Samford Invitational on Deck for Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama men's and women's track and field teams return to Birmingham, Ala., for the Samford Invitational, as UA competes in its second-consecutive meet at the Birmingham Crossplex.

The Crimson Tide opens the one-day competition in the women's weight throw with Chandler Hayden and Mye'Joi Williams leading things off at 10 a.m. CT Friday morning.

At the Samford Invitational

Follow Live: Live stats link is available at RollTide.com
Date: Friday, Jan. 19
Time: First field event will begin at 10 a.m. in the women's weight throw, with the first track event starting at 10:50 a.m. in the women's 60-meter prelims
Location: Birmingham, Ala.
Venue: Birmingham Crossplex

The Meet

The women are traveling 23 to Birmingham, while the men's travel list is 35 strong
The Crimson Tide will be one of 16 schools represented at the meet, joining host school Samford, Alcorn State, Chattanooga, Hinds CC, Jackson State, Kennesaw State, Louisiana, McNeese State, New Orleans, Northwestern State, Shorter, South Alabama, Troy, Tulane and UAB

Last Time Out

The Crimson Tide posted a resounding victory over in-state rival Auburn at the Harvey Glance Tide and Tigers Dual Meet, sweeping the men's (70-64) and women's (74-58) titles
Before the meet, both schools came together to honor one of the greatest sprinters from the state of Alabama – an Olympian, a mentor and a coach – Harvey Glance
Five Crimson Tide student-athletes recorded top-10 performances: Miracle Ailes (women's high jump), Ruben Banks (men's weight throw), Chandler Hayden (women's weight throw), Jekovan Rhetta (men's 60m) and Mye'Joi Williams (women's shot put)
Banks became the national leader after his 22.31-meter (73-2.50), personal-best launch on his fourth attempt in the weight throw
- Now sits at No. 3 all-time in UA program history
Hayden (21.31m | 69-11) and Williams (18.37m | 60-3.25) made their Crimson Tide debuts in the weight throw, as Hayden recorded the third-farthest mark in program history behind a first-place finish
Williams posted the No. 2 UA all-time mark in the shot put behind a 17.29-meter (50-10) performance
Ailes secured the No. 6 UA all-time mark in the high jump via a 1.84-meter (6-0.50) display
On the men's side, Rhetta clocked a personal-best time of 6.66 to move to No. 9 in program history

Up Next

Alabama will be back in action next week, Jan. 26-27, competing at the Bob Pollock Invitational, held in Clemson, S.C.

For all the latest information on the team, follow AlabamaTrack on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. General athletic news can be found @UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and Alabama Athletics on Facebook.

– UA –