Track Teams Split Between UTEP and Stanford

PROVO -- The BYU men's and women's track teams will send the majority of their squad to El Paso, Texas this weekend to compete in the UTEP Springtime Invitational.

The distance squads will travel to Palo Alto, Calif. to go up against top competition at the Stanford Invitational. The Cougars had eight runners turn in NCAA qualifying marks at the Stanford meet last year.

Amy Bair and Lindsey Thomsen were among those who turned in NCAA qualifyimg marks for BYU last year at Stanford and will be looking to repeat that feat in their return to Palo Alto this year.

The UTEP meet will feature three teams, BYU, Illinois and Kansas State, that finished in the top 20 at the NCAA Indoor Championships on the women's side in addition to host UTEP and New Mexico. Men's teams that will be competing are UTEP, BYU, Kansas State and New Mexico.

Despite splitting their squads last year, both the men's and women's teams finished second behind the Miners at the UTEP Invitational.

The Cougars will host the BYU Cougar Invitational next Saturday. The team will also send some athletes to Austin, Texas to compete in the Texas Relays.

For a complete schedule of events for the UTEP Springtime Invitational, go to http://www.utepathletics.com/news/archive/032802tf1.htm. For a schedule of events for the Stanford Invitational, go to http://gostanford.fansonly.com/sports/c-track/spec-rel/101901aab.html.