TEMPE, Ariz. – The Arizona State track and field program hosts the 38th Annual Sun Angel Classic from Thursday, April 6 through Saturday, April 8 at Sun Angel Stadium on FloTrack.
The three-day event includes a high school portion with 56 schools participating on Thursday, and collegiate and professional athletes competing on Friday and Saturday. A total of just under 4,600 athletes will compete over the three days.
"There is an ability for this meet to be, on the collegiate level, one of the best meets in the nation throughout the entire season and into the postseason," said meet director and assistant coach Jeremy Rasmussen. "The history and the marks speak for itself, but then in the track and field world, it's been a staple for almost 40 years now. We have a 2016 Rio gold medalist coming in to run the mile on Saturday night. We get the best of the best in the professional ranks to open their season in Tempe. It's not their fourth or fifth race of the year, they choose to open their season at ASU. It's really unique with having the meet begin with high school athletes on Thursday and wrap up with Olympians by Saturday. From kids eight and under to Paralympians -- we have seven Paralympic athletes from Rio competing in the wheelchair event this year. It makes it one of a kind."
Rasmussen is hinting at the first U.S. male athlete to win the gold medal in the 1,500-meter event since 1908 in Matthew Centrowitz. He will be running the mile on Saturday night at 8:46 p.m.
Tempe is a prime location this weekend, as the Sun Angel Classic has provided world, professional and collegiate records in the past years.
A season ago, ten athletes recorded top-25 times or marks in the country at the meet.
This year will feature collegiate competitors from Arkansas State, Boise State, Bucknell, BYU, College of the Sequioas, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Minnesota, Mt. San Antonio CC, New Mexico, Notre Dame, Oregon State, Paradise Valley CC, Pima CC, Stanislaus State, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, UCF and Arizona.
Three of those men's squads are currently ranked in the top 25 – No. 2 Texas A&M, No. 11 Texas Tech and No. 16 Kansas – while one women's program, No. 9 Texas A&M, will compete as well.
The Sun Devil men currently sit at No. 49, while the women are just outside the top-25 at No. 28.
High school events begin at 10 a.m. MT on Thursday, while the college and open events start on Friday at 12 p.m. MT and 10 a.m. on Saturday.
High Schools:
Colleges/Clubs/Countries:
The three-day event includes a high school portion with 56 schools participating on Thursday, and collegiate and professional athletes competing on Friday and Saturday. A total of just under 4,600 athletes will compete over the three days.
"There is an ability for this meet to be, on the collegiate level, one of the best meets in the nation throughout the entire season and into the postseason," said meet director and assistant coach Jeremy Rasmussen. "The history and the marks speak for itself, but then in the track and field world, it's been a staple for almost 40 years now. We have a 2016 Rio gold medalist coming in to run the mile on Saturday night. We get the best of the best in the professional ranks to open their season in Tempe. It's not their fourth or fifth race of the year, they choose to open their season at ASU. It's really unique with having the meet begin with high school athletes on Thursday and wrap up with Olympians by Saturday. From kids eight and under to Paralympians -- we have seven Paralympic athletes from Rio competing in the wheelchair event this year. It makes it one of a kind."
Rasmussen is hinting at the first U.S. male athlete to win the gold medal in the 1,500-meter event since 1908 in Matthew Centrowitz. He will be running the mile on Saturday night at 8:46 p.m.
Tempe is a prime location this weekend, as the Sun Angel Classic has provided world, professional and collegiate records in the past years.
A season ago, ten athletes recorded top-25 times or marks in the country at the meet.
This year will feature collegiate competitors from Arkansas State, Boise State, Bucknell, BYU, College of the Sequioas, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Minnesota, Mt. San Antonio CC, New Mexico, Notre Dame, Oregon State, Paradise Valley CC, Pima CC, Stanislaus State, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, UCF and Arizona.
Three of those men's squads are currently ranked in the top 25 – No. 2 Texas A&M, No. 11 Texas Tech and No. 16 Kansas – while one women's program, No. 9 Texas A&M, will compete as well.
The Sun Devil men currently sit at No. 49, while the women are just outside the top-25 at No. 28.
High school events begin at 10 a.m. MT on Thursday, while the college and open events start on Friday at 12 p.m. MT and 10 a.m. on Saturday.
High Schools:
| Agua Fria Union | Alhambra | Anthem Prep | Boulder Creek |
| Bradshaw Mountain | Brophy College Prep | Buena | Camelback |
| Cesar Chavez | Chandler | Chandler Preparatory | Chaparral (AZ) |
| Desert Edge | Desert Mountain | Desert Ridge | Desert Vista |
| Empire | Fountain Hills | Gilbert | Glendale Preparatory Academy |
| Greenway | Hamilton | Highland | Higley |
| Horizon Honors | Ironwood | Liberty | Marcos De Niza |
| Maryvale | McClintock | Mesquite | Millennium |
| Moon Valley | Mountain Pointe | Peoria | Perry |
| Phoenix Central | Queen Creek | Raymond S. Kellis | Saguaro |
| Sahuaro | Sandra Day O'Connor | Scottsdale Prep | Shadow Ridge |
| Skyline | South Mountain | St Mary's Catholic | St. Pius X (New Mexico) |
| Sunrise Mountain | Tolleson Union | Valley Vista | Veritas Preparatory Academy |
| Verrado | Westwood | Willow Canyon | Xavier College Preparatory |
Colleges/Clubs/Countries:
| Accelerate Track Club | adidas | Altis | Altis/Puma |
| Anasazi Track Club | Arete | Arete Throws Nation | Arizona Burn |
| Arizona Cheetahs | Arizona Disabled Sports | Arizona Elite | Arizona Flames |
| Arizona Rising Suns | Arizona State | Arizona Titans | Arizona Track Stars |
| Arkansas State | Ashland University | Auc Elite | Azpva |
| Big Bear Tc/New Balance | Boise State | Brooks | Brooks/Altis |
| Bucknell | BYU | Can-Puma | Caul |
| Chinook Track & Field | College of the Sequioas | Crane | Do Right Track Club |
| Edion | Elite Sports | Evo Track Club | Evo/Haiti |
| Evo/India | Fast Tracks - Vic City Elite | GBR/adidas | GBR/Nike |
| High Performance West | Hoka One One | Hong Kong Team | HR Vault Inv |
| Iowa State | John Carroll University | Kansas | Kansas State |
| Kenya | Mentor Academy | Minnesota | Mt. San Antonio CC |
| New Balance Canada | New Mexico | Newmarket Huskies | Nike |
| Nike/Altis | Notre Dame | NX Level | Oregon State |
| Panama | Paradise Valley CC | Phoenix Bobcats | Phoenix Elitez |
| Phoenix Flyer | Pima CC | Prime Elite | Puma |
| Quick Silver | Rodhe Sport | Saint Laurent Select | Saucony/TRF Pro |
| Slo Middle Distance | Speed River TFC | Stanislaus State | Team Lit |
| Texas A&M | Texas Tech | Twisted Gear/Newton Running | U.S. Paralympics |
| Univ. of Central Florida | Ultimate Speed | University of Arizona | UVIC Track Club |