May 14, 2008

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The University of Alabama women's track and field team will head across the state this weekend to compete in the 2008 SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Auburn, Ala. on the Hutsell-Rosen Track. The heptathlon competition will begin on Thursday starting at 2:30 p.m. and the meet will continue on through Sunday.

Alabama will compete in Auburn with half of the conference being ranked in the USTFCCCA Top 25 including No. 2 LSU, No. 9 Florida, No. 13 Arkansas, No. 19 Mississippi, No. 23 Tennessee, and No. 25 Auburn.

The Crimson Tide placed tenth last season on its home oval at the SEC Championships. Alabama won the meet in 1986 and 1994 and finished in second place five times with the latest coming in 1988.

Alabama looks to improve on its 10th place finish last year being led by All-American Trish Bartholomew. The team will also lean on newcomer Betty Rotich as she just missed the 5,000m SEC title by one second during the indoor season.

Bartholomew will look to add to her 400m SEC Indoor championship at the outdoor championship. Alabama has not produced an outdoor 400m SEC champion since 1994. Talaya Owens comes into the meet with the second fastest 400m hurdles time in the SEC of 58.10, one of only five competitors under the one minute mark.

Lynda Cooper will try to improve on her fifth place finish from the SEC Indoor meet as she broke the school record this outdoor season with a clearance of 12-07.50.

Top 5 in SEC
400 -		4th	Trish Bartholomew	52.97
10000 -		3rd	Betty Rotich		34:19.47
400 Hurdles -	2nd	Talaya Owens		58.10