COLLEGE PARK, Md. — The Maryland track and field team will open the 2019 outdoor season at home this Saturday, as the Terps host the annual Maryland Invitational.  This is the first of two home competitions for the squad who will also host the Kehoe Twilight Meet on May 3^rd.
 
The outdoor schedule will take the Terps to competitive meets such as Florida Relays, Virginia Challenge, and Penn Relays.  Post season will lead the group to the Big Ten Championships in Iowa, followed by the NCAA East Regionals and NCAA finals.
 
Here are some Terps to keep an eye on for the outdoor season:
 
Men
 
Greg Thompson will lead the way for the men.  Thompson finished the 2018 season as the NCAA runner up in the Discus Throw.  He won the prestigious Penn Relays in a school record mark of 61.29m (201'1").
 
Samuel Shoultz, also an NCAA All-American, will return in the high jump.  He is currently tied for the school record in the high jump at 7'04.25".
 
Kameron Jones is looking to build on his success this indoor season.  Jones will focus on the open 400m and will join the men on the 4x400m relay in the outdoor season. Freshman Dashawn Morris will continue his first year as a Terp in the 200m, 400m and 4x400m relay. Morris currently holds the indoor school record in the 400m dash (46.91).  Aaron Robinson had a strong freshman campaign that he will look to build off of in his sophomore year in the 400m.
 
Cameron Vereen (sprints) will push through the remainder of his freshman year in the 200m and 100m dashes.  Senior, AJ Ruffin will also compete in the short sprint events who has continued to excel in the 100m dash.  Senior jumper, Drew Alfano, will compete in the sprints as well as the long jump this outdoor season.
 
Carlos Vanzego was on the cusp of big things in the triple jump at last year's outdoor championships.  He is looking to build on this success and pick up where he left off in the sand. Freshmen Nate Moore will make his debut as a Terp in the triple jump and the high jump.
 
Chris Spiess will be leap to new heights in the pole vault this season as a new addition to the Terp squad.
 
Distance runner Aaron Barlev set a new personal best mark this indoor season in the mile.  He will build on this success as he transitions to the 3000m steeplechase outdoor.  Patrick Hanley will tackle the long distances including the 5000m and the 10000m this outdoor season. 
 
Middle distance runners Hazem Miawad and Colin Rowe will compete in both the 400m and 800m events this season. TJ Bleichner posted the Terps top time last outdoor season in the 800m running 1:51.89 at the Big Ten Championships.  Senior, Ryan Scott will also represent the Terps in the 800m race while Jared Loadholt and William Jones will run both the 800m and 1500m races. 
 
 
Women
 
Senior Jewel Smith qualified for the NCAA Championships in the long jump last outdoor season.  She will continue her jumping career as well as competing in the short hurdles.  Smith jumped 20'5.75" last outdoor season en route to the NCAA finals.
 
Sophomore, Xahria Santiago, earned All-Big Ten status in the 400m hurdles last outdoor season (56.69) and will continue on this road to NCAA success.
 
Cheyenne Jones set new personal bests in the 400m this indoor season and scored at the Big Ten Championships.  She will continue in this event as well as the 4x400m relay squad.
 
Redshirt senior, Alexandra Lucki, will return to compete in the 1500m this outdoor season.  Lucki is an NCAA qualifier in this event (4:18.87) and will bring these experiences into her final season as a Terp.  Christine Laurie, Paige Novak and Mackenzie Morgan will follow this lead in the middle distance events competing in the 1500m and 800m events. 
 
Sprinter Bria Mack will open the outdoor season in the 100m dash. Mack competed in the Big Ten Indoor Championship this year in the 60m dash (7.61), and is one of the fastest Terps in Maryland's history.  Jaida Smith will continue a strong freshman campaign moving to the 100m and 200m dashes. Smith ran a season best 60m (7.59) during the indoor season, placing her as one of the top ten 60m sprinters in school history.  Fellow short sprinter Imani Gray will also compete in the 100/200m events.
 
Transfer, Destiny Ward, will focus on the long sprints in the 400m dash, while also competing in the 400m hurdle event.  Venida Fagan will also join Ward in the 400m and relays.  Senior Thaila Cooper will round out her last season of competition in the 400m and 400m hurdles.  Sophomore, Nadia Hackett will primarily compete in the short hurdes for the Terps after posting a time of 14.14 in the 100m hurdles her freshman year.
 
In field events, Mikella Lefebvre-Oatis will be a top performer in the high jump this outdoor season.  Lefebvre-Oatis holds strong personal records in this event that will add to team scoring.
 
Leah Blackall has had a tremendous junior year to date, scoring at the indoor Big Ten Championships in the triple jump.  Blackall set a personal best of 40'7", which she will look to build on during the outdoor season.
 
Gwendolyn Zeckowski is a newcomer in the Pole Vault who has the ability to add value this season.
 
Alice Barnsdale qualified for the NCAA Regional meet last year in the Hammer Throw and will continue her success in this event at Maryland.  Her personal best mark of 59.35m will propel her into a strong 2018 season.
 
Bayli Smith will compete in the hammer throw and Kamryn Henderson will compete in both the Hammer throw and the Shot Put.  Newcomer, Lillian Hill will open up the outdoor season in the Javelin. 
 
Junior, Brittany Lang, has been steady for the Terps in the distance events.  She will continue to compete in events ranging from the 1500m through 5000m.  Kathryn Gearhart has also been a standout competitor in the 5000m and will go as far as 10000m this outdoor season.  Molly Barrick will be joining Gearhart in the longer distances.  Senior, Emily Bracher will look to return to the track this outdoor season in the distance events.
 
Caroline Augelli, Emily McAllister and Courtney Mann will join several distance and mid-distance runners competing this season.  Freshmen, Alexa Woltjen, Yasmine Kass, Jasmine Tiamfook and Kristin Walz will participate in their first outdoor season with the Terps.  Gaby Go, Kiernan Keller, Maria Castellanos, and Obichi Onwukwe will complete their final season as seniors in the middle distance events.  Sophomore, Julia Reicin will compete in the 3000m steeplechase this outdoor season.