TicketsJan. 21, 2010
CINCINNATI - For the first time this season, the University of Cincinnati men's and women's indoor track and field teams will be in action this weekend at the Gladstein Invitational on the campus of Indiana University. The meet will be held at the Gladstein Fieldhouse Jan. 22-23, and the meet will feature 13 schools and over 780 athletes, including two Beijing Olympians in Mary Wineberg and Hyleas Fountain.
Last weekend, the UC women's squad scored victories over Akron, Bucknell, and South Florida. The win over in-state rival Akron marked the first time in program history that the Bearcats defeated the Zips in a team-scored meet. Senior Jasmine Cotten and junior Natasha Burse both came through with huge meets as Cotten scored 25 points with wins in the long jump and 60 hurdles (8.70) and a second-place showing in the high jump (5' 4-1/4", while Burse took top honors in the 60 meters (7.63) and the 200 meters (24.92).
In the long jump, Cotten's leap of 20' 1-1/2" broke her own school-record in the event, making her the first athlete in UC history to eclipse 20' in the long jump. Cotten's mark of 20' 1-1/2" ranks 11th nationally in the long jump, while she also ranks 11th in the country in the high jump (5' 10"), and first in the indoor pentathlon (4,056).
The men's team will be in its first action of the season. Troy Cooper, who broke the outdoor school record in the shot put a year ago, will compete in the indoor shot put this weekend. Eric Finan also returns to the track after an impressive cross country campaign, where he finished first on the team in every race. Finan broke the school record in the 5,000 meters a year ago during the outdoor season and will start his indoor season competing in the 3,000 meters.
Sophomore Terrence Somerville will get his first action in the hurdles after qualifying for the U.S. Indoor Nationals as an unattached runner a week ago in the 60 hurdles. Somerville will compete Feb. 27-28 in Albuquerque, N.M., and will have the opportunity to qualify for Team USA events, including the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Doha, Qatar.
Combined events for the Gladstein Invitational will begin at Noon ET on Friday, Jan. 22 and regular competition will start at 3:20 p.m. Saturday will see competition begin at 10 a.m. ET with combined events again starting things off and regular competition beginning at 11 a.m.
For complete results of the Gladstein Invitational, stay tuned to www.GoBEARCATS.com.