BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The University of South Alabama men's and women's track and field teams will make their season debut on Friday at the UAB Blazer Invitational. 

"I think the student-athletes are very excited about getting the season underway," Jaguar head coach Paul Brueske said.  "They've been training hard and are anxious to get started.  We have some good athletes that will be competing.  We don't have the whole squad, some of the kids will open up later.  I think we'll have some athletes get a good start and really be competitive."

Last indoor season, four Jaguar upperclassmen earned all-league honors at the 2016 Sun Belt Indoor Championship.  Senior Kaitlyn Beans earned all-Sun Belt honors in long jump and triple jump last year, winning the latter.  Jan-Louw Kotze – who enters his last season of indoor eligibility  – was also honored in the weight throw.  Jordan Friz and Rafael Scott both broke their own school records in women's pole vault for a first-place finish and in men's 60-meter dash, respectively, at the league championship event.

Other seniors slated to take part in this weekend's meet are Zach Blahnik (throws), Ireland Armstrong (women's pole vault) and Marina Swanepoel (sprints).  Blahnik threw his personal best in shot put (16.28m ) in last year's indoor league championship, putting him in second place on the school's all-time performance list.  Ireland also recorded her career best — a 3.90m height — coming in fourth at pole vault in the SBC championship. 

The Jaguars will have 32 members of the program competing in Friday's events, including eight freshmen. 

"Each year we try to improve, that's always our goal.  Our men's team is young this year, but we have some talented guys," Brueske said. "Overall, we're a really young team but a talented team.  Some of these young guys will have to grow up in a hurry and go out and compete the way they are capable of.  I think if we can do that, we'll surprise some people. 

"On the women's side, I think we can compete well if we stay healthy.  We have to train smart, take care of ourselves and keep it going."

Field events will get underway Friday at 10 a.m. with the men's high jump at the Birmingham CrossPlex, with the first race – the women's 5,000m – scheduled to also start at 10 a.m. 

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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