June 4, 2007

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. --- Nine members of the University of North Carolina men's and women's track teams will travel to Sacramento, Calif., this week for the 2007 Division I NCAA Track and Field Championships. Five members of the ninth-ranked men and four women athletes will compete at Hornet Stadium on the campus of Sacramento State University in the final meet of the year.

Leading the way for the men will be a trio of national-title contenders. Justin Ryncavage will look to repeat as national champion in the javelin, which he won in 2006 with a school-record 243-4 toss. He currently sits second on the collegiate list in the event behind teammate Adam Montague, who launched a 242-4 heave at the NCAA East Regional to win the event and claim the best mark in the country from Ryncavage.

Nick Owens, also a regional titlist, figures to factor heavily into the men's hammer throw as he currently owns the nation's second-best mark in the event this year, a 231-5 toss. He is one of three competitors in the field to top 70 meters in 2007.

Freshman Mateo Sossah qualified in the men's decathlon courtesy of a 7,310 score in April. The total gives him the 12th-best score among those competing in Sacramento.

Senior Reggie Berry received an at-large bid in the 400-meter hurdles after running 51.00 at the NCAA Regional in Gainesville. He is seeded 19th.

On the women's side, Brie Felnagle and Georgia Kloss both enter the meet as former NCAA Champions. The duo has teamed up each of the past two years to help the North Carolina distance medley relay team claim the indoor national championship. Felnagle is the top seed in the women's 1,500 meters and is coming off a win at the NCAA East Regional. Kloss, meanwhile, is seeded 19th in the women's 800 meters, sporting a season-best 2:06.00 time.

Also competing for the Tar Heels will be a pair of throwers, Jocelyn White and Kelly Fazekas. White owns the 15th-best mark in the nation in the discus in 2007, a 174-5 toss she posted in April. Fazekas, meanwhile, is seeded 24th in the women's shot put, having recorded a season-best 51-1 mark at the regional meet.

A complete schedule of the meet can be viewed here. The meet will be broadcast live from 8:30-11:30 p.m. ET on Friday on CSTV, and CBS will show the Saturday action from 1-3 p.m. ET.