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The University of Utah Athletics
Utes Prepare for Tough Test at Mt. Sac Relays
4/16/2012 12:00 AM | Track & Field
April 16, 2012
SALT LAKE CITY- Utah track and field athletes get set for a tough test as they head to California for three days of competition this week. The Utes are slated to compete on Thursday and Friday at the Mt. Sac Relays in Walnut, Calif. The team will conclude the weekend on Saturday where they are scheduled to compete at the Long Beach State Invitational.
"I thought we showed a great deal of improvement this past weekend," Utah head coach Kyle Kepler said. "This meet will be a great opportunity to put marks on the board that could qualify for the NCAA meet. We will have a much better idea of where we stand after this weekend within the conference and nationally."
Action at the Mt. Sac Relays is set to begin on Thursday with the open 1500m at 2 p.m. PST at the Hilmer Lodge Stadium in Walnut, Calif.
Leading the way for the Utes will be junior Amanda Mergaert. Coming off a solid performance last weekend, Mergaert has all focus set on qualifying for the NCAA Championships for the second consecutive season. Mergaert enters the week with a national 1500m ranking of 89th. She will have to improve on that mark, and with nationally ranked athletes scheduled to compete, Mergaert will have a chance to put her name among the upper echelon of athletes in the country.
Junior Angela Kaplar is fresh off a season-best performance in the 100m hurdles last weekend. Kaplar will have her work cut out as she leads the Utes in the hurdles events at the Mt. Sac Relays. She comes into the meet ranking 78th in the country. Kaplar hopes to build on that season-best time of 13.85 and qualify for the national meet in May.
Senior Brianna LeRoy also has her work cut out as she gets set to compete at Mt. Sac. LeRoy is nationally ranked in high jump, long jump and heptathlon. Slated to compete in all three, LeRoy will try and qualify for the NCAA Championships.
The Utes enter the meet having 10 athletes nationally ranked in nine events.
"Mt. Sac is a huge national level meet in almost every event," Kepler said. "We need our athlete to continue to improve and step up against great competition."
The Long Beach State Invitational will also feature a tough test for the Utes. Last year, only two Utah athletes competed at the meet, but with solid results in that meet, Coach Kepler and his staff are excited for the opportunity to cap off the weekend with great performances.
The Long Beach State Invitational will get underway on Saturday at Cerritos College Stadium in Long Beach Calif.
Players Mentioned
Hurdles
/ Track & Field
Multiple
/ Track & Field
Distance
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