May 23, 2006

Houston - After a strong showing at the Conference USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, the University of Houston men's and women's track and field teams will travel to Austin, Texas on May 26-27 and compete in the NCAA Midwest Regional Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the Mike A. Myers Stadium.

Houston will be competing against 39 Division I schools from the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico.

The top five competitors in each individual event and top three relay teams at the four NCAA Regional Championships automatically qualify to compete at the NCAA Championships in Sacramento, Calif. In addition athletes also top 20 performers in the men's and women's 10,000 meters, men's decathlon and women's heptathlon will also compete at the NCAA meet since these events are not held at the Regional Championships.

The NCAA Committee also will select a group of at-large athletes based upon their performances throughout the year until a total of 544 men and women athletes are selected.

Houston Splits C-USA Track Titles With UTEP
It was a pair of team championships that literally was decided on the last event, as Houston won the Conference USA Championship by outscoring UTEP, 115-109, as the Cougars scored their final 10 points by winning the 4x400-meter relay race.

Houston head coach Leroy Burrell was named the C-USA Women's Outdoor Coach of the Year, while Ebonie Floyd was selected as the Performer and High Point Scorer of the Meet.

In the men's race, UTEP's Daniel Ward held off Kolee Latson in the final 20 meters of the 1600-meter relay race to help the Miners edge the Houston, 222-218 1/2 team points.

17 Individuals and Four Relay Teams Qualify
The Cougars will have nine men and eight women along with two relay teams in each gender competing at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships. In addition, Rachel Easley has provisionally qualified to compete in the heptathlon at the NCAA Championships.

The men's qualifiers are: Carey LaCour and Preston Perry in the 100 and 200 meters, LaCour and Kolee Latson in the 400 meters, Sesar Figueroa in the 1500 meters, Tristian Whitley and Ivan Diggs in the high jump, Tom Rusteberg in the pole vault and Jonathan Reeves in the shot put and discus throw.

The women's qualifiers for Houston are: Ebonie Floyd and LaDedra Guy in the 100 and 200 meters, Floyd and Keisha Howard in the 400 meters, Krystal Ward and Easley in the high jump, Easley and Caresir Hamilton in the long jump and Hamilton in the long jump.

In addition, both teams had thier 400-meter and 1600-meter relay teams qualify for the Midwest Regional.