Alabama Track and Field Opens NCAA Indoor Championships Thursday
3/10/2021 4:15:00 PM | Track & Field, Cross Country
Jake Spotswood (heptathlon) and Bobby Colantonio Jr. (weight throw) open competition for the Crimson Tide at the Randal Tyson Track Center
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Alabama track and field starts competition at the NCAA Indoor Championships on Thursday at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark.
The surroundings are familiar, as the Crimson Tide has traveled to Fayetteville for its last two meets, including a strong showing at last month's Southeastern Conference Championships.
The Alabama men, which advanced the third largest contingent of any team at this year's championships with 15, get things started with the heptathlon and the weight throw. Jake Spotswood, who has twice bettered the school record in the heptathlon this season and is seeded 13th heading into the championships, gets going at 11 a.m. CT. Bobby Colantonio Jr., the school record holder in the weight throw, is seeded fourth in the event after a toss of 22.54m at the Tyson Invitational in mid-February. He gets started at 6:30 p.m. CT.
Head Coach Dan Waters Said
"We've put in the work all fall and throughout the winter, and we're ready to close indoors with a strong performance. For both our men and women, we need to stay focused on competing at our best. We have the third largest men's group at the championships, and everyone we have here is capable of scoring points this week. On the women's side of the meet, we have a number of strong events that should put us in good shape in the team standings. After having this meet canceled at the last moment in 2020 due to COVID-19, we are grateful to be here together with the chance to compete at the highest level. We also beyond grateful for all the hard by the NCAA and the University of Arkansas to get us to the point and have this championship."
Crimson Tide Women Start Friday
- While the men get the championships started on Thursday, the UA women start on Friday at 11 a.m. with Cherisse Murray in the shot put
- Tamara Clark, one of seven women at this year's championships to qualify in both the 60-meters and 200-meters, will run the semi-finals of both on Friday
- The Tide's distance medley relay (DMR) close the second night of competition at 8:45 p.m. CT
- The women's DMR won the SEC Championships with a meet and Alabama record
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Players Mentioned
