PULLMAN, Wash. - The Washington State men's and women's track and field team heads south to Texas and California for three meets this weekend. In a preview of this season's outdoor championships host site this weekend at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin Texas, the Cougars return to the Texas Relays for the first time since 2014. Another contingent of Cougar student-athletes will compete down the road at the Texas State Bobcat Invitational (Thurs. - Sat.) in San Marcos, Texas, while a third Washington State group will head to the Bay Area to compete in the Stanford Invitational (Thurs. - Sat.).
The Texas Relays, a prestigious track and field invite-only meet, will pit the Cougars against some of the top talent in the country. Lee Walburn will kick things off for the Cougs as the first half of the decathlon leads off the weekend Wednesday with the decathlon 100m, long jump, shot put, high jump and 400m.
Micaela de Mello will highlight the pack at the Texas Relay as the reigning Pac-12 Outdoor Track & Field Freshman of the Year is ready to build on her success last season. De Mello already holds the program record in the 100m hurdles, and could move up from her slot at eighth all-time in the 4 X 100m relay.
Ronald Grueso Mosqquera and Alex Payne will lead the group in California. Payne launched the seventh farthest throw in women's hammer throw history last weekend, and Grueso Mosqquera has won an event every meet heading into this weekend.
2023 WSU OUTDOOR NOTABLES:
- PRs: 25
- Event wins: 20
- Podium Finishes: 39
- Top five finishes: 58
- Top-10 Program marks: 3
- Jared McAlvey was named Pac-12 Men's Track Athlete of the week on March 21st,, becoming the first just the second Cougar since 2018 to earn the award and the first since Micaela De Mello won in the opening week of the 2022 outdoor season.
- The WSU women's track and field team came in at No. 10 in the first NCAA West Region rating index of the outdoor season.
- PRs: 25
- Event wins: 20
- Podium Finishes: 39
- Top five finishes: 58
- Top-10 Program marks: 3
- Jared McAlvey was named Pac-12 Men's Track Athlete of the week on March 21st,, becoming the first just the second Cougar since 2018 to earn the award and the first since Micaela De Mello won in the opening week of the 2022 outdoor season.
- The WSU women's track and field team came in at No. 10 in the first NCAA West Region rating index of the outdoor season.
Washington State men's and women's track and field will return to the Pacific Northwest next weekend for the Whitworth Peace Meet (April 7) in Spokane, Wash.
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