UK Track & Field to Begin Season at Hoosier Open

Heat Sheets | Schedule of Events

BLOOMINGTON, Ind.  – The Kentucky track and field teams will begin the 2015-16 season on Friday at the Hoosier Open.

In what has become an annual early-season test for Kentucky under fourth-year head coach Edrick Floréal, the Wildcats will send a diverse group to Gladstein Fieldhouse.

Four teams will be on hand on Friday: UK, Tennessee, Purdue and host Indiana.  Individuals from schools such as New Mexico, Portland, Oklahoma State, and many others will compete in the 5,000 metes, which begins at 4:30 p.m.

Field events will start the meet at 3:45 p.m.

The Kentucky women’s team will look to build off its NCAA Runner-up finish outdoors a year ago. The Wildcats lost a great deal from their 2015 squad, including all-time great NCAA Champions Kendra Harrison and Dezerea Bryant, but the Wildcats also bring back an abundance of elite talent in addition to a strong crop of newcomers.

Leading the way is Sha’Keela Saunders, a three-time NCAA Medalist and newly minted Pan-American Games Medalist. Saunders begins the 2015-16 indoor season as the reigning Southeastern Conference Champion and NCAA Silver Medalist in the long jump.

Rebecca Famurewa also returns for her senior season. She was SEC Bronze Medalist in the weight throw indoors last season, before going on to win medals in two events at SEC outdoors and scoring her first NCAA points in the discus.

Kentucky has multiple athletes looking to bring the men’s team to the next level this season. The Wildcats figure to be led by reigning SEC Outdoor High Jump Champion Justin Kretchmer, in addition to SEC scorers Nick Anderson (hurdles) and Tim Duckworth (multis).

Kentucky will serve as host for two home meets in January, notably the Rod McCravy Memorial Jan. 22-23. The McCravy has become the nation’s premier early-season meet, and will again welcome a stacked field to Lexington.