CEDAR CITY, Utah - After a week away from competition, the Thunderbird track and field teams are set to get back at it this weekend at a pair of meets.

The T-Birds will be splitting up between the BYU Robison Invitational in Provo, Utah, and the adidas/Steve Scott Invitational in Irvine, California.  

Last Time Out

When the Thunderbirds were last in competition they were competing at three different meets in the state of California.

Kasey Knevelbaard was a huge highlight for the T-Birds, earning Big Sky Men's Track Athlete of the Week for his efforts. Knevelbaard ran a personal best of 13:50.08 in the 5,000-meter at the Bryan Clay Invitational, which currently ranks No. 23 in the entire country. He is also nationally ranked in the 1,500-meter at the No. 15 spot.

Southern Utah's relay teams also all had big weekends, with the men's 4x100 and 4x400 setting season-best times.

Javelin thrower Jeff Rowley also moved himself into the fourth spot in the SUU record book in the javelin throw with a mark of 210'.  

Words From Coach Houle

On the women's team heading down the stretch of the season . . .

“When you look at the women's side they're a very young team, with very few seniors at all, and they're developing,” he said. “They're getting stronger, but we're competing in a conference that is pretty tough. But they will compete very well. We have prepared this women's team as well as we possible can, and at the conference championships they're going to get a lot of valuable experience.”

On the men's team as championship season inches closer . . .

“On the men's side we've seen top-10 performances, we've seen school records, we've seen a young man compete on the world scene and we have guys that have been ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the country, so you can't ask for a better team,” he said. “Our jumpers, throwers, sprinters and distance runners are all coming together and have been dreaming big since last August.”

Game Plan

The distance squads for the Thunderbirds will be competing at the adidas/Steve Scott Invitational, and the sprinters, throwers and jumpers will be competing at the BYU Robison Invitational in Provo.

2017 Big Sky Outdoor Leaders

Event - Current Place in Big Sky: Name (Time) * Top 10 Included

Men's 100m - No. 5: Tre James (10.55)

Men's 200m - No. 8: Justin Lewis (21.56)

Men's 400m - No. 2: Justin Lewis (47.34)

Men's 800m - No. 3: Kasey Knevelbaard (1:50.96), No. 10: Bryan Espino (1:52.97)

Men's 1,500m - No. 1: Kasey Knevelbaard (3:41.76), No. 3: Mike Tate (3:44.09), No. 10: Josh Collins (3:50.87).  

Men's 5,000m - No. 1: Mike Tate (13:39.81), No. 3: Kasey Knevelbaard (13:50.08), No. 6: Matt Wright (14:09.44), No. 8: Josh Collins (14:12.86)

Men's 10,000m - No. 3: Matt Wright (29:27.91)

Men's 110m Hurdles - No. 5: Devon Montgomery (14.54)

Men's 400m Hurdles - No. 4: Devon Montgomery (52.98)

Men's 4x100m Relay - No. 4: SUU (41.22)

Men's 4x400m Relay - No. 2: SUU (3:13.99)

Men's Shot Put - No. 9: Jayson Kovar (53' 6 ½'')

Men's Discus - No. 1: Jayson Kovar (184')

Men's Javelin - No. 2: Jeff Rowley (210''), No. 5: Skyler Porcaro (197' 3'')

Women's 200m - No. 7: Mia Russell (24.98), No. 10: Peyton Green (25.08)

Women's 400m - No. 5: Linnea Saltz (55.56), No. 8: Peyton Green (56.33)

Women's 800m - No. 7: Linnea Saltz (2:13.30)

Women's 5,000m - No. 10: Josie Riggs (17:03.24)

Women's 10,000m - No. 6: Ashley Tyndall (35:41.29), No. 10: Kaylee Abel (37:21.73)

Women's 400m Hurdles - No. 9: Carly Dalton (1:02.32)

Women's 4x100m Relay - No. 5: SUU (47.24)

Women's 4x400m Relay - No. 5: SUU (3:48.12)

2017 Outdoor Athletes of the Week

April 3, 2017: Mike Tate (Men's Track Athlete of the Week)

April 17, 2017: Kasey Knevelbaard (Men's Track Athlete of the Week)

Regional Ranking

Men's Team: NCAA Mountain Region - No. 11

Follow Us

Both meets will take place all day on Friday and Saturday.  

Available live stats can be found before the start of both meets at suutbirds.com.