LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV track & field program travels back to the Golden State for the fourth time this season for this week's 2019 Mountain West Outdoor Championships. The four-day meet returns to the city of Clovis and Veteran's Memorial Stadium for the third time in the last four years.
The Rebels enter championship week with four student-athletes ranking in the top 35 of three events in the NCAA.
Avi'Tal Wilson-Perteete is first nationally in the 800m (2:02.41), while teammates
Jasmyne Graham and
Taylor Pegram are 19th and 27th, respectively, in the 100m hurdles, and
Kaysha Love is 35th in the 100m.
Amongst MW competition, the Scarlet & Gray has a total of 15 student-athletes ranked a total of 24 times in the top 10 of 13 individual events. Wilson-Perteete and Graham are first in the 800m and 100m hurdles, while three Rebels sit second overall in the 200m (Love), 100m hurdles (
Taylor Pegram) and shot put (
Mackenna Howard). Additionally, Love is third in the 100m, and five more are fourth in the 400m (
Elisa Rovere), 100m hurdles (
Jada Hicks), long jump (
Jaela Williams) and triple jump (
Jonon Young).
MEET SCHEDULE: The first two days of action will consist of the women's pentathlon for the Rebels, while the women's 10,000m will take place Thursday evening. Friday's schedule features the trials and finals of three field events (hammer, long jump and shot put) as well as qualifying for seven track events (1500m, 100m hurdles, 400m, 100m, 800m, 400m hurdles and 200m) and the final of the steeplechase. Saturday's slate will have the trials and finals of four field events (javelin, triple jump, discus and high jump) and the finals for 10 track events (Friday's seven plus the 5000m, 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay).
QUOTABLE: "We are very excited to compete this week at the Mountain West Outdoor Championships," said head coach
Yvonne Wade. "We have worked hard this season and now it's time for the team to show up. We have a young team, but they are talented; so, we look forward to seeing what they can do."
REBEL NOTES:
- UNLV has notched its best two-year combined finishes at the MW Outdoor Championships with a second-place finish in 2018 after a third-place showing in 2017.
- UNLV had 12 student-athletes score points in a total of nine events at last year's MW Outdoor Championships.
- UNLV has eight returning scorers from last year's MW Outdoor Championships: Love (100m & 200m), Wilson-Perteete (800m), Rovere (800m), Graham (100m hurdles, 400m hurdles & long jump), Howard (shot put),
Cassidy Osborne-Butler (shot put) and
Stella Clemens (heptathlon).
- Wilson-Perteete and Graham won the 800m and 100m hurdles, respectively, at last year's MW Outdoor Championships.
- Both of UNLV's relays – the 4x100m and 4x400m – finished second overall at last year's MW Outdoor Championships.
