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Sports

Cougars to host weekend track meet, test new squad

by LOUIE VERA
The Daily Cougar

Head coach Leroy Burrell is entering his ninth season at the helm of the men's and women's track and field teams with what he said is one of the most dynamic groups he's had in years.

"I feel really good about our squad," he said. "We have a real talented squad, probably the most athletic group of athletes we've had here in a long time."

After nearly winning the conference championship last year, Burrell has a conference title in mind, but he will also need his 21 freshmen to come through.

"We always start with a quick appraisal of ourselves ... and ask ourselves, ‘Can we win this thing?' And we feel like we can," he said. "We came a little short last year indoors. We lost by five points and indoors we lost by two.

"We think we have improved our squad, but we also lost some people that were real pivotal in our success last year."

UH will host the Leonard Hilton Memorial at Yeoman Field House on Saturday. 

"This weekend, what I'm hoping is that with our full squad we start to identify who we feel can compete for us at conference and beyond," he said.

In last week's Arkansas Invitational senior Ebonie Floyd set an NCAA qualifying mark with a time of 7.28 seconds in the 60 meters, which set a UH record. Her performance at the invitational won her the Conference USA Track and Field Athlete of the Week award.

"I think it's a well deserved award, and she obliterated our school record," Burrell said.
 

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