CEDAR CITY, Utah -- The Thunderbird track and field programs will get their 2021 seasons started this weekend, as they've added the 2021 BYU Collegiate Cougar Indoor Invitational to their schedule.
The meet will run from Thursday, January 14 to Saturday, January 16 at Smith Field House in Provo, Utah.
2020 Recap
The 2020 campaigns culminated for the Thunderbirds with the women's team finishing in seventh place at the Big Sky Championships, and the men's team finishing in eighth place.
Both Emma Nwachukwu and former Thunderbird Linnea Saltz claimed individual Big Sky Championships in the weight throw and 800-meter respectively.
Nwachukwu set a new personal best in the weight throw with a 65' 6" mark, which put her second in the SUU record book.
Saltz broke the school record in the 600-meter, with a time of 1:30.62 and in the 800-meter with a time of 2:07.37.
In The Rankings
The Big Sky Conference released the results of their 2021 Preseason Coaches' Polls last Friday, and the Southern Utah men's track and field team has been predicted as the sixth best team in the league, and the women have been slotted seventh.
The men's team tied with Montana for the sixth spot.
The Northern Arizona men and women topped the 2021 Indoor Track and Field Coaches poll. The men were the unanimous favorites to win the conference this season while the women received eight first-place votes to receive the top spot in the poll.
Athletes To Watch
Kassie Neiwert - Weight Throw
During the 2020 season Kassie Neiwert broke into the top-10 of the Thunderbird Record Book in the weight throw, setting a personal best of 50' 6 ¼" at the 2020 Mountain State Games. She'll be looking to improve on that mark when she competes at Brigham Young.
Jordan Porcaro - Weight Throw
Last year Jordan Porcaro set the fifth-longest mark in the Thunderbird Record Book in the weight throw, with a mark of 59' ¼". Porcaro is a senior leader for the Thunderbirds, who also sits in fourth place in the Record Book in the outdoor hammer throw with a 196' 3".
Max Spence - 800-meter, 4x400
During the 2020 campaign, Max Spence ran the second-best time the Thunderbirds have ever seen in the 600-meter, clocking in at a time of 1:23.60 at the Mountain T's Invitational. He also helped push Southern Utah's distance medley relay team to a fourth place finish at the Big Sky Championships.
Sinclair Watson - 60-meter, 200-meter, 4x400
As the school record holder in the 200-meter dash, Sinclair Watson returns to the track this season looking to continue to make her mark on the program. She also sits second in the Record Book with an altitude adjusted time of 7.55 in the 60-meter dash. She sits behind only SUU Director of Operations, and former T-Bird great, Shaye Springall in that event.
Follow Us
Stay current on the Thunderbird track and field programs by following @SUUTFXC on Twitter and Instagram and like the Southern Utah Track and XC page on Facebook.
Head to www.suutbirds.com for all Thunderbird athletics news.
