UAB

Junior Rhiannon Johns broke the UAB outdoor 1,500-meter record and was one of six Blazers to shatter meet records Saturday at the 'Southern Invitational hosted by Birmingham-Southern. Johns clocked a time of 4:28.59 in the 1,500-meter event, surpassing teammate Lauren Fayen's previous record time of 4:31.58 ran in 2010.

The UAB track & field team will open its outdoor schedule locally at the 'Southern Invitational hosted by Birmingham-Southern at Panther Stadium Friday and Saturday. Juniors Colleen Standridge and Kristina Vaughn will compete in the 3,000-meter steeplechase Friday at 4:30 p.m.

The UAB women's track and field team concluded competition Saturday placing 11th at the Conference USA Indoor Championships in Houston, Texas. The Blazers' second day was highlighted by a fourth place finish in the 3,000-meter run by junior Rhiannon Johns and a fifth place effort by UAB's 4x400 meter relay team.

UAB's distance medley relay team and a trio of individual performers highlighted the UAB track and field team's first day of competition Friday at the 2011 Conference USA Indoor Championships. The Blazers are in sixth place after the first day with 19 points.

Championship Central | Meet Schedule The UAB track & field team will travel to the Conference USA Indoor Championships hosted by Houston Friday and Saturday at the Yeoman Fieldhouse. Action is set to begin at 9 a.m. CT on Friday morning with the pentathlon events. Field events for Friday will start the afternoon competition at 3 p.m., followed by running events throughout the evening.

The UAB cross country team has been named one of the NCAA Division 1 All-Academic Teams by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association for the ninth straight year. The Blazers boasted a 3.54 team cumulative GPA for the 2010 season.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark./CLEMSON, S.C. ----- The UAB track and field team finished competition Saturday at a pair of weekend meets. Senior Nora Mehl took part in the prestigious Tyson Invitational at Fayetteville, Ark., competing in the invitational high jump. The Blazers also sent several competitors to Clemson for the two-day Tiger Paw Invitational.

UAB track & field split squads Friday, sending a small group to the Tyson Invitational hosted by Arkansas and the rest of the team to the Tiger Paw Invitational hosted by Clemson. At the Tyson Invitational, junior Rhiannon Johns ran to a third-place finish in the 5,000-meter invitational with a season-best time of 17:01.18.

The UAB track & field team will split squads and compete at two different meets this weekend. One squad will compete at the Tyson Invitational hosted by Arkansas Friday and Saturday at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark. The rest of the team will compete at the Tiger Paw Invitational hosted by Clemson Friday and Saturday.

UAB recorded six top three finishes Saturday as the Blazer track & field team concluded the Niswonger Invitational hosted by East Tennessee State. Sophomore Shakima Knox crossed the line in 7.64 to claim the 60-meter title. The Tuscaloosa, Ala., product also finished as the runner-up in the 200-meter with a personal-record time of 24.74.

Two Blazers qualified for three event finals Friday as the UAB track & field team concluded the first day of the Niswonger Invitational hosted by East Tennessee State in Johnson City, Tenn. Sophomore Shakima Knox ran to a first-place finish in the 60-meter with a personal-record time of 7.58, qualifying her for Saturday's final.

The UAB track & field team will return to action Friday at the 33nd annual Niswonger Invitational hosted by East Tennessee State. The two-day meet will kick off at 10 a.m. ET Friday with the 60-meter hurdle prelims at the ETSU/MSHA Athletic Center.

Blazer sophomore Shakima Knox claimed the 60-meter title as the UAB track & field team concluded the Gladstein Invitational hosted by Indiana Saturday. The Tuscaloosa, Ala. native clocked a time of 7.60 in the event. Knox also ran to a fourth-place finish in the 200-meter invitational, with a time of 25.25.

The UAB track & field team concluded day one of the Gladstein Invitational hosted by Indiana Friday evening. Sophomore Shakima Knox clocked a personal-record time of 7.59 to place first in the 60-meter prelims and qualify for Saturday's finals. Freshman Kelli Smith also qualified for the finals.

The UAB track & field team will continue its indoor season this weekend at the Gladstein Invitational hosted by Indiana. The two-day meet kicks off Friday at 11 a.m. CT at the Gladstein Fieldhouse. The Blazers will compete in the high jump, 3,000-meter, 400-meter, 60-meter, 60-meter hurdles and mile run events Friday.

Nora Mehl, a senior high jumper for the Blazer women's track & field team, has been selected as the UAB Student-Athlete of the Week. Mehl, who also competes in the heptathalon and pentathalon for the track squad, is coming off a strong 2010 season in the classroom and in competition.

Blazer sophomore Shakima Knox won the 200-meter event Saturday as the UAB track & field team concluded the two-day Saluki Open hosted by Southern Illinois. Knox crossed the line in a personal-record time of 25.39 on Southern Illinois' 200-meter flat track to win the 200-meter event. The Tuscaloosa, Ala., native also finished as the runner-up in the 60-meter with a time of 7.66.

The UAB track & field team will travel to Southern Illinois this weekend to open its 2011 indoor season at the Saluki Invitational. The two-day meet will start Friday with the long jump, weight throw and pole vault events at 4 p.m. CT at the SIU Recreation Center. Competition will resume Saturday at 10 a.m., starting with the high jump, triple jump and shot put events.

In its 25th year of track and field, UAB returns 22 athletes, including four NCAA qualifiers, two Conference USA champions and five all-conference honorees. Joining this talented group are 11 newcomers, including 2010 high school All-American Renay Ransaw.

Tony Houchin, who has served as the cross country coach and assistant track & field coach at UNLV the past four seasons, has been hired as the head coach for UAB's cross country program and an assistant coach for track & field.

Tony Houchin, who has served as the cross country coach and assistant track & field coach at UNLV the past four seasons, has been hired as the head coach for UAB's cross country program and an assistant coach for track & field.