2021 Season Preview: Track & Field Begins Outdoor Slate at UT Tyler Outdoor Meet
TYLER, Texas - The University of Dallas track and field team starts the 2021 season this Saturday. The Crusaders will be competing in their first meet since the Hardin-Simmons Invitational last March before COVID-19 cut short the 2020 season. UD's roster is comprised of almost exclusively freshman with 15 total names between the men's and women's rosters. The two returning Crusaders from last year's team are sprinter Sam McLard and Thrower Alissa Dutton.
UD's men's team features prized recruit Jonathan Cantu. Cantu was a TAPPS 6A Cross-Country State Champion in 2019, and will compete in the 5000 meter run in his collegiate debut. Among others competing for Dallas are majority distance runners. The men's team will also have Nico Walz and Ryan Connor in the 5000m for their respective debuts. James Latour will be in the 1500m, and Luke LaCour will specialize in Mid-Distance events such as the 800m and 400m. McLard is one of two sprinters on the squad, but the only one competing this weekend. He is on the heat sheet for the 100m and 200m.
Dallas also has another freshman sprinter, Max Crowder, expected to contribute this spring. He joined UD with a deep sprints background in high school and with USATF. There is also dual athlete in men's basketball, Logan Byrum, that will join next week and is going to be a thrower.
On the women's team, just Gracie Ebberwein and Megan Scott are competing in the 5000m and 1500m, respectively. UD looks for Isabella Saad to join and add to the distance group. Kaycie Willis and Dutton are dual athletes in women's basketball, and should be in action after they join next week. The pair should be competing in various throwing events. Maddie Rodriguez and Anisa Meza are dual sport women's soccer players that competed last spring.
To see the full rosters, click the links below.
On Saturday, Dallas will travel to Tyler, Texas to compete in the UT-Tyler Outdoor Meet. Next Saturday, March 20, the Crusaders are tentativelly scheduled to go to Ft. Worth to compete in the TCU Invitational and the end the month in Seguin on the 27th at the TLU DIII Challenge. In April, UD travels to Commerce to participate in the East Texas Invite on April 10. After that, the Crusaders go to McMurry Warhawk Challenge in Abilene on the 17th, and then wrap up the schedule with the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Championships on the 23rd and 24th.
To see the full schedule, click the link below.