Jan. 10, 2017

2017 Track & Field Schedule

DALLAS (SMU) – SMU head coach Cathy Casey announced the 2017 track and field schedule for the Mustangs as she heads into her second year at the helm.

After leading the Mustangs to its fourth American Athletic Conference cross country title in the past six years in the fall, Casey turns her attention to the beginning of the track and field season.

"My coaching staff and I couldn't be more excited for the 2017 season," Casey said. "We have an incredibly talented group of freshmen, a cross country team fresh off an AAC championship this past fall, and returners like All-Americans Tochi Nlemchi and Latessa Johnson leading the way."

The 2017 slate includes seven indoor competitions and 10 outdoor meets.

"We feel this schedule will allow all event groups to compete against top level teams from all over the country," Casey said.  

SMU opens its indoor season at the Cherry & Silver Invitational, hosted by New Mexico Jan. 20-21.

A week later, the Mustangs hit the road on Jan. 27-28 to compete at the J.D. Martin Invitational hosted by Oklahoma. Following their trip to Norman, SMU heads back to Albuquerque for the New Mexico Collegiate Classic on Feb. 3-4.

The Mustangs will compete in both the Music City Challenge in Nashville, Tenn., and the Frisco Challenge in Texas on Feb. 10-11 before having a week off to prepare for the indoor conference championship.

For the second straight year the Mustangs will travel to the CrossPlex in Birmingham, Ala., for the 2017 American Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships on Feb. 24-25. SMU finished fourth at The American meet last year.

SMU will conclude the indoor season at the 2017 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, hosted in College Station, Texas. The meet will take place March 10-11 at the Gilliam Indoor Stadium on Texas A&M campus.

The Mustangs open up the outdoor season with two meets in the Metroplex starting with the TCU Invitational on March 17-18, followed by the Bobby Lane Invitational on March 24-25, hosted by UT Arlington.

Next on the schedule for SMU is the running of the 90th Nike Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, March 30-31, in Austin, Texas. A group of Mustangs will also compete on March 31-April 1 at both the Bobcat Invitational, hosted by Texas State, and the Stanford Invitational in California. 

The Mustangs travel west again April 13-15 for the Mt. SAC Relays in Torrance, Calif., before heading to Waco, Texas for the Michael Johnson Invitational on Saturday, April 22.  

SMU will not compete again until the 2017 American Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which will be held May 12-14 in Houston, Texas. The Mustangs finished sixth at The American outdoor meet last year after winning the conference title in 2015.

"Our focus is to prepare them to be the best team we can be by the time we compete at the indoor and outdoor AAC Championships." Casey said. "These women have high goals and they have worked hard all fall and we look forward to kicking off the season next weekend at New Mexico."

Post-season competition continues with the NCAA West Preliminary Round on May 25-27 in Austin, Texas, with the national qualifiers competing at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, June 7-10. In 2016, Lucija Cvitanovic (Heptathlon), Latessa Johnson (200-meters) and Tochi Nlemchi (shot put) competed in Eugene with all three earning second-team All-American honors with Johnson and Nlemchi placing ninth, while Cvitanovic finished 15th.

Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Mustangs by following SMU Track & Field Team on Twitter at @SMUTrackFieldXC, on Facebook at Facebook.com/SMUTrackFieldXC, and on Instagram at Instagram.com/SMUTrackandXC. Twitter at @SMUMustangs or Instagram at SMU.Mustangs.