SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The University of Arizona’s men’s and women’s track and field teams completed the third day of competition at the 2005 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Sacramento on Friday.  The throwers took center stage for the Wildcats as three women competed in the discus throw and one athlete took the ring in the men’s shot put final.  After eight events on the women’s side, the Wildcat women are tied for 30^th place with three points.  The UA men sit tied for seventh with 15 points through 11 events.

The women’s discus final kicked off Friday’s action at the NCAA Championships.  Three Wildcats headed to the ring to put Arizona on the board.  Senior Ilona Rutjes was the top finisher for Arizona, finishing sixth with a throw of 176 feet (53.65m).  Rutjes scored the women’s only three points at this point in the competition.  Sophomore Rachel Varner was tenth, while junior Kelli Burton placed 12^th.

Junior Sean Shields took the stage in the men’s shot put final on Friday night.  Shields came through with one of his best throws of the year, which measured 63 feet, 0 ¼ inch (19.21m) to place fourth.  He added five points to the men’s total, putting them in a tie for seventh place.

The Wildcats will conclude the 2005 NCAA Championships on Saturday at Sacramento State’s Alex G. Spanos Sports Complex.  Shields and sophomore Adam Kuehl will take the field in the men’s discus final at 3:30 p.m. PT.  Freshman Megan Howard will compete in the women’s shot put final at 6:30 p.m. PT, and junior Robert Cheseret will toe the line to defend his title in the 5,000 meters at 7:50 p.m. PT.

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