Travel is a fact of life for the Arizona Wildcats track and field team. This weekend, the UA will enjoy the comforts of home.
Arizona will host its second — and final — track and field meet of the season starting Thursday at Drachman Stadium. The Wildcats will compete against Northern Arizona, Iowa, Wisconsin, Oklahoma State and Texas Christian in the Jim Click Shootout. Events start at 11 a.m. on Thursday, 10 a.m. Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday.
For freshman high jumper Justice Summerset, this weekend’s home meet has a little extra meaning. The Tucson native and Mountain View High School graduate will compete in his first meet in front of hometown fans.
“I have been waiting for this meet all year,” he said. “It’s going to be nice having this meet in Tucson, competing in my hometown and representing the UA.”
Hurdler Sage Watson doesn’t have the same connections to Tucson — she hails from Medicine Hat, Alberta, — but said she’s just as excited for the Wildcats to host a meet. Since January, the Cats have ventured to Flagstaff; Nashville, Tennessee; Seattle; New York; College Station, Texas; Tempe; and Palo Alto, California. Next weekend brings a visit to the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, California. The UA will then venture to San Diego and Des Moines, Iowa, before finishing up its regular season back in Tempe.
Stars like Watson and Summerset will spend the postseason in Oregon — both Corvallis and Eugene — for the Pac-12 Championships, and at the NCAA West Regionals in Austin, Texas. If all goes well, they’ll then travel back to Eugene for the NCAA Championships, which run June 7-10 at historic Hayward Field.
So, yes, the Wildcats will enjoy their time in Tucson.
“It’s always special when we have a meet at home and have all of our fans there rooting for us,” Watson said.
Watson said the UA will have home-track advantage this weekend. She calls Drachman Stadium “the track we are most comfortable on. … All of our practices are here.”
Senior thrower Aaron Castle hopes the Wildcats can feed off the crowd and perform at their best. The combined events will take place Thursday and Friday. Field events begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, with the running events scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m.
“Being at home definitely adds more energy and as an athlete you always want to preform your best in front of the home crowd,” he said.
