BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The University of South Alabama track and field team is set to host the 2017 Jaguar Invitational in Birmingham at the Birmingham Crossplex this Sunday. 

"This meet is shaping up to be a solid competition with some very competitive schools entered," track and field head coach Paul Brueske said.  "We are looking for this meet to bring out the best in us.  We feel like we are making some progress." 

The men will compete in an 18-team field, including Sun Belt Conference members Arkansas State, Little Rock, Texas State and Troy.  For the women, there will be a 23-team field that includes conference opponents Arkansas State, Little Rock, Georgia State and Troy. 

After two weeks off, the Jags will take 59 student-athletes to compete in this weekend's meet. 

The meet follows a record-breaking performance by junior sprinter Rafael Scott who stands in a three-way tie for second place in the nation after shattering his own school record in the 60m with a 5.59 second dash.  This feat earned him the Sun Belt Conference track athlete of the week honors last week, along with field teammate Sean Collins. 

In his first performance back after injury, Collins earned the league honor after placing fourth in the Vanderbilt Invitational clearing 5.20m in the pole vault, a mark which currently stands as second best in the Sun Belt Conference. 

Four throwers competing this weekend placed in the top 10 in the Commodore's weight throw event led by Zach Blahnik who posted a throw of 17.17m for sixth place, which was a personal record for the senior.  Jan-Louw Kotze (17.06m) placed eighth, with brothers Ethan Boyd (16.63m) and Thomas Boyd (16.29m) placing ninth and tenth, respectively.

For the women at the Vanderbilt meet, senior jumper Kaitlyn Beans finished sixth in the triple jump with a distance of 12.57 meters which still takes the top spot in the Sun Belt Conference this indoor season. 

Multiple throwers had their personal best marks at the meet in Nashville,  including Michaela Prechuck's 16th-place throw of 16.27m which marked her personal best and the highest Jaguar finish in the event.  Freshman Autavia Fluker also registered a personal best in the weight throw (15.6m) and earned a top-10 finish in women's shot put. 

The Thursday before the Vanderbilt meet, freshman Emily Berge made her own attempt at a school record and nearly broke it in her first collegiate appearance.  In the Samford Stand Alone Multi in the pentathlon, the freshman was just 73 points shy of a South Alabama all-time program record in the event.  Berge's  3,923-point finish marks the best in the Sun Belt Conference and is currently 13th nationally. 

The Jaguar Invitational is slated to begin at noon starting with the women's 3000m with the first field event — the women's high jump — scheduled to begin at 12:10. Live stats for the meet will be available here.  

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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