University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Black and Gold Invitational
UConn Opens Outdoor Season at UCF
3/17/2022 3:35:00 PM | Men's Track and Field
STORRS, Conn. – The UConn men's track & field team will kick-off the 2022 outdoor season this weekend taking part in the UCF Black and Gold Invitational to close out their spring break week in Florida.
This weekend's meet at the UCF Soccer & Track Complex in Orlando will feature athletes from Alabama State, Albany, Bethune-Cookman, UConn, Dartmouth, Embry-Riddle, Flagler, Florida Atlantic, Florida Gulf Coast, Florida Memorial, Florida Tech, Kentucky, Marshall, Mercer, Michigan, Minnesota, NC State, North Florida, NYU, Rhode Island, Rutgers, Saint Leo, Southeastern U., Stetson, Tampa, Temple, UCF, UMass, University of The Bahamas, Vanderbilt and VCU
"For some of our athletes, this has been a training trip, and they may not do too much competitively this weekend but for some, especially our steeplechase, javelin and discus, they are itching to get out there and compete," stated Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Greg Roy. "It's going to be a real mix of different events over the next few weeks and we will a bit all over the map. This weekend will be an ice breaker for some, and a real chance to get our feet wet, get outdoors and get it started."
The Huskies are the defending BIG EAST Outdoor Champions and are coming off a stellar indoor season. UConn won every scored meet they participated in this winter and closed out the season capturing the BIG EAST Indoor title and their fourth-straight IC4A Championship as well. The Huskies dominated at last month's league indoor championship meet, winning the most events at the meet with 10 gold medals while capturing 19 total medals over the weekend to put themselves 128 points in front of the runner-up team.
Last spring, the Huskies were equally dominating, setting a new BIG EAST record for total team points, piling up 294, and individual event champions with 12 title winners on the way to claiming the crown in their return season to the conference.
UConn will get the chance to defend their league title on their home track in Storrs this spring as they host the 2022 BIG EAST Outdoor Championship. UConn will host two other meets at the George J. Sherman Family Sports Complex as well with the UConn Dog Fight on April 2 and the UConn Northeast Challenge on April 15-16.
On the road to this year's conference meet, the Huskies will make trips to the Texas Relays in Austin, the NC State Raleigh Relays and the Joe May Invitational at LSU. The Huskies will come down the stretch with appearances at the Virginia Challenge, the Navy Spring Meet and the historic Penn Relays before hosting the BIG EAST meet.
If a repeat championship isn't enough motivation this outdoor season, the Huskies will have the chance to add another title to the resume of Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Greg Roy, who announced that after this spring season he will be retiring after 37 years at UConn.
