Baylor Track and Field Opens 2013 Season At Texas A&M Invitation - kcentv.com - KCEN HD - Waco, Temple, and Killeen

WACO, Texas – Baylor's track and field team will begin the competition portion of the 2013 indoor season at the Texas A&M 12-Team Invitational on Saturday in College Station, Texas.

"We are hoping to get a good evaluation of where are athletes are with this first meet," eighth-year head coach Todd Harbour said. "We are extremely young on the men's side, while the women's team is a little more of a veteran team. We are just excited to get the season started and get some work in, while staying healthy."

Along with the Baylor men and women, Texas A&M will host North Texas, Prairie View A&M, Rice, Sam Houston State, Stephen F. Austin, Texas State, Texas Southern, Houston, UT Arlington and UT San Antonio. The host Aggies enter the weekend ranked fourth on the men's side and sixth on the women's side.

Baylor's women, at No. 15 in the preseason rankings, are the only other ranked team in the field. Last season, the women finished tied for 16^th at the NCAA Indoor Championships and fourth at the Big 12 Championships. Juniors Erin Atkinson (throws) and Tiffani McReynolds (sprints/hurdles) and senior Skylar White (throws) all earned All-Americans honors in 2012 at the national indoor meet. Senior hurdler Christina Holland is also a returning outdoor All-American for the Lady Bears.

On the men's side, the Bears enter the season outside of the top 25, but have a group of five All-Americans returning. That group makes Baylor deep at the sprints and middle distance. Seniors Justin Allen, Joe Barb, Drew Seale and Everett Walker and junior Blake Heriot have a combined eight All-American honors between them. In 2012, the BU men finished in fifth place at the Big 12 Championships and earned five points to finish 35^th overall at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

Last season, Baylor placed second on both the men's and women's side at the Texas A&M Invitational.  Individually, BU won a total of seven events, including six on the women's side. The Lady Bears got victories from Rachel Johnson (3,000 meters), McReynolds (60 hurdles), Atkinson (weight throw), Jessica Ubanyionwu (triple jump), White (shot put) and the distance medley relay team. The men's lone win came from Heriot in the 400 meters.

The meet is scheduled to begin with field events at noon and running finals at 2 p.m. at the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium on the campus of Texas A&M University.

Check BaylorBears.com for heat sheets prior to the meet as well as a meet schedule. A complete recap will be available following the conclusion of the event. For updates during the competition follow @BaylorTrack on Twitter.