Raiders to compete in Raleigh and Atlanta

Saturday, March 26

Atlanta, Ga.

Middle Tennessee

Yellow Jacket Invitational

3/25/2016 4:58:00 PM | Track & Field/Cross Country

Distance runners to compete in the Raleigh Relays

By: @MTAthletics

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee track & field teams are slated to compete in two separate meets this weekend, with distance runners heading to the Raleigh Relays, while the remaining Blue Raiders to compete in the Yellow Jacket Invitational Friday and Saturday.

Event: Raleigh Relays & Yellow Jacket Invitational
Date: Friday, March 25 - Saturday, March 26
Site: Raleigh, North Carolina (Raleigh Relays) | Atlanta, Georgia (Yellow Jacket Invitational)
Yellow Jacket Invitational Start Times: Field Events 10:30 a.m. | Track Events 12:30 p.m.
Raleigh Relay Start Times: Track Events 10 a.m.

Laari, Ampomah Earn C-USA Recognition
John Ampomah and Sampson Laari earned C-USA Athlete of the Week honors in the first voting of the outdoor season.

Ampomah earned the C-USA Male Field Athlete of the Week after throwing a Sam Bailey Track & Field Stadium facility record 76.97 meters (252-6). Ampomah's toss ranks as the second best in the NCAA.

Laari, a newcomer to the Blue Raiders, registered a personal-best 1:49.78 time in the 800 meter. The Kumasi Ghana native also helped the 4x400-meter relay team of Adeniji Adedamola, Ifiok Umoh and Hillary Rono capture first in 10:02.52.

Distance Runners go to Raleigh
Nine Middle Tennessee distance runners are slated to compete in the Raleigh Relays Saturday, and will face some of the nation's best competition for a chance to secure a time that will help qualify the Blue Raider for the NCAA East Regional.

Rhema Cheruiyot, Josphine Kiptebeny, Alden Dixon and Shadrack Matelong are slated to run in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, while Hillary Rono, Geoffry Cheruiyot, Sampson Laari, Hannah Maina and Gladys David are scheduled to run in the 5,000 meter.

In the National Rankings
The Blue Raider men's team broke into the national rankings when the USTFCCCA National Preseason Computer Rankings were announced earlier this week.

Ampomah, Eliud Rutto, Vincent Okot and Atsu Nyamadi created enough projected points based off preseason date to vault MT to the No. 21 rankings.

Ampomah and Rutto each own the top mark in the javelin and 800 meter, respectively. Last season Ampomah registered a school record toss in the javelin 81.55 meters at the Penn Relays.

Rutto, who missed the 2015 outdoor season, registered an NCAA best in 2014 in the 800. The Eldoret, Kenya native raced to a 1:45.37 time in 2014, which also stands as the Middle Tennessee record.