Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina track and field returns to familiar territory this weekend as the Catamounts travel to Clemson, S.C., for the Orange and Purple Invitational hosted by the Tigers at the Rock Norman Track & Field Complex.
Action from both days will be streamed through the ACC Network Extra (paid subscription required) through the Watch ESPN app.
A combined 18 collegiate teams are expected to attend this weekend's meet with the Catamounts sending 65 student-athletes to the highly competitive meet. Though the weekend's competition is in the heart of ACC territory, the Orange and Purple a veritable "who's who" of SEC competition as Auburn, Alabama, Mississippi State, and Tennessee are each expected to be in attendance. WCU will be one of two Southern Conference teams in Clemson as Wofford is slated to send a pair of Terriers to the meet.
Most events will take place on Friday beginning with the women's pentathlon 60-meter hurdles hitting the blocks at 8 a.m. and the men's heptathlon 60-meter hurdles starting right after at 8:30 a.m. Field events begin at 11 a.m. with the women's pole vault and the women's long jump. Track events start later beginning with the women's 5,000-meter run at 1 p.m.
Saturday's action begins at 9 a.m. with the final events of the heptathlon, starting with the men's 60m hurdles. Field events commence at 10 a.m. with the women's shot put and high jump before the track events at 11 a.m. with the women's 3,000 m.
Friday and Saturday's Meet:
Orange and Purple Invitational | (Fri.) 8 a.m. - 7:35 p.m. | (Sat.) 9 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.
Live Results: https://tinyurl.com/bd24m5wz
Watch Day One (ACCNX): https://tinyurl.com/khbrhdy8
Watch Day Two (ACCNX): https://tinyurl.com/khbrhdy8
Teams (18): Anderson, App State, Auburn, Alabama, Charleston Southern, Clemson, Charlotte, East Carolina, Georgia Tech, Life, Limestone, Miss State, Shorter, Tennessee, UCF, Western Carolina, Wofford, Youngstown St.
Catamounts to Watch:
With 65 Catamounts expected to compete in Clemson, there will be plenty of purple and gold-clad student-athletes to watch over the weekend. The Catamounts compete in their first multi-events of the season as Damon Worley leads Colby Capps and freshman Bennett Whitefield in the heptathlon. Sophomore Kendal Hudson will see action in the pentathlon, marking her third collegiate appearance in the event.
The Catamount jumpers have enjoyed a strong start to the season and look to carry that momentum forward in the Upstate of South Carolina. Reigning outdoor triple jump champion Jasmine Greene will compete in both the triple and long jumps, joined by freshman Octavia Massena in both events. The men's team will be led in the distance jumps by Nathan Williams and freshmen Kwan Oates and Elijah Cochran.
Up Next for The Catamounts:
The Catamounts will be back in action next week as they head to Virginia for the VMI Winter Classic at VMI's Corps Physical Training Facility in Lexington from Jan. 30 through Feb. 1. WCU then has time to focus on practice before returning to the track with the Liberty-hosted Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational Feb. 14-15 in Lynchburg, Va.
