University of Houston Athletics
University of Houston
Penn Relays
Cougars Open Weekend at 123rd Penn Relays
4/27/2017 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
HOUSTON â€" The Houston Cougar Men's and Women's Track & Field teams opened competition at the 123rd running of the Penn Relays on Thursday, in Philadelphia.
ABOUT THE PENN RELAYS
Philadelphia, Pa. | Franklin Field | April 27-29
Meet Information | Meet Schedule & Results | USATF.TV
ABOUT THE LONGHORN INVITATIONAL
Austin, Texas | Mike A. Myers Track Stadium | April 28-29
Meet Information | Meet Schedule |
THROWS OPEN IT UP
The morning began with a pair of Houston throwers in action on Thursday morning. Sophomore Nora Monie was in the ring first for the women's discus. Monie launched a personal best 164-4 (50.10m) to finish fifth in the competition.
Sophomore Mikaila Martin followed with her top throw this season in the women's hammer throw. Martin's best mark traveled 187-10 (57.26m), falling just 10 inches shy of her own school record to finish sixth.
DISTANCE TAKES THE NIGHT
A trio of Cougar distance runners opened track events for Houston at the Penn Relays, beginning with senior Selena Sierra in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. The school record holder in the event finished in 10:30.87 to place 14th.
Junior Maddie Brown and sophomore G.J. Reyna closed out the night in the women's and men's 5,000-meter run respectively. Brown finished 34th in 17:19.45, while Reyna set a new personal best with a 68th place finish in 14:57.04.
WATCH IT LIVE
The 2017 Penn Relay Carnival will be broadcast live Thursday through Saturday via USATF.TV and the NBC Sports Network. The USATV.TV broadcast will require a RunnerSpace +Plus subscription which can be found HERE.
USATF.TV will offer full coverage of each day of the Penn Relays. Thursday's coverage begins at 9 a.m., and runs through the end of competition, while Friday's portion begins at 8 a.m., and runs through the end of competition. Saturday's final coverage will open at 6 a.m., and run throughout the day.
NBCSN will carry coverage for portions of Friday and Saturday's events on both television and the NBC Sports Extra Live App. Friday's coverage runs from 4:30-5:30 p.m., while Saturday will broadcast from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.
AN HONOR FOR COACH BURRELL
Head Coach Leroy Burrell has been named as the Honorary College Referee for Relay Events at the most prestigious meet in his hometown of Philadelphia. Burrell has been a staple in Philadelphia track & field for three decades beginning with leading Penn Wood High to a state championship in 1985.
In 1989 and 90, Burrell won the 100-meter dash at the Penn Relays, setting the meet record in his performance. In his professional career, Burrell returned to set the Olympic Development Record in the 4x200-meter relay at Penn alongside teammates Carl Lewis, Floyd Heard and Michael Marsh. In 2010, Burrell was honored by being named to the Penn Relays Wall of Fame.
STILL TO COME
RELAYS HOPE TO STEAL THE SHOW
The Houston men enter the 2017 Penn Relays in a prime position to win their first sprint relay championship in nearly 30 years. Houston last won the 4x100-meter relay championship in 1989, with Leroy Burrell leading the team. This season's team of Cameron Burrell, Mario Burke, Jacarias Martin and Eli Hall enters with the top seed in the event and the nation's No. 2 time at 38.59, which they ran at the Mt. SAC Relays earlier this month. Houston's top time already sits below the current meet record of 38.68 set by TCU in 2001.
Houston will try to claim its first victory in the 4x200-meter relay at Penn since current assistant coach Carl Lewis helped them capture the crown in 1980. The Cougars will field the same lineup for the 4x2 and enter with the second-fastest seed time in the event at 1:23.13, which they ran at the TSU Relays to open the season.
The men will also enter with the meet's best seed in the 4x400-meter relay. Houston broke the school record at the Mt. SAC Relays when it ran 3:04.38 and clocked the nation's No. 10 time this season. The squad of Amere Lattin, Raymund Clarke, Burke and Trumaine Jefferson look to claim Houston's first 4x400-meter relay Penn Wheel in school history.
GOING BACK-TO-BACK?
Houston looks to defend its crown and bring home another Penn Relays wheel when they take the track in the men's shuttle hurdle relay. The 2016 squad ran 56.78 to edge Cornell and take the crown. The 2017 team returns sophomores Amere Lattin and Raymund Clarke to the competition.
A NEW 100-METER DASH CHAMPION?
The 2016 Penn Relays saw Houston's first individual champion in 23 years when then-senior LeShon Collins won the 100-meter dash in 10.48. Collins will represent Team USA in the 4x100-meter relay at this year's carnival, however the Cougars bring a stacked lineup into the straight-track competition.
Junior Cameron Burrell enters the event with the No. 28 time in the NCAA this season after running 10.26 earlier this year, while sophomore John Lewis III ranks 29th in the nation at 10.27. A triple jumper by trade, sophomore Cameron Prejean holds the nation's 72nd fastest time at 10.58.
Sophomore Mario Burke returns from international competition, where he helped his native country of Barbados to a silver medal in the 4x100-meter relay at the IAAF World Relays last week. Burke claimed bronze in last year's 100 at the Penn Relays after running 10.52.
Junior Eli Hall enters his first 100-meter dash with the Cougars this weekend after missing the beginning of the season due to an injury. Hall broke the school record in the indoor 200-meter dash in just his first race on campus.
LATTIN HUNGRY FOR MORE
Sophomore Amere Lattin is set to compete in his second Penn Relays, looking to add an individual title to the shuttle hurdle relay championship from a year ago. Lattin finished fifth in the 110-meter hurdles at the 2016 Penn Relays in a field that saw three Cougars finish among the top-5.
Lattin enters competition with the No. 13 time in the110-meter hurdles after running a wind-aided 13.73 earlier this season.
LOADED LONG JUMP FIELD
The Cougars will enter three athletes in the long jump competition at Penn. Junior Trumaine Jefferson enters the Championship of America event with the nation's 24th best mark this season at 25-3.5 (7.71m), while Cameron Burrell will jump for the first time this season in the event.
Antwan Dickerson enters the college long jump with the No. 74 mark in the NCAA this season at 24-5.0 (7.44m).
THROWERS LOOK FOR BIG MARKS
The Cougars will have a pair of throwers in competition on Saturday, when Cameron Cornelius and Alex Garza enter the shot put. Cornelius will compete first in the Championship of America portion with the nation's No. 16 mark at 61-11.5 (18.88m) entering competition. Garza enters with the No. 50 mark in the NCAA at 59-0.0 (17.98m) and will throw later in the afternoon in the college competition.
UP NEXT FOR HOUSTON
The Cougars return home for the final meet before the American Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships, when they host the Tom Tellez Invitational on Friday, May 5 at the Carl Lewis Complex.
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Players Mentioned
