Feb. 26, 2012

TUCSON - The Arizona Wildcat No. 6 men's and No. 16 women's track and field teams had another impressive weekend of competition at the MPSF Championships and the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships. UA broke three school records, three MPSF Championship records and had two volunteer assistant coaches make the USA Indoor World Championships team.

In the team standings on the women's side, Stanford won with 125 points, Arizona took second with 110 points and Oregon came in third with 108.33 points. Arizona State came in fourth place with 68 points, meaning Arizona earned a point in the State Farm Territorial Cup. For the men, Arizona State took first place with 131.50 points. Stanford came in second place with 81.50 points and Oregon took third with 77 points. Arizona earned fourth place with 70 points.

Sophomore Lawi Lalang set another school record, this time in the 3,000 meters. Lalang clocked a time of 7:44.48 and that mark is a personal best, school record, MPSF Championship record, the No. 2 time in the country this year and the No. 5 collegiate mark all-time. The school record was previously set by Robert Cheseret in 2006. Lalang has now automatically qualified for three events in the upcoming NCAA Championships, the mile, the 3K and the 5K, setting school records in all three and the collegiate record in the 5K.

Junior Julie Labonté set an MPSF Championship record, winning the shot put competition with a throw of 58-7.5 (17.87m). The former record was held by Sarah Stevens of Arizona State, set in 2007. This is Labonté's third consecutive MPSF Championship. Labonté will be competing at the NCAA championships in the shot put. Her season-best toss of 59-1.25 at the Razorback Invitational is a personal best and school record.

Junior Brigetta Barrett set an MPSF Championship record in the high jump, clearing 6-4.0 (1.93m) and winning her second-straight MPSF title in the event. She continues to hold the NCAA's top mark in the high jump with her personal-best clearance of 6-5.5, also the Arizona school record. Junior Nick Ross also won the high jump competition with a best clearance of 7-3.25 (2.22m). He has also punched his ticket to Boise when he matched the heptathlon high jump world record, clearing 7-4.25 at the Razorback Invitational.

In the women's 4x400-meter relay, sophomore Shapri Romero, junior Shale' Garland, senior Ariel Coleman and senior Echos Blevins set the school record with a time of 3:36.13, good for second place. The previous record was set on March 5, 2011.

On Friday night, the women's distance medley relay team of junior Melanie McGrath, sophomore Andrea Menhennet, junior Elizabeth Apgar and freshman Nicci Corbin set a school record with a time of 11:27.70, coming in eighth place in the event. The previous record was 11:34.35, set in 2010.

At the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Albuquerque, N.M., volunteer assistant coach Bernard Lagat won the 3,000-meter race on Friday night, placing himself on the USA Indoor World Championships team. Lagat clocked a time of 7:47.54. Fellow volunteer assistant Jill Camarena-Williams also guaranteed herself a spot on the U.S. team, winning the shot put competition with a throw of 64-2.25 (19.56m).

UA's final opportunity to qualify for the NCAA Championships will be next Saturday at Iowa State's NCAA Qualifier in Ames, Iowa. The following weekend Arizona will return to Boise, Idaho for the second time this season, this time for the NCAA Indoor Championships.