Going up against the nationβs top track and field college athletes, Arizonaβs Jordan Geist, Carlos Villarreal and Lillian Lowe will compete Friday and Saturday in the NCAA indoor championships at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Geist has the seasonβs second-best throw in the shot put at 69 feet, 4Β½ inches. Payton Otterdahl, of North Dakota State, ranks No. 1 at 71-6ΒΎ. Ranking third and fourth are Denzel Comenentia of Georgia, last yearβs outdoor shot put champion, and Adrian Piperi of Texas, who finished fourth in that meet.
Villarreal owns the third fastest time in the mile, 3:57.27, Oliver Hoari of Wisconsin has clocked the fastest time, 3:54.83, followed by Waleed Suliman of Ole Miss at 3:56.78. Seven others have run faster than 3:58.00.
Lowe is tied for 10th in the womenβs high jump with a leap of 5-11Β½. Two jumpers are tied for first at 6-1Β½.
The meet will be streamed on ESPN3. Villarreal is scheduled to compete Friday at about 4:45 p.m; Geist at 6:20 Friday, and Lowe Saturday at noon.