LARAMIE, Wyo. – The University of Wyoming track & field team will commence the 2018 outdoor track & field season at the annual Jerry Quiller Classic this weekend, hosted by the University of Colorado at Potts Field. The hammer throw, triple jump, and javelin will be contested Friday afternoon, while the remainder of the events will take place on Saturday in Boulder.
 
Wyoming is coming off a sixth-place finish on the men's side and ninth-place finish on the women's side at the 2018 Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Championships. The biggest highlight of the indoor championship meet was the performance of junior Cowgirl Ja'la Henderson, who claimed her second career individual conference title overall and first league crown in the triple jump with a leap of 42 feet, 11 inches. After debuting in the event earlier during the indoor season at a meet in Boulder, the sky is the limit for Henderson during the outdoor season. UW jumps coach Quincy Howe believes Henderson has vast potential in the event outdoors after she missed qualifying for the NCAA indoor championships in the event by just a few inches. Henderson was the only UW athlete to receive multiple All-Mountain West honors for her performance at the indoor conference championships, as she also placed third in the long jump.
 
Meanwhile, Cowboy freshman and Cheyenne, Wyo., native William Nolan will look to continue his development as the next UW jumps star by following his impressive debut indoor campaign with a solid outdoor season. Nolan saved his best for last during the indoor season, demolishing both personal bests at the conference championships en route to a runner-up finish in the triple jump (49-6.5) and fourth-place effort in the long jump (23-7.5).
 
UW's sprints group has a solid core of emerging stars that looks to build on a solid indoor season, with additional chances to show their talent as the 100-meter dash and 4x100-meter relay both enter the picture outdoors. Junior Jackson Wood is coming off an impressive third-place finish in the men's 400 meters at the MW indoor championships and believes the Cowboy sprinters have an exciting outdoor season ahead. On the women's side, junior Jordan Edmonds will look to continue her emergence after a breakout indoor campaign, joining Wyoming 100 meters recordholder Jerayah Davis as a solid one-two punch for the Cowgirls.
New Wyoming assistant coach Carrie Lane helped a group of young Cowboys and Cowgirls develop steadily throughout the indoor season. Freshman Cowgirl Addison Henry showed consistency in the shot put, while sophomore Hap Frketich improved greatly in the weight throw on his way to a fourth-place conference finish. Lane will attack new challenges with the young throws group during the outdoor season as the hammer throw, discus and javelin each come on the scene.
 
Many of UW's distance athletes will train through the weekend rather than competing in Boulder. The Jerry Quiller Classic starts at 3 p.m. MT Friday with the aforementioned field events, while the remainder of the meet schedule will start at 11 a.m. MT Saturday. Follow along with updates about Wyoming's outdoor season opener at @wyo_track on twitter.