Everything is beginning to come together for the men and women's track and field teams at the University of Memphis, and with the American Athletic Conference Championships beginning on May 1, the timing couldn't be better for the Tigers.
Hot off several impressive individual showings at the War Eagle Invitation last weekend at Auburn, the Blue and Gray will compete one final time before heading to Tampa, Fla., for the conference championship.
Memphis head coach Kevin Robinson said this weekend's meet in Jonesboro, Ark., is all about preparing for the American meet.
"This is what we consider to be our final tune up," Robinson said. "We fly out to Tampa next Thursday for the conference championship, so we're utilizing this event to clean up the edges, make sure the guys are sharp, make sure the women's team is ready to rock and roll, clean up some things technically, make sure were motivated and focused and get out of there with some great performances to springboard us into the championship next week."
Robinson called last weekend's meet in Auburn, Ala., "the highlight of the spring schedule outside of the conference meet and championships." The Tigers managed to post some impressive individual finishes in the meet, which was not a team-scored event.
On the men's side, Memphis took the top spot in three events. Sophomore Luis Hanssler finished first in the long jump, leaping 7.55 meters. Junior Pauls Pujats cleared 5.2 meters in the pole vault for a first-place finish, and Hassnler, junior La'Quintin Garner, sophomore Fabian Fiege and freshman LaForrest Church snagged a first place finish in the 4 x 400 meter relay with a time of 3:12.51.
The women had a record-setting meet, but they failed to take first in any of their events.
Junior Sabrina Hochreuther and sophomore Carolina Carmichael both set a program record for the pole vault, clearing 4.15 meters. Hochreuther cleared the mark on her first try, giving her the third-place finish and Carmichael fourth.
Hochreuther's performance garnered recognition from the American, which named her its Female Field Athlete of the Week.
The mark puts both Tigers in a tie for 19th in NCAA Division I and 12th in the NCAA East Division. Both vaulters have set themselves up for a berth in the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field East Preliminary.
Robinson said the pole vaulters have been great all season long.
"That group of girls is doing a great job," the eighth-year coach said. "They're awesome, awesome kids fun to coach fun to be around. They work hard, and when its time to get after it, they know how to get after it. This weekend got them catapulted into the top of the conference and one of the best jumps in the region, so it assures them a place to jump in the postseason and it puts them in a good position going into the conference championship. It couldn't happen to a better group of kids."
At Auburn, senior Laura Toldy took third in the high jump, clearing 1.7 meters. In the triple jump, freshman Chardae Greenlee leaped her way into fourth with a 12.18-meter jump.
Junior thrower Vivian Brandhoff took third in the shot put with a 14.95-meter throw, and she took sixth in the discus with a 42.44-meter toss.
Junior runner Maya Williamson stood out for the U of M in the running events with a second-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles.
With last weekend's meet in the rear view, all of the Tigers' attention shifts to the American Championship. Memphis will compete in Jonesboro this weekend, but Robinson called the meet a "glorified practice," and several of the best long-distance runners on the Memphis team won't make the trip.
Robinson is emphasizing mental fortitude and focus with the athletes, as they move toward the end of the outdoor season.
"Physically, we're not going to get better physically at this point," he said. "The work is done. Now, it's a matter of making sure the mind is sharp, making sure we're focused and motivated, stay healthy, do the little things, be mindful of our nutrition, be mindful of our sleep and our rest patterns, which is difficult with finals coming up."
This weekend's A-State Red Wolves Open begins on Friday at 3 p.m., and the meet will continue on Saturday at 11 a.m.
