meets, if necessary for qualification for the NCAA Championships.
"The meets at Houston are quality meets," said Vaughn. "We'll see Houston, Texas, Texas A&M and Baylor at those meets, and we'll face quality competition. Those meets will help us see where we need to improve, and help prepare us for the outdoor season."
The outdoor season opens with the Border Olympics at Laredo March 6th, and Texas-Pan American hosts the Angela Procter Invitational the following Saturday. After a trip to San Antonio for Texas-San Antonio's meet, the Broncs and Lady Broncs will send some student-athletes to Stanford and others to Rice before they go to the Texas Relays on the first weekend of April. UTPA will then head for meets at Texas A&M, Rice and Houston before the NCAA Championships.
"The Texas Relays will be the highlight, since that's such a big, prestigious meet," said Vaughn. "That will be one of our main meets. We open with the Border Olympics, and they're making a push to get it back to the way it was 20 years ago, when it was one of the biggest meets of the year. Texas, Texas A&M and Baylor will be there, and it will be good competition. It will be a good tune up for our home meet. Our home meet, the Angela Procter Invitational, will be a good meet, Texas State and Texas-San Antonio are coming and it will be a very competitive meet."
With the NCAA Regionals at Texas A&M and the NCAA Championships at Texas, Vaughn is hoping for a good contingent. "Our focus is on the NCAAs. Our goal is to qualify as many people as we can for the NCAA Championships."
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