Western Kentucky University has not hosted a track meet since the Hilltopper Relays in 1983 – a high school invitational featuring the top prep athletes from Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee. The most recent college meet was a men's dual twilight with Murray State on April 2, 1982, which WKU lost to the Racers 85-59.
Smith Stadium has undergone extensive renovation in recent years. Prior to the 2001 football season, Jimmy Feix Field was replaced for the first time in the facility’s history with state-of-the-art Astroplay turf, and the University spent $1,000,000 in replacing and redesigning the track at Smith Stadium. After the recent addition of new high jump and pole vault pits, as well as the construction of new throwing facilities, Western is ready to host its college meet, beginning 22 years to the day of their last event.
Teams scheduled to compete in the National City Track and Field Invitational are Belmont, Cincinnati, Eastern Kentucky, Kentucky, Lipscomb, Louisville, UT-Chattanooga and Western. The first competition will be Friday (April 2), with the men’s and women’s hammer throw beginning at 3 p.m. (CST). Saturday’s events are scheduled to start at 11:30 a.m. with the women’s high jump, men’s and women’s long jump, women’s javelin and men’s shot put. Running events will begin at noon with the women’s 2,000-meter steeplechase.
