Colorado University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Track Preps For Big 12 Outdoor Track Championships
May 09, 2007 | Track and Field
BOULDER- Billy Nelson, Brent Vaughn, Jenny Barringer and Liza Pasciuto will lead the University of Colorado track and field teams to the 11th Annual Big 12 Outdoor Championship this Friday-Sunday, May 11-13, at the Ed Weir Track on the campus of the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.
The Championship will kick off with the decathlon and heptathon at 1 and 1:30 p.m., respectively, on May 11. The first event for CU is the men's discus, which starts at 2 p.m. The women's 10,000 meter run will be contested at 6:45 and the men's will follow at 7:30. Vaughn won the event last year, becoming the first Buffs in 20 years to do so at the conference championship.
In 2006, Texas swept the championships as the women claimed a league-leading sixth title and the men won their fourth overall. The Colorado men finished in fourth place; their best finish in Big 12 history. CU finished one point out of third. The women tied for 10th.
Reigning Big 12 1,500-meter champion Stephen Pifer is currently second on the conference list at 3:41.77, just behind NU's Peter van der Westhuizen at 3:41.74. Anthony Chiulli is fifth (3:44.75) and Vaughn ranks sixth (3:45.71). Vaughn leads the league in the 5k at 13:30.12, which is the fourth fastest time in CU history. Pifer is third (13:43.04), Nelson is sixth (14:02.61) and Kenyon Neuman is seventh (14:04.93). Payton Batliner is the only Buff to run the 10k this season and ranks third in the conference at 29:00.33. Nelson leads the Big 12 in the steeplechase, clocking a time of 8:40.88, the 11th fastest in Buff history.
Ryan Campbell and Jeremy Dodson will lead CU in the sprints. Campbell ranks fourth on the conference list in the 100 (10.36*) and is ninth in the 200 (20.92*). Dodson is seventh in the 100 (10.44*) and 11th in the 200 (20.95*). George Pincock is 10th in the league in the 400 (47.14*) and Chris Abuan is 16th (47.49*).
The men's relays have also earned some impressive times. The 4x100 ranks third in the conference at 39.85 and the 4x400 is 11th at 3:10.20.
Zach Hazen will highlight the CU throwers as the school record holder in the hammer throw. He recorded a toss of 200-09.5 on March 30, which is seventh in the conference. Ryan Willis is eighth in the Big 12 in the shot put (54-03.75) and Kevin Fasing is ninth in the javelin (194-08.25).
On the women's side Chelsea Haverty, Veronica Maul and Blayne Kelly will lead the Buffs in the sprints and hurdles. Haverty ranks 38th in the 200 (25.25*) and is 23rd in the 400 (57.11*). Maul is 45th in the 200 (25.62*) and is 17th in the 400 (55.91*). Kelly is 20th in the 100-meter hurdles (14.80*) and 21st in the 400-meter hurdles (64.61*).
Dani Rodriguez will compete in the middle distances for CU. She is 37th in the 800 (2:18.46*) and 26th in the 1,500 (4:34.60*). Also in the 1,500, Sara Ensrud is second (4:19.70), Barringer is fourth (4:21.52) and Pasciuto is 12th (4:27.25). In the 5k, Barringer ranks second (15:48.24) and Pasciuto is third (15:54.50). Erin Marston is seventh in the league in the 10k (35:58.54).
Amberly Casey and Hannah Warfield-Ruffatto will represent CU in the field events. Casey is 12th in the long jump (19-07.75) and 21st in the triple jump (40-00.00). Warfield-Ruffatto is second in the javelin with a throw of 167-11.
The weather will be slightly warmer than the CU contingent is used to with highs in the 80's. Friday and Saturday are both predicted for highs of 86 while Sunday shows a high of 82. There is only a 20 percent chance of rain on Friday and 10 percent on Saturday and Sunday.
Click here for live stats throughout the meet. All times listed with an * were converted from altitude.
The championship will be televised, tape delayed, on FSN Rocky Mountain on Saturday, May 19 at 3 p.m.