Women's Track and Field Competes At Tyson Invitational
2/10/2005 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field, Cross Country
When the Alabama women's track and field team travels to Fayetteville, Ark. this weekend for the Tyson Invitational at the Randal Tyson Track Center, it will be more than just a preview of the SEC Championships site, it will be a preview of the NCAA Championship meet.
"This is a big meet in terms of who is going to be there," head coach Sandy Fowler said. "After this weekend, our ladies will not have to wonder about where they stack up nationally."
In addition to the Tide and the host, Arkansas, perennial powers Texas, SMU, UCLA, Southern Cal and Nebraska will all be in attendance.
Our first two meets of the season, we used them almost like a practice," Fowler said. "But these last two, we're using them to hone our competitive edge and building our confidence."
The meet also gives the Tide a chance to get use to the Razorbacks' facility, home of the 2005 SEC Indoor Championships.
"The track there is a little more banked that what we've competed on so far this season and their throwing events are in a separate building," Fowler said. "So absolutely, it's very important for us to have a chance to compete in Fayetteville before the conference meet."
For many of the Tide athletes, this will be their last meet before the conference championships Feb. 25-27.
"We'll take a few (athletes) to a meet next weekend, ones that we feel need another meet, but for the most part, this weekend is our last test before SECs," Fowler said.
Among the Tide athletes looking to make some noise will be junior Beau Walker, who boasts the SEC's top 60m hurdles time of the season, and junior Beth Mallory, who broke the school record in the weight throw earlier this season and is primed to throw farther this weekend.
