After a dominant season full of school and personal records, it is time for UConn to put it all together in front of the entire conference.
Both the men’s and women’s track teams will be competing for their fourth consecutive Big East Indoor Track & Field Championship this weekend. Last year’s Big East Championship win for the men’s team gave them sole possession of most Big East Championships, surpassing Georgetown after they were both tied with 11 each.
Head coach Beth Alford-Sullivan has led the team to the last two championships after legendary coach Greg Roy retired following the 2022 season.
Kasey Savage is a name to watch on the men’s side. The senior has tallied the most points out of every competitor at each of the last three Big East Championships. A four-peat could be in play for Savage this weekend, as he will likely compete in all the jumping events. At the 2024 Big East Outdoor Championships, Savage cleared 6-foot-8 on the high jump, a personal best for the Pennsylvania native.
Kyle Johnson is also looking to build off his performance from last year when he earned the Outstanding Field Performer Award. Johnson won the triple jump and placed second in the long jump with a personal best jump of 23 feet-8.5 inches. The Montverde Academy-product is the school record holder in the triple jump.
Connecticut as a team has been killing it on the podium, winning at least seven individual and relay race first places at each of the past three Big East Championships. In 2022, they set the Big East record with ten first place finishes.
UConn has one competitor looking for a three peat in an event and another looking for his third win in four years. Long jump school record holder Marc Morrison aims for the three peat this weekend after jumping over 24 feet at the 2024 championships. Morrison will try to top his career best jump of 25-feet-7 inches in the Windy City.
Terrel Williams is trying to get back to the top of the podium in the 60-meter hurdles. Williams won the event in 2022 and 2023 but lost to Darius Brown of DePaul last year. Williams is the UConn school record holder in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 7.7 seconds.
On the women’s side, A’liyah Thomas will be competing after earning Outstanding Field Performer at the 2023 Big East Championships. At the 2024 championships, Thomas was the runner-up in long jump and grabbed a bronze medal in the 60-meter hurdles.
The field events are where the team really strives. Mallory Malz returns to defend her pole vault title, an event that has been won by three different Huskies in the past three years. Multi-event specialist Alyssa Elliott will be competing for her second consecutive Pentathlon victory. The Maine native scored 3,817 points at the meet in 2024.
With plenty of talent graduating in 2024, the women will be neck-and-neck with the 17-time Big East Champion Villanova Wildcats. However, the field event returners along with the new 3000-meter school record holder Jenna Zydanowicz will be there leading the charge to the four peat.
Having two weeks to prepare for this meet and then a two-week recovery period before the NCAA Nationals, the Huskies will bring their all to Chicago this weekend.