May 10, 2001

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STORYLINE: With just one week left before the Mountain West Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, the UNLV squad will take another week's rest. However, distance runner Katie Barto, seeking to improve her time in the 1,500 meters and possibly garner an NCAA provisional qualifying mark in a second event, will act as the Rebels' lone representative at the Oxy Invitational on Saturday. The race, held at Occidental College's Bill Henry Track in Los Angeles, is slated for 6:15 p.m. PDT on Saturday, May 12.

THE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP: The next team event on the Rebels' schedule is the 2001 Mountain West Conference Championships, set for Wednesday, May 16 through Saturday, May 19 at the SDSU Sports Deck in San Diego. UNLV, which finished second at last season's conference meet, will be looking to Barto and sprinter Nickeisha Charles for potential titles. Barto ranks second in the league in the 1,500 meters and fourth in the 5,000. Charles holds the No. 3 spot in the 400 meters.

Here's a quick look at those Rebels that rank in the top eight in the league in their respective events:

NAME         RANK    EVENTTiffany Smith        3rd Triple JumpTianika Sharrieff    4th High JumpChristine Spence  5th High JumpJenni Lopez        6th 10,000 metersChristine Spence  6th 400 hurdlesPatrice Harvey      6th Long JumpBelisa Suarez        6th Triple JumpJennifer Gardner  6th JavelinTiffany Smith        8th Long Jump

To date, Barto is the only Rebel to have posted a provisional qualifying mark. She currently ranks 36th in the 5,000 meters.