March 25, 2010

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland will play host to the annual Maryland Invitational Outdoor Track Meet at the Jim Kehoe Track Complex this Saturday.

The Maryland Invitational, one of two home meets this season, is an excellent opportunity for Maryland student-athletes to record NCAA-qualifying marks on their home track. There will be 19 schools competing in the meet.

"We look forward to hosting some strong competition this weekend," said head coach Andrew Valmon, now in his seventh season with the Terrapins. "As a team, we anticipate a solid start to the outdoor season. We expect to see Maryland athletes at the top of their events."

On the women's side, Tolulope Olugbemi will compete in sprinting events for the Terrapins. The Baltimore-native won the 200 and took second place in the 100 at the Tribe Invitational last Saturday. The star senior's times last week were just under the regional qualifying standards in both events.

Led by senior Christina Nelson, Maryland student-athletes swept the first four places in the 3,000-meter run last week. Nelson will look to continue her success this Saturday in mid-distance events.

Junior Kiani Profit, fresh off her second place finish in the pentathlon at the NCAA Indoor Championships, will make her outdoor season debut. Profit will participate in the 400-meter hurdles, javelin, long jump and 4x400 relay.

Four different Terrapins won field events at the Tribe Invitational, headlined by junior Kristen Batts, who threw an ECAC-qualifying mark in the discus.

The men's program hinges on a stable of mid-distance runners. Freshman Shawn David and senior Tommy Friscia both ran the 400 in under 50 seconds last week. Along with Jeremy Samuels, the three runners look forward to success in mid-distance and distance events this outdoor season.

All-American high jumper Dwight Barbiasz will attempt to make his season debut on Saturday. The 2009 ACC Indoor Track Freshman of the Year has not competed since January.

The 2010 outdoor season brought a change in qualification for the NCAA Championship meet. New ruling states that the top 48 marks in each region (East and West) will qualify athletes for national competition this postseason.

Several Maryland student-athletes currently have marks in the top 48 in the East region, including junior Ashlyn Sinclair. Sinclair, and the rest of the Maryland track and field student-athletes, will look to improve their marks and qualify for national competition by the end of the 2010 outdoor season. Their marks can be followed all season at www.tfrrs.org.

Schools Competing

Adelphi; American; Bucknell; CCNY (men's); George Washington (women's); Hagerstown CC; Howard CC; Johns Hopkins; Maryland; UMES; Morgan State; Mount St. Mary's; Penn (women's); Pittsburgh; Richmond; Salisbury; UMBC; Virginia State; William and Mary