Track and Field Ready for AAC Outdoor Championships

May 01, 2014 | Track & Field

May 1, 2014

TAMPA, Fla. - The University of Louisville track and field teams embark on the American Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships this weekend, beginning the three-day competition in Tampa, Fla., on Friday.

Action at the USF Track and Field Stadium begins on Friday, May 2, with the multi-events, throwing events, and four distance races. The meet continues on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. with a full slate of events, and concludes on Sunday. Live results and video will be available on The American's website.

Championship Central |

Practice Photo Gallery | Day 1 Stream | Day 2 Stream | Day 3 Stream

Louisville's men's team boasts a pair of reigning outdoor conference champions in Sam Bombaugh (hammer throw) and Brad Vivace (shot put) in addition to three other indoor champions: Calvin Arsenault (60m hurdles), Ernest Kibet (5,000m), and Tyler Byrne (3,000m). Bombaugh also won the weight throw title at the indoor championships.

On the women's side, Patrice Gates won the weight throw competition at this year's indoor championships, and Brittany Owens finished runner-up in the long jump.

Louisville boasts more than 30 marks inside the top 30 in the conference.

On Friday, Louisville's throws group opens the meet in the hammer throw.

Bombaugh, who earned All-America honors in the event last year, leads a group of five in the competition. He currently has the top mark in the AAC, Vivace is second, and Nils Westrich ranks third. In the women's event, Gates headlines Louisville's quartet of throwers. She has the second-best mark in the event, while Caitlin Gilmore is fifth in the league.

In the night cap, Louisville's distance crew will take part in the 3,000m steeplechase and the 10,000m. Conference leader Benadate Cheruiyot lines up in the steeplechase at 8:30 p.m. After 9 p.m., Maria Frigo will run in the women's 10,000m, and Byrne, Kibet, and Japhet Kipkoech are slated to take part in the men's race. Byrne and Kibet are first and second, respectively, in the league.

Day two opens with the women's javelin, followed by the women's pole vault, women's long jump, and men's shot put.

Chanel Krause broke the school record in the pole vault last week and is second in the conference with a mark of 4.15m/13-7.25. Owens will be looking for her second title of the season in the women's long jump, where she ranks third in the conference.

The track events for Louisville begin at 4:30 p.m., with the sprints starting at 5 p.m.

Brianne Brown lines up in the women's 100m hurdles, where she ranks fifth, before the men's competition commences. Arsenault, who ranks second in the 110m hurdles, is slated to run in the trials at 5:15 p.m. and takes part in the 400m hurdles - he leads the conference in the event - at 7:25 p.m.

Louisville features a pair of throwers in the top five in the women's shot put, which begins at 6 p.m. Freshman Emmonnie Henderson is second in the league, with Liberty Slinden ranking fifth.

The Cardinals close the day with the men's 5,000m, which it boasts four runners in the top 10. Byrne's time of 14:12.88 is the fastest mark in the conference.

Sunday primarily consists of finals races on the track and four field events for the Cardinals.

After the men's pole vault and men's discus competitions, Owens will take part in the women's triple jump.

At 11:10 a.m., the women's 4x100m relay team takes the track and is followed by the men's relay squad.

At noon, Henderson leads four throwers in the women's discus. Ranking third in the discipline, she is one of three in the top 10.

The women's high jump also takes place at noon, followed by a multiple sprints finals. The championships with the women's and men's 4x400m relays around 2 p.m.

For the latest information on Louisville cross country and track and field, log on to GoCards.com, or, for up-to-the-minute updates, follow the team's Twitter account at www.twitter.com/uofltrackxc or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/uofltrackxc.

AAC OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS (TAMPA, FLA. - USF TRACK AND FIELD STADIUM)

Friday, May 2

Women's Hammer Throw, Noon
Hannah Baker, Patrice Gates, Caitlin Gilmore, Rachel Serafin

Men's Hammer Throw, 2 p.m.
Sam Bombaugh, Darrius Lopez, Trevor Troutman, Brad Vivace, Nils Westrich

Women's 3,000m Steeplechase, 8:30 p.m.
Benadate Cheruiyot, Rachel Pease

Men's 3,000m Steeplechase, 8:45 p.m.
Stacey Eden, Edwin Kibichiy

Women's 10,000m, 9:05 p.m.
Maria Frigo

Saturday, May 3

Women's Javelin, 2:30 p.m.
Jenna Wargo, Katie Wimpari

Women's Pole Vault, 3 p.m.
Chanel Krause, Chelsea Bingham

Women's Long Jump, 3 p.m.
Kim Cardeiro, Hannah Cox, Brittany Owens, Bre'Yana Wash

Men's Shot Put, 4 p.m.
Sam Bombaugh, Brad Vivace, Steve Wade