WESTFIELD, Mass. -Westfield State University's men's and women's track teams will be hosting the annual Jerry Gravel Classic at the Gravel Track and Alumni Field Complex on Saturday, April 14^th.

The Owls premiere event of the spring season, the Westfield State University's women's track team has had a number of standouts as of late.

Seniors Jessie Cardin (Sutton, Mass), Ashley Craig (Westford Academy/ Groton, Mass), and Sabrina Pray (Mansfield, Mass) all qualified for nationals during the indoor track season.

Cardin will compete in the 3,000 steeplechase, an event she qualified for the NCAA championship in in 2016.

Junior sprinter/hurdler Lexi Popp (Westford Academy/Westford, Mass) is looking to qualify for nationals in the 400 hurdles this spring after just missing the cut during the indoor season.

Pray will be in action in the 100 hurdles, an event she earned All-America honors last season, as well as the 100, the 200, and the 4x100 relay.

Cardin and Popp have both had top finishes in the first two meets of the season while Pray has one win and a second place finish. The Owls look to stay hot during the home meet on Saturday.

Popp is currently ranked 21^st on the national qualifying list for both the 400 meters and the 400 hurdles. Cardin is ranked 14^th on the national qualifying list for the 10,000 while Craig is also ranked 14^th in the pole vault. Sophomore Victoria Sparages is currently ranked 12^th on the national poll for the javelin.

The top 22 athletes in the nation get a chance to compete in the national championships for both the men and women's divisions.

After placing third at the US Coast Guard Academy Invitational last weekend, the Westfield State University's men's track team is hungry to get a win at home.

Athletes to watch include senior Dereck Stone (Bellingham, Mass) who has led the way of late for the Owls in the high jump and the long jump. Senior David Drigo (Masconomet/ Middleton, Mass) an All-American in the javelin in 2016 will compete in both the javelin and the shot put. He recently placed second in the javelin at the Snowflake Classic with a top throw of 54.00m (177'-02") and was the top individual finisher for Westfield State University.

Junior sprinter Paul James (Tantasqua/West Brookfield, Mass) is another athlete to keep an eye on after recently placing third in the 100 at the US Coast Guard Academy Invitational. Finally, junior distance runner Patrick Brett (Whitman-Hanson/Hanson, Mass) looks to get after it again in the 3,000 steeplechase after placing second in the 5,000 meters with a time of 16:10.58 last weekend.

Stone is currently ranked 41^st on the national qualifying list for the long jump and Drigo is 45^th for the javelin.

The meet is named for retired Westfield State track and field coach Jerry Gravel, who led the Owls program from its inception in 1969 until his retirement in 1997. Gravel was inducted into the Westfield State Hall of Fame in 2004.

- Story by Michael Witts, sports information intern

The full meet schedule is below.

FIELD EVENTS
11:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m.	Javelin Hammer Throw	W followed by M M followed by W

Discus Throw follows completion of both Hammer Throw & Javelin (USE TWO CAGES)

11:00 a.m.	Shot Put	W followed by M
11:00 a.m.	Pole Vault	W followed by M
11:00 a.m.	Long Jump	M&W (SAME TIME)

Triple Jump follows completion of M&W Long Jump, M&W (SAME TIME)

12:00 p.m. RUNNING	High Jump		W followed by M
11:00 a.m.	10,000m		M&W combined (if interest)
12:00 p.m.	Steeplechase		W-M
	4 x 100		W-M
	1500m		W-M
	100H	Final	W
	110H	Final	M
	400m		W-M
	100m	Final	W-M
	800m		W-M
	400H		W-M
	200m		W-M
	5000m		W-M
	4 x 400		W-M

Rolling Time Schedule After Steeplechase