TicketsMarch 18, 2011
Heat Sheet | Early Bird Relays schedule and information
CINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati track and field team begins its 2011 outdoor season on Saturday when it hosts the Early Bird Relays at Gettler Stadium. The first events are set to begin at 9 a.m. with the men's hammer throw at Coy Field and the women's discus throw at Gettler.
"The first competition of any season is exciting, but to compete at home is extra special," said UC head coach Bill Schnier. "Our teams are extremely excited about the Early Bird Relays and can't wait for the spring break trips as well. Our goals are to win this meet as a team and have Big East and NCAA individual qualifiers."
The Bearcats will compete against 13 schools, most of which are located within the Greater Cincinnati area. UC's opposition will hale from Capital, Cedarville, Dayton (Men), IPFW, Morehead State, Mt. St. Joseph, Northern Kentucky, Ohio Northern, Ohio Wesleyan, Robert Morris, Thomas More, Wright State and cross-town rival Xavier.
The Early Bird Relays will use a unique scoring process compared to traditional methods. The top two marks from each team will be recorded and combined to determine event champions.
Only the top eight teams will be scored, with first-place teams receiving 10 points, second place earning eight and third-place teams getting six points. Fourth-place finishers will receive five points, with each ensuing place receiving one less point.
At last year's Early Bird Relay, the UC men's team finished in first place with 102 points while the women's team placed second behind the University of Dayton after scoring 106 points.
Cincinnati hosts two additional track and field meets in 2011. The Bearcats will host the Oliver Nikoloff Open April 1-2 and the All-Ohio Outdoor Championships on April 15-16.