The ACU Wildcats will host their only home track and field meet of the season this Saturday at the annual Oliver Jackson Open at Elmer Gray Stadium.
“As coaches, we really don’t want this to be a pressure meet,” said Head Coach Roosevelt Lofton. “We have conference next week, so this is a meet for the athletes to be competitive but to also have fun. The pressure begin, next week in preparation for conference and in three weeks for NCAA Championships.”
Saturday’s meet will begin at 10 a.m. with the men’s and women’s hammer throw, men’s and women’s javelin and women’s pole vault. Running events will start at 5 p.m. with the men’s and women’s 4×100-meter relay.
Teams from ACU, Angelo State, Dallas Baptist, Hardin-Simmons, Incarnate Word, McMurry, Tarleton State, West Texas A&M and Western Texas College have entered athletes in the meet.
“It’s going to be a busy weekend on campus with multiple sports teams having home competitions,” said Assistant Coach Sam Burroughs. “Outside of the LSC conference meet next weekend, our home meet is the last chance to get more athletes qualified for NCAAs – so there is a little pressure.”
ACU is the seventh-ranked women’s team in the country -Â Angelo State is first -Â according to the latest U.S. Track and Field Cross Country Coaches’ Association NCAA Division II rankings. On the men’s side, ACU is fifth in the nation, while Angelo State is ranked third.
Saturday’s meet is the Wildcats’ final tuneup before the LSC championship meet, which is set for May 7-9 at the Multipurpose Complex at Angelo State in San Angelo. The last time the Wildcats ran there was last May when the men’s team finished second at the NCAA Division II outdoor championship.
