BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – The McNeese track and field squad will get a test run at the site of this year's Southland Conference Indoor Championships when it takes part in the UAB Vulcan Invite on Friday at the Birmingham Crossplex.
 
Events will begin at 9 a.m. with the men's and women's shot put and women's pentathlon. Running events will start at noon with the 60-meter prelims.
 
"We like to make this trip as a dress rehearsal for the Southland Conference championships in a few weeks," said head coach Brendon Gilroy. "It's great for our jumpers to get a feel for the runway and for the throwers to get the speed of the ring. It will also be the first time this season on a banked track with the runners."
 
Entering Friday's meet, McNeese has 23 athletes ranked in the top 10 in the league in their respective events.
 
Cowboy thrower Marcus Francis, who is coming off a school record mark in the weight throw at last week's McNeese Indoor, is No. 2 in the league in that event with a mark of 62-8.5 and is ranked first in the shot put at 57-5.5. Right behind Francis in the weight event is Tyler Challis who is third with a throw of 60-1.75.
 
The Cowgirls are just as impressive in the throws. Ashari Jones and Jaslyn Russell rank 3-4 in the shot put, Jones at 47-4.5 while Russell has a season-best mark of 47-0.75. Russell is ranked fifth in the weight event at 55-0.25 while Ta'Khara Johnson is seventh, and the top freshman in the conference, with a mark of 54-1.75.
 
In the jumps, Amire Ledet is ranked third in the men's long jump with a mark of 49-4.25, Chris Calloura is fourth in the men's high jump at 6-6.75 with Michael Berry ranking ninth at 6-4.75, and Logan Broussard ranking seventh in the pole vault at 14-1.25.
 
Latavia Jack paces the Cowgirls in the 60m with a No. 4 ranking at 5.75 and Ondray Miles is sixth in the men's 400m at 48.13 while Jashyra Thomas is 10^th on the women's side with a time of 56.82.
 
In the men's 800m, Tray'Quan Francis is fourth at 1:52.45 and Abdullah Elkhair fifth at 1:52.65; Alex Martin is seventh in the men's mile with a time of 4:09.72.
 
Jeny Barcenas is ranked in the top 10 in both the women's mile (9^th, 5:01.63) and the 3000m (6^th, 9:52.38), and Grace French is fourth in the women's 5000m with a time of 19:20.79.
 
McNeese Entries for Friday:
Men 60m – Kalen Beavers, Koen Beavers, Amari Godette
Women 60m – Gabriele Andrews, Latavia Jack, Makayla Heath
Men 60mH – Logan Broussard, Daniel Miller
Men 200m – Kalen Beavers, Amari Godette, Ondray Miles, Jaden Powell
Women 200m – Gabriele Andrews, Makayla Heath, Latavia Jack, Chelsi Tatum, Jashyra Thomas
Men 400m – Tino Bovender, Jaylen Etheridge, Nicholas Moron, Cash Williams
Women 400m – Janayah Dotson, Kaylie Goad, Zaria Hamilton, Ivey Washington
Men 800m – Abdullah Elkhair, Obied Mohamed, Colby Trahan
Women 800m – Irene Barreiro-Lopez, Keelei Dorsey
Women Mile – Grace French
Women 3000m – Jasmine Perez, Grace Sullivan
Men High Jump – Michael Berry, Chris Calloura
Women High Jump – Baylie Benton
Men Long Jump – Michael Berry, Amire Ledet
Women Long Jump – Rheagan Butler
Men Triple Jump – Amire Ledet
Men Shot Put – Reginald Burks, Marcus Francis
Women Shot Put – Ashari Jones, Jaslyn Russell
Men Weight Throw – Marcus Francis
Women Weight Throw – Ta'Khara Johnson, Jaslyn Russell
Men Pole Vault – Logan Broussard
Women Pentathlon – Bridget Trahan