Schaaf, Lawrence & Rupp highlight distance races at UW Final Qualifier, plus Pre Classic update...

College track & field's version of "March Madness" happens this weekend at seven sites around the country, including the Dempsey Indoor at the University of Washington, as athletes shoot to improve their overall rankings and assure themselves positions for next week's NCAA indoor track & field championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

The distance races will be the highlight of the UW Final Qualifier meet, with strong fields in the women's 3000 and men's mile runs, led by the Washington duo of Mel Lawrence (left/photo by Mike Scott) and Kendra Schaaf, and by USA 3000m runner-up Galen Rupp of the Oregon Track Club Elite/Portland, who is tuning up for next week's world indoor championships in Doha, Qatar.

Several members of Oregon State's newly formed track & field team are entered, including running back Jacquizz Rodgers.

Here's a link to the UW's release about the Final Qualifier meet, and the start list for Saturday's action, which gets underway at 11 am.

Meanwhile, the Oregon Track Club announced that sprinters Sanya Richards-Ross and Tyson Gay, pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva, along with distance runner Kenenisa Bekele, will compete in the 36th annual Nike Prefontaine Classic in Eugene on July 3rd.

These Fabulous Four are Ambassadors of the inaugural IAAF Diamond League circuit that kicks off in Doha, Qatar on May 14th and arrives in Eugene the first weekend in July.

Here's the link to the full release...