February has arrived, and the Bobcats are prepared to travel more than 300 miles to run in one of the most competitive indoor meets in the nation.
The top-20 Ohio track and field athletes will head northwest to Notre Dame, Ind., to take part in the Meyo Invitational.
The invitational draws some of the nation's best athletes who looking to qualify for the NCAA Championships. Notre Dame estimates there will be between 60 and 80 schools.
Big Ten programs such as Ohio State and Northwestern will be competing in the meet but Ohio’s biggest rivals at the Meyo Invitational will be seven other Mid-American Conference teams.
“There will be some top-caliber teams,” coach Clay Calkins said. “We’re trying to give our athletes the opportunity to compete against some of the top talent in the country.”
The meet starts Friday with field events and preliminary heats for sprints and hurdles. The action will continue Saturday, with the women’s 3,000-meter run opening the action.
Because of the level of competition at the meet, only top throwers, jumpers and distance athletes in each of their respective events will attend. Some are veterans such as Juli Accurso, Melissa Thompson, Emily Pifer, Hope McCarty and Brittany Tyree.
“We’re taking the top athletes who are showing promise to be competitive in the conference, so hopefully they can perform well this weekend and we can give a good showing,” Calkins said.
A few freshmen join the pack, including Serena Warner, Chanda Cuckler and Morgan Reichert.
“There are going to be some crazy runners,” Reichert said. “Just being in the same place as them and running on the same line is what I’m excited for.”
Reichert is running the 5k for her first time as a Bobcat.
“It will be an eye-opening experience [for freshman] to see athletes who are competing at the national level,” Calkins said. “When you’re up against that level of talent, you have to be mentally and physically prepared as much as you can this time of year.”
Up Next
Meyo Invitational
Loftus Center, Notre Dame, Ind.
4 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday
nb155607@ohiou.edu
