ThunderWolves face tall measuring stick this weekend

CSU-Pueblo will compete against some of Division I's top athletes at UNM Cherry & Silver Invitational.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (GoThunderWolves.com - Jan. 21, 2011) - For a team that wishes to ascend to the top of the Division II track world, this weekend's meet will provide a good measuring stick for the CSU-Pueblo Women's Track and Field team.

The CSU-Pueblo women's track and field squad will test its meddle Friday and Saturday when it takes part in the Cherry and Silver Invitational at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.  The Pack will be one of just two Division II teams at the meet (joining perennial national championship favorite, Adams State) and will face athletes from some of the top Division I track programs in the Western United States, including Stanford, Cal (Berkeley), UNLV, New Mexico and New Mexico State, just to name a few.

Adding to the allure of the meet, it will be at the site of the NCAA Division II National Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, N.M. on the University of New Mexico campus.

While winning events against such competition might be a long shot (for example, the top seeds in the 60-meter have previously reported times closer to 7.00 seconds rather than the 8.00 Division II athletes are accustomed to), the goal is to make the Pack athletes push that much harder to keep up with the increased competition.  A little extra oomph to keep up in a sprinting event might give Pack runners what it needs to get an elusive national qualifying mark.

Action begins Friday with the long jump, weight throw, and the 200-meter, among other events, and concludes Saturday with the remainder of the events.