LAKE CHARLES – The McNeese track and field program will continue its indoor season on Friday and Saturday when they travel to South Bend, IN for the Notre Dame Meyo Invitational. 
 
The meet will begin at 4:00 p.m. on Friday with the women's long jump and weight throw with the men to follow. Running events will kick-off at 4:30 p.m. with the men and women 60-meter hurdle preliminaries. Friday will then conclude with the men and women 600 meter run at 8:50 p.m.
 
Then on Saturday, the men's and women's 60m hurdles semifinals kick-off the day at 9:45 a.m. and the first field event not starting till10:30 a.m. with the women's triple jump.
 
Joining McNeese at the meet will be: Ball State, Bradley, Butler, Central Arkansas, Central Michigan, Chicago State, DePaul, Eastern Illinois, Eastern Michigan, Grand Valley State, Illinois , State, Illinois – Chicago, Indiana, Indiana State, Indianapolis, Iowa, IUPUI, Louisville, Loyola, Marquette, Miami (Ohio), Michigan, Michigan State, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Northern Illinois, Northern Iowa, Notre Dame, Oakland, Ohio, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Rutgers, SIU-Edwardsville, SMU, Southern Indiana, Valparaiso, Wisconsin, and Xavier (Ohio).
 
Not the whole squad will be traveling to Notre Dame, only eight men and 11 women will be participating for the Cowboys.
 
Of the athletes competing, Joey Croft is coming off back-back great showings and will toe the line in the 1-mile run and 3000 meter run. After being named Southland Conference Male Track Athlete of the Week two weeks ago with a new personal best in the mile, he followed that up by winning the men's 3,000-meters with a time of 8:29.17 at the McNeese Indoor II, placing him No. 3 in the conference rankings.
 
On the women's side, Alanna Arvie will be competing in the weight throw and shot put, two events that she has dominated thus far in this season. Arvie improved on her personal best while widening her lead atop the Southland Conference rankings in the weight throw with a mark of 66-10.75 last time out which also moves her up to No. 24 in the nation. She followed that with a new PR in the shot put with a first place mark of 47-5.75 which currently ranks her fourth in the conference.
 
Also, in the latest USTFCCCA South Central Regional rankings the women's team are ranked 19^th overall and 4^th among conference opponents. Meanwhile, the men's team is ranked 31^st overall and 12^th among Southland teams.
 
The Cowboys will be without two-time conference champion and All-American Grace McKenzie this weekend due to McKenzie redshirting the 2020 indoor season. She is currently ranked in the top 20 in the world and will be back in action competing for McNeese come outdoor season in March.