Track & Field Preps for C-USA Indoor Championships

HOUSTON, TEXAS (February 26, 2009) The University of Houston men's track team will eye a third consecutive Conference USA Indoor team championship this weekend when the Cougars return to action at the 2009 C-USA Indoor Championships.

Houston will host the two-day conference championships for the ninth-straight year and the 11th time in the last 13 seasons inside Yeoman Fieldhouse on Friday, Feb. 27, and Saturday, Feb. 28.

All-session tickets are available for only $15 for adults and $8 for youth. Single-day tickets are available for $10 for adults and $5 for students with ID. All students from Conference USA schools are admitted free with a valid student ID.

Last year, the Houston men's team collected 152 points, surpassing second place Rice with 116.5 to snatch its second-straight team title. UTEP finished third, scoring 104 points.
Leading the way for the Cougars were Ed Turner and Chris Carter, who grabbed gold medals in the long jump and triple jump, respectively. Turner would be named the 2008 C-USA Indoor Freshman of the Year following his performance. Each looks to defend his conference title this weekend.

Turner, a sophomore, currently sits second in the league standings behind teammate Thomas Lang in the long jump with a season-best mark of 7.21m (23-08.00).

Fellow sophomore Carter set a provisional qualifying mark in the triple jump with a personal-best leap of 15.89m (52-01.75). His mark is tops in C-USA this season and currently stands 16th in the nation.

Senior Seun Adigun will attempt to lead the women to their first team title since 2006. She will also look to close her collegiate career with a third-consecutive C-USA championship in the women's 60-meter hurdles.

Adigun recorded an NCAA automatic qualifying mark earlier this month, crossing the finish line in a school record time of 8.09 at the New Balance Invitational. That mark currently stands as the fourth-fastest posted in the nation this season.

Fans who can't attend can follow all the action live on the web by logging on to www.FlashResults.com/FlashTexas or by clicking HERE

Competition opens at 9 a.m., Friday, with the beginning of the men's heptathlon and women's pentathlon. Field events get under way at 2 p.m. with the women's weight throw, while running events start at 5 p.m. with the men's 5,000m final.

Saturday's action will see the conclusion of the mutli-event competitions, which begin at 11 a.m. The men's shot put starting at 1 p.m. will lead off the field events, while running events get under way with the men's mile at 3 p.m.

All 12 C-USA member schools - East Carolina, Houston, Marshall, Memphis, Rice, SMU, Southern Miss, Tulane, Tulsa, UAB, UCF, and UTEP - will compete for the women's title. Marshall, SMU, Tulane, UCF and UAB do not sponsor men's track and field.