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Sports

UH set for season's second-to-last meet 

Coach Burrell: Athletes going into ‘championship portion of the season'

By JONG LEE
The Daily Cougar

The end of the track and field season is nearing for the Cougars. With only two more meets until the conference championships, Houston is trying to get its athletes prepared to be at the top of their games.

The California Collegiate Challenge is the first of the final two meets before the Conference USA Championships. 

The Cougars will help the University of California, Berkeley, inaugurate the first California Collegiate Challenge Friday and Saturday at Edwards Stadium and Goldman Field.

"We're going into what we consider the championship portion of the season," UH head coach Leroy Burrell said. "We're looking for performances from our squad in their individual events that will be indicative of how we'll fare in conference. (This is) a real big one for us and the kids are very excited."

This meet could be a litmus test for the Cougars. 

Of the 11 teams coming to compete, four of them are nationally ranked, including the Cal women's team. Oregon, Florida and Stanford are also ranked.

UH juniors Ebonie Floyd and Tremaine Smith will have some tough competition.

"(Floyd) is going to run the 200- and 400-meter this weekend, and we're looking for her to make an improvement in the 400-meter run," Burrell said. "We really want a cleaner race in the 400. Now (Smith) is going to run the 200-meter as well, in which we're looking to get a regional qualifying mark."

With the end of the season barreling down, Burrell said his team is still a few steps away from the next level.

"I'd say we've done the background work, but I don't think mentally they've gotten themselves into it because the they know how long the season is," Burrell said.

The Cougars also announced Monday that the Houston Invitational scheduled for May 4 has been cancelled. 

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