The Warm-Up Lap: Weekend News and Notes (Jan. 16)

NEW ORLEANS – An exciting weekend of collegiate track & field is in store as 131 of the 150 teams ranked in the USTFCCCA preseason projections will be in action, setting up some intriguing early-season matchups.

Listed below are some of the top meets across the country this weekend with compelling storylines to watch for, where the teams in the top 10 in each division are in action, and the important collegiate track & field news heading into the weekend.

MORE INFO: Full Weekend Schedule on USTFCCCA InfoZone | Broadcast Schedule

DIVISION I MEET OF THE WEEK

Texas A&M Triangular

Saturday, January 19 | Noon ET | College Station, Texas | WATCH LIVE (Free)

The Texas A&M Triangular features an early-season showdown between three SEC powerhouse programs ranked in the top-10 in both the men’s and women’s USTFCCCA Division I preseason projections: host Texas A&M, LSU and Arkansas. On the men’s side Arkansas is the nation’s No. 1 team, while Texas A&M is No. 4 and LSU is No. 10; for the women LSU is No. 4, Texas A&M is No. 6 and Arkansas sits at No. 7.

Among the top races not only at this meet but in the country could be the men’s 200 meters, where the three schools claim five of the top 10 times of the young season. A&M’s Prezel Hardy Jr., LSU’s Aaron Ernest and Arkansas’ Akheem Gauntlett are second, third and fourth in the nation, respectively. Also likely in the field will be defending NCAA 200 indoor champion Ameer Webb of Texas A&M, setting up a duel between Webb and 2012 NCAA runner-up Gauntlett. A&M boasts three of the top six at200 meters so far in 2013 on the women’s side, who will likely contend with LSU’s Kimberlyn Duncan, the 2012 winner of The Bowerman and the back-to-back indoor and outdoor NCAA 200 champion.

Keep an Eye On DI: Gator Invitational (Thursday, Jan 17), Auburn Indoor Invitational (Saturday, Jan 19)

Division I Top 10 In Action This Weekend

DIVISION II MEET OF THE WEEK

Cherry and Silver Invitational

Friday, January 18 – Saturday, January 19 | 6 p.m. ET/11 a.m. ET | Albuquerque, N.M.

Men’s ranked teams: No. 13 BYU, No. 15 Stanford, No. 1 Grand Canyon (DII), No. 2 Adams State (DII), No. 14 Western State (DII)

Women’s ranked teams: No. 9 California, No. 13 Stanford, No. 20 San Diego State, No. 3 Adams State (DII), No. 4 Grand Canyon (DII), No. 13 Western State (DII)

Disclaimer: Hosted by Division I New Mexico.

The nation’s largest contingent of ranked teams will convene in the desert this weekend for New Mexico’s Cherry and Silver Invitational with five each on both the men’s and women’s sides. The featured match-up will not be between any of the five ranked DI schools in the field or host New Mexico, but rather between the top two programs in men’s DII with No. 1 Grand Canyon and No. 2 Adams State, which makes it the meet to watch for DII. If the USTFCCCA preseason projections hold true, this meet should serve as a potential preview for the battle for the DII indoor championship later this winter. The women’s programs for these two schools, ranked third and fourth, respectively, will also be an early boost toward moving up in the rankings.

Keep an Eye On DII: Central Missouri Invite (Friday, Jan 18), Winston-Salem State Open (Sunday, Jan 20)

Division II Top 10 In Action This Weekend

DIVISION III MEET OF THE WEEK

North Central (Ill.) Cardinal Opener

Friday, January 18 | 5:30 p.m. ET | Naperville, Ill.

Men’s ranked teams: No. 1 North Central (DIII), No. 2 UW-La Crosse (DIII), No. 3 UW-Oshkosh (DIII)

Women’s ranked teams: No. 2 UW-Oshkosh (DIII), No. 14 UW-La Crosse (DIII), No. 15 North Central (DIII)

All three of the top-ranked men’s teams in the USTFCCCA preseason projections finished within eight points of one another in the computer rankings, and each will get the opportunity to make a big early-season statement as they go head-to-head-to-head in Naperville this Friday. Reigning DIII Athlete of the Week Nick Baatz of UW-Oshkosh, who leads DIII in the shot put and is second in the weight throw, will likely be in action. On the women’s side, No. 2 UW-Oshkosh enters as the highest-ranked team in the field, ahead of No. 14 UW-La Crosse and No. 15 North Central.

Keep an Eye On DIII: UW-Eau Claire Triangular (Saturday, Jan 19), Captains’ Invitational (Friday Jan 18 – Saturday, Jan 19), No. 1 Wartburg (DIII women’s preseason) at the DI Iowa State Open (Friday Jan 18 – Saturday, Jan 19)

Division III Top 10 In Action This Weekend

NEWS AND NOTES

Fordham Assistant Coach Ed Joyce Passes Away

Fordham Athletics and the track & field/cross country community are mourning the loss of assistant cross country/track & field coach Ed Joyce on Sunday, as he passed away early Sunday morning at Calvary Hospice in the Bronx, after a long bout with cancer. Coach Joyce was honored with a moment of silence prior to the start of Sunday’s men’s basketball game between Fordham and Massachusetts. Full story courtesy of FordhamSports.com: https://bit.ly/XbWVrY

Former Iowa State Head Track Coach Steve Lynn Dies

Steve Lynn, a former Big Eight Conference track coach-of-the-year who mentored countless Cyclone student-athletes on and off the track, including Olympic medalists in 14 years as head of the Cyclone program and 16 years as an assistant coach, died Wednesday at Mary Greeley Medical Center. He was 61. Lynn was surrounded by family and friends when he succumbed to injuries suffered in a fall at his home Friday. Arrangements for a Visitation and a Celebration of Life are pending. Full release courtesy of Iowa State: bit.ly/ZYGgd8

East Coast Conference Reinstates Track and Field as Championship Sport

The East Coast Conference (Division II) announced Tuesday that it will be reinstating both indoor and outdoor track & field as championship sports, effective immediately. The conference last offered track & field as a championship sport during the 2003-04 academic year. Full story courtesy of ECCSports.org here: https://bit.ly/W4G5MV

Longtime Assistant Brimmer Named Texas Women’s Interim Head Coach

Rose Brimmer was named the interim head coach of the Texas women’s track & field team following former head coach Beverly Kearney’s resignation last week. Brimmer has been with the Longhorns since the 2004-05 season, during which time she has been as assistant coach primarily for jumps and throws. Full story courtesy of The Daily Texan: https://bit.ly/10d4dSY

Kansas to Construct New “World Class” Track & Field Stadium

The City Commission of Lawrence has approved the proposed site for Kansas’ future athletic complexes, which includes a track & field complex the school envisions as a host facility for future NCAA Championship meets. The school hopes to have the facilities, which also include a soccer field and a softball field, to be completed in time for the 2014 Kansas Relays. Full release courtesy of KUAthletics.com: https://bit.ly/W7tbwJ

USTFCCCA Recognizes First National Athletes of the Week

Division I was represented by female recipient Brianna Rollins of Clemson and male recipient Casimir Loxsom of Penn State. Division II was represented by male recipient Johnny Carter of the Academy of Arts and female recipient Kearah Danville of Angelo State. Division III was represented by male recipient Nick Baatz of UW-Oshkosh and female recipient Tara Clemens of Illinois Wesleyan. Full release: bit.ly/ZQtVaW