By Whitney Spencer

Following the completion of a record-setting performance in the Gladstein Invitational in Bloomington, Ind., the University of Louisville track and field team traveled to Lexington, Ky., this weekend for a showdown against a field of dominant teams in the Rod McCravy Invitational.

“This may be the most competitive indoor meet we’ve been a part of, outside of the Big East and NCAA Championships, since I’ve been in Louisville,” U of L head coach Ron Mann told UofLsports.com.

The meet, which began on Friday evening and continued into Saturday morning, included five nationally ranked women’s teams and four nationally ranked men’s teams at the UK’s Nutter Field House.

Big East foe University of Pittsburgh and SEC rivals University of Alabama, Kentucky and Mississippi State University were also present. Mann said there were a number of conferences represented, including the ACC, SEC, the Big 12, and the Big East.

Though this meet was unscored, it was an experience for the team facing so many top ranked opponents.

“This is going to be a high level meet with nationally ranked teams,” Mann told UofLsports.com. “It’ll certainly test the heart and soul of our group.”

On Friday evening, junior thrower Jere’ Summers and jumper Seidre Forde both earned outstanding finishes to head U of L. Forde completed a jump of 41-7 on her final attempt to finish in second place overall in the triple jump and also earning her an NCAA provisional qualifying spot.

The jump was the second best in school history, finishing only after her school record jump of 42-11 3/4 set earlier in the season.

Summers had a career best mark of 63- 8 1/4 to finish second in the weight throw. The mark is the No.13 best throw in the nation this season and the fourth best in school history. Summers has become an NCAA provisional qualifier in both weight and shot put in 2008.

“She has continued to improve as the season has gone on and she is getting better and better each week,” Mann said.

Senior thrower ZeNai Savage joined Summers with a career best mark of 60-10 1/2 the weight throw to finish third overall.

Continuing into Saturday, Forde and Summers were not the only Cardinals who left their mark. A new school record was set in the men’s 60-meter dash by freshman sprinter Edmund Yeboah, the women’s 800-meter by sophomore runner Kat Alcorn and the men’s mile by junior runner Corey Thorne.

“Those three particularly did extremely well,” Mann said.

At the close of the meet, Mann felt that “it was a very well run meet,” and overall the performances were well.

“The team is coming together very nicely,” Mann said. “We’ve got almost all of our qualifiers for the Big East conference. I feel very good about where we’re at and I feel that with a couple of little adjustments we’re going to be primed and ready for the Big East Championships.”

U of L will now travel to South Bend, Ind., to compete in the Meyo Invitational hosted by Notre Dame on Feb. 8-9. As this date rapidly approaches, the team strategy is already in place.

“We will individualize the training and individualize the performances for maximum performance going into the Big East championships,” Mann said.

“[We will] keep doing what we are doing and that’s compete on a weekly basis and try and win.”