Seventeenth Annual Robison Invitational gets Under Way at BYU

The men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon will start Wednesday.

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April 25, 2007

PROVO, Utah - The BYU men's and women's track teams will welcome several schools in Utah and other schools and athletes to the 17th annual Robison Invitational that will take place April 25-28.

"We have some very good teams coming," BYU women's coach Craig Poole said. "There are also some good open athletes signed up to compete. This has always been our biggest meet of the season and we expect some very good performances from our team and the other teams."

The men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon will start Wednesday and conclude Thursday. The prelims will take place the Friday and finals will conclude the meet on Saturday. Some of the notable competition includes Barton County Community College from Kansas, which heralds high caliber athletes, as well as some former BYU athletes like Steeplechase National Champion Josh McAdams. The Cougars are also pleased to have Ian Waltz, the top-ranked discus thrower in the U.S. in 2006, and Stacey Dragila, the American record-holder in the pole vault.

Trackwire also has the BYU men's team tied for ninth with Wisconsin and Tennessee. The men's team has many athletes near the top of the national leader boards. Josh Rohatinsky is second in the 5,000 meters and seventh in the 1,500 meters. Chandler Goodwin is currently seventh in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, and Niklas Arrhenius is second in the nation in the discus. Men's head coach Mark Robison has a hard decision to make during this meet.

According to Trackwire, the BYU women's team is tied for 17th in the nation with UCLA. This is due in part to the national rankings of Jennifer Grossarth in the 400 hurdles, Mindy Neeley in the long jump and Whitney McDonald who is ranked No. # in the nation in the 5,000 and 10,000-meter events. The Cougar women have 27 athletes qualified for region.

"This meet will help us solidify who will compete at the Mountain West Conference," said Robison. "We have 38 athletes in the top 10 in the conference, which means that some of the athletes will have to stay home. A lot is riding on this meet for the athletes. Traditionally this is the best meet of the year."