The Cal Poly women’s indoor track and field team will attend the University of New Mexico Invitational, its first big event of the season, on Friday and Saturday.
Danielle Ayers-Stamper and Sharon Day will compete against Pac-10 schools in their most competitive event so far this season, Cal Poly assistant coach Jack Hoyt said.
“This is our first big challenge of the year,” Hoyt said. “So hopefully they are ready to go.”
Day and Ayers-Stamper also participated in the Dempsey Indoor Preview meet in Seattle on Jan. 13 in order to prepare for this weekend’s event, Hoyt said. Day finished second in the high jump in Seattle.
Ayers-Stamper will compete this weekend in the pentathlon and Day in the high jump, Cal Poly head coach Terry Crawford said.
Results from this weekend’s invitational will help determine whether the two athletes qualify for nationals in Arkansas in March.
Approximately 20 team members will participate this weekend, Crawford said.
Hoyt said the tournaments are just now starting to take place, but he foresees the team having a very successful season.
“I think it will be a great year,” Hoyt said. “We have a lot of young, enthusiastic athletes and some great veterans.”
Cal Poly returns to Seattle for the Husky Invitational from Feb. 9 to 10 before battling Hawaii in a meet on the same track a day later. The Mustangs then visit the Northern Arizona Invite on Feb. 17.