The Bulldog track and field program will have 11 individuals in a total of 15 events for next weekend’s NCAA Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Ala., according to an announcement from the NCAA.

The third-ranked Georgia women have six individuals ranked in the top 16 nationally and those Lady Bulldogs will be battling in a total of 10 events, which is tied for third nationally. The ninth-ranked Bulldog men have five individuals, including three heptathletes, qualified who will each compete in a single event.

“This is our Super Bowl, we have been talking about it to this team since day one,” said Petros Kyprianou, who will be traveling to his first Nationals as the Bulldogs’ heads coach. “We are not changing our approach to it whether we have people slightly hurting or tired. This group of men and women know what they want, and they want it while they are having fun doing what they love. I am proud of each one of them and their hard work. We want to show up and compete hard always being focused, having a sense of urgency and at the same time having fun.”

Junior Kendell Williams (pentathlon, long jump, high jump), sophomore Keturah Orji (triple jump, long jump), senior Chanice Porter (long jump, high jump), junior Tatiana Gusin (high jump), graduate student Xenia Rahn (pentathlon) and Mady Fagan (high jump) will represent the Georgia women at the CrossPlex facility.

Senior Garrett Scantling (heptathlon), senior Maicel Uibo (heptathlon), sophomore Karl Saluri (heptathlon), senior Ashinia Miller (shot put) and true freshman Denzel Comenentia (shot put) will be the representatives for the Bulldog men during the team’s fourth trip to Birmingham this season.

For all but Fagan, Saluri and Comenentia, this will be a return to the NCAA indoor meet for everyone. On the women’s side, Williams is the two-time defending national pentathlon champion and has set the collegiate record both of those years. Orji was the runner-up in the triple jump at last year’s meet and earned Second Team All-America honors in the long jump.

Porter will be making her fourth consecutive trip to NCAA Indoors in the long jump, earning First Team All-America honors the last two years, but has never advanced in the high jump. Rahn, who is in her first year with Georgia after transferring from North Carolina, was third with the Tar Heels last year.

On the men’s side, Scantling finished three points out of winning the heptathlon last year and was third in 2013. Uibo sustained an injury at the start of last year’s NCAA Indoor Championships and had to pull out. However, the Polva, Estonia, native scored for First Team All-America honors in 2014 and 2013, including a second-place finish in 2014. Miller advanced to his first NCAA indoor meet last year and took 12th.

Following the NCAA meet, Georgia will open its outdoor season with a home meet at the Spec Towns Track. The Georgia Relays are scheduled March 18-19. This is one of three home meets for the Bulldogs this year: Spec Towns Invitational and Bulldog Decathlon/Heptathlon – April 6-9, Georgia Invitational – April 30.

Live stats and full results from next weekend’s NCAA Indoor Championships will be posted at georgiadogs.com.

Updates from Georgia’s track and field and cross country teams can always be found on Twitter/Instagram (@UGATrack).
 

2016 NCAA INDOOR SCHEDULE