Feb. 9, 2008

SOUTH BEND, Ind. ----- UAB senior Genoah Collins provisionally qualified for the NCAA Indoor championship in the 800-meter dash, while the UAB track and field team set two new school records, on the final day of the Meyo Invitational, hosted by Notre Dame.

Tara Colvin broke the school record in the 400-meter dash, while the distance medley relay set a UAB record in the event. It was the first full team meet since the Blazers competed in the Niswonger Invitational, Jan. 18-19.

"This was probably the best meet that we have since I started here," head coach Ray Stanfield said. "Having some time off really prepared us to compete against some of the best athletes in the country. As a team I think we are just where we want to be headed into our conference meet a few weeks away."

Collins, who was named C-USA Athlete of the Week earlier this season, finished the 800-meter dash with a time of 2:07.77. Her finish was more than a full second under the qualifying mark and was her second fastest time in the event.

Colvin broke her own school record in the 400-meter dash. She finished the event in 55.47 seconds, two-thousandths of a second ahead of previous mark that she set last year at the Meyo Invitational.

Both Colvin and Collins also played a significant part in the the Blazers distance medley relay team, which has been one of the strongest events for UAB this indoor season. The Blazers lived up to previous performances with a time of 11:37.50, breaking the previous school record, set last year, by six seconds.

The 4x400-meter relay team, which Colvin and Collins both were members of, were within a half-second of giving the Blazers their third school record of the meet. The team finished in fifth place with a time of 3:44.55.

"Our seniors had a very strong showing today," Stanfield said. "I've been talking about how important they are to this team and they set the pace for us in this meet."

Jacinta Scruggs established a new freshman mark in the 300-meter dash on Friday. She broke former Blazer Amber Walker's mark with a time of 40.13 seconds. Kartina Harrell posted the school's second-fastest time in the 200-meter dash with a time of 24.79. She also had a personal best in the 60-meter dash.

Samantha Hamilton's mark in the 12.02 meters in the triple jump, tied her personal bests.

The Blazers will compete the in the Tyson Invitational at the University of Arkansas next week, the final meet before the Conference USA Indoor Championship.