Full Schedules: NAU Invite | ISU Classic  

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – After a weekend off from competition, the Northern Arizona University track and field team is back in action this Friday and Saturday when it hosts the 2016 NAU Invite. In addition, some Lumberjack athletes will travel to Ames, Iowa, for the Iowa State Classic this weekend.

The Lumberjacks haven't competed since late January when they hosted the Mountain T's at the Walkup Skydome, but 19 athletes—12 men, seven women—have already qualified for 25 different events in three meets this season.

"Our athletes know each week is a chance to better your mark, so the motives don't really change too much from week to week," said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Eric Heins. "We're always looking to get athletes qualified, and the whole range of events we qualify for will set us up for a strong showing at the conference meet. There are still a few more athletes that we need to get qualified, but the ones we've expected to qualify, have. Now it's just a matter of adding a little more depth."

The latest NAU athlete to punch his ticket for conference championships later this month is senior Nathan Weitz, whose 4:00.71@ time in the mile at the New Mexico Classic last Saturday earned him the current No. 2 ranking in the conference and the Big Sky's Track Athlete of the Week honor. Weitz's time is also 25th-best in the nation as of today.

"It was great to see Weitz take a semester off, come out and do well," said Heins. "It took him a couple weeks to get into shape, but it was awesome to see him run another four-flat. Hopefully, he can see the other side of four minutes, but that was exciting for him and a great race."

Fellow distance runner and redshirt-junior Futsum Zienasellassie has been one of the highlights of the indoor season so far for the Lumberjacks, recording the nation's second best time in both the mile (3:56.98@) and the 5,000m (13:44.89) events. In addition to those events, Zineasellassie has also qualified in the 800m. 

Redshirt-sophomore thrower Brooke Andersen has been stellar this indoor season as well, logging qualifying marks in all three weight throw events she has competed in this year. Of those three events, Andersen has won two of them outright and has also set a new career-high with a 19.42m, 63-08.75 throw at Mountain T's. With that mark, Andersen currently ranks second in the conference and 38th in the country in the women's weight throw.

The NAU Invite begins tomorrow from the Skydome at 4 p.m. and continues on Saturday with a scheduled start time of 9 a.m. On the flip side, the ISU Classic has a 10 a.m. start time on Friday and an 11 a.m. start time on Saturday.  All times are mountain standard (MT).

@ indicates the time was adjusted for altitude.