March 23, 2011
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- The Samford track and field team will jump back into the outdoor season this weekend after having a week off from competition last week. The Bulldogs will participate in the annual Alabama Relays hosted by the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa this weekend, March 24-27, at the Sam Bailey Track and Field Stadium.
The Bulldogs have had tremendous success in the last few years at this somewhat local meet for Samford. While several Bulldogs have posted numerous personal bests at the meet in recent years, the most notable success has come from the men's pole vault group in the last two years.
Senior Patrick Wells, a University of Alabama transfer who followed head coach Rod Tiffin to Samford, has won the pole vault competition at the Alabama Relays the last two years. Junior Michael Seaman, who is the school record holder and Samford's first-ever male representative at the NCAA Championship last year, took second place in the event in last year's meet and looks to challenge his teammate Wells for the top spot this year.
Junior thrower Kyle Kirby is another athlete to watch in this weekend's competition. Kirby holds the school record in the indoor weight throw and the outdoor hammer, both records that he has broken numerous times in the last two years.
Senior Hillary Neal is also one to watch for the Bulldogs. The middle distance runner holds the outdoor records for the 800 meters, the 1500 meters, the 4x400-meter relay and the 3000-meter steeplechase. Neal took her steeplechase talents to the first round of competition of last year's NCAA Championships.
Fellow senior Morgan Tyler is also one of Samford's standouts as she is one of the Bulldogs' premier hurdlers and jumpers. She holds the outdoor record for the 400-meter hurdles and is also a member of the record-holding 4x400-meter relay team.
The competition starts Thursday, March 24, with the heptathlon and decathlon. At 9:30 a.m., the women will compete in four events of the heptathlon including the 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put and 200 meters. The men will start the decathlon at 11 a.m., with the 100-meter dash, long jump, shot put, high jump and 400 meters.
The heptathlon and decathlon will continue on Friday, March 25. At 9 a.m., the men will conclude the decathlon with the 110-meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500 meters. At 10 a.m., the women will wrap up the heptathlon with the long jump, javelin and 800 meters. The women's hammer throw will conclude the day's events at 4 p.m.
Saturday's events start at 8:30 a.m., with the women's 10,000 meters followed by the men's 10,000 meters at 9:15 a.m. The men's pole vault and the women's discus will start at 10 a.m., followed by the women's 5000 meters at 10:30 a.m. The men's and women's 400 meters will wrap up the action on Saturday.
Sunday's action features all relay events as well as the men's hammer, women's pole vault, discus, triple jump, high jump and javelin. See the meet schedule for a full rundown of events and times for Saturday and Sunday.
A full recap and results will be available on www.samfordsports.com upon the completion of each day's events. The meet is free to the public.
