UCSB’s track and field team will split up once again this weekend when participants travel to either the Triton Invitational in La Jolla, Calif., or the Oregon Invitational in Eugene, Ore.

Most of the Gauchos will be headed south, as the UC San Diego-hosted event looks to draw over 1,700 entrants, including 2004 Olympic gold medalist Monique Henderson, and showcase 39 events. A few less Gauchos will make the journey north to Oregon for an event that will feature over 1,000 competitors from 42 colleges around the nation.

The Triton Invitational will be held Friday and Saturday and will include open and invitational sections for each of the scheduled events. However, Santa Barbara did not receive a single invite and will only compete in open events. The Gauchos will have to duke it out with several colleges, including the entire UCSD squad.

Senior Ashley Coelho will look to lead the UCSB women’s field team, and is slated to compete in the long jump and triple jump competitions, as well as on the track in the 100-meter dash. Redshirt freshman Genelle Ives will accompany Coelho in the 100-meter, and looks to do her part to propel Santa Barbara around the track. For the men’s squad, senior Eugene Bradley, the lone winner in UCSB’s last meet, will hope to improve upon his nationally ranked hammer throw of 21’2″.

The Oregon Invitational is expected to be the Northwest’s biggest and most important regular season meet and will also be held Friday and Saturday. The meet will include over 50 events.

-Staff Report