Posted: June 9, 2005

Athletics: USATF News & Notes - Volume 6, Number 44

Track coaches unite to protest Utah program cut

America's track coaches are protesting the University of Utah's decision to cut its men's track/cross country program by wearing black wrist bands today at the NCAA Division I Track & Field Championships in Sacramento, Calif. The meet runs today through Saturday, June 11, at Sacramento State.

The USTFCCCA distributed the bands to its members this week in Sacramento.

"We felt it was important to show our solidarity with the sport, its athletes and coaches," said Sam Seemes, CEO of USTFCCA. "As a group, we are making a statement about how unfair and simply wrong Utah's decision is."

Utah announced last month that it will discontinue its men's track and cross country programs in order to redirect funds.

For more information on the USTFCCCA protest, contact Seemes at 504-722-7185.

NCAA Division I Championships preview

The University of Arkansas will attempt to defend its men's team title, and UCLA will take on all challengers in defending its women's team crown beginning Wednesday at the 2005 NCAA Division I Track & Field Championships in Sacramento, Calif. The event will continue through Saturday.

UCLA won its first women's team title since 1983, and Arkansas' men's squad successfully defended its crown at last year's Championships in Austin, Texas.

The Bruins will have nine athletes competing in 10 events in the women's competition, led by 2004 Olympic 4x400m relay gold medalist Monique Henderson (400m) and defending pole vault champion Chelsea Johnson. The University of Miami (Fla.), Texas and South Carolina are considered strong threats to the Bruins for this year's women's team title.

Last year LSU won the final event of the women's competition, the 1,600m relay, to come up just one point short as UCLA won the title with 69 points to LSU's 68. Nebraska was third with 58 points, with the host Texas Longhorns fourth with 42.

Arkansas dominated the men's competition last year in Austin with 65 points, with Florida the runner-up with 49 points and LSU third with 31. Razorback coach John McDonnell won his 11th NCAA outdoor title and the 39th NCAA crown of his career in either indoor or outdoor track, or cross country.

Although Arkansas is primarily known for it's prowess in distance events, sprinters helped lead the way for the Razorbacks last year as Tyson Gay won the 100 meters in 10.06 seconds, and Wallace Spearman captured the 200 meters in a windy 20.12. Spearmon and Gay are back again this year to compete in the 200 meters and 4x100m relay, and currently own the #1 and #3 (respectively) fastest 200m times in the world this season.

For more information on the 2005 NCAA Division I Track and Field Championships, including the complete results, visit www.ncaasports.com.

Dragila enters Reebok Grand Prix

2000 Olympic gold medalist and former world record holder Stacy Dragila will compete in the women's pole vault June 11 at the inaugural Reebok Grand Prix at Icahn Stadium on Randall's Island in New York City.

The fifth stop of USA Track & Field's Visa Championship Series, the Reebok Grand Prix will be televised live Saturday on NBC from 4-5:30 p.m. ET.

A two-time world outdoor champion, Dragila has been sidelined since sustaining an Achilles injury earlier this spring. Dragila joins a stellar lineup that includes U.S. stars Allen Johnson, Joanna Hayes, Shawn Crawford, Maurice Greene, and John Godina among others. International luminaries set to compete include Liu Xiang of China, Veronica Campbell of Jamaica, and Ethiopian heroes Tirunesh Dibaba and Werknesh Kidane.

The Reebok Grand Prix will be the first international competition ever held in the new Icahn Stadium on Randall's Island, and marks the return of world-class outdoor track and field to the East Coast. Tickets, at $30 and $20, are still available but going fast.

Information and tickets for the Reebok Grand Prix are available at ReebokGrandPrix.com or by calling 1-877-RBK-GP05. For more information on the 2005 Visa Championship Series visit www.usatf.org.