by Steven Fernandez
Daily Lobo
Derek Mackel is one of 14 seniors on the UNM track and field team who will have their final opportunity to perform in front of a home crowd.
The Lobos will host the Don Kirby Memorial Invitational at the Great Friends of UNM Track Stadium, the lone home meet of the 2006 outdoor season Saturday.
Mackel is one of the UNM athletes hoping to go out with a bang.
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"It's the last time I get to compete for the Lobos at our home meet," Mackel said. "It's kind of a sending off."
The senior pole vaulter has been successful in his final year, competing at the NCAA Championships during the indoor season as well as qualifying for the NCAA Midwest Regionals during the outdoor season. Earlier in the outdoor season, Mackel won the pole vault at the Jim Click Shootout in Tucson, Ariz., and followed that with another win a week later at the Cardinal and Gold Invitational in Los Angeles.
Mackel said he is looking forward to hearing the home crowd cheering for the Lobos after spending the beginning of the season on the road.
"It's definitely a rush when you can fill up the stands," Mackel said. "It's always fun seeing friendly faces in the crowd."
Another senior to watch is distance runner Jacquelyne Gallegos. The fifth-year senior has been one of UNM's fastest distance runners under head coach Matt Henry. Gallegos won the Lobos' home meet of the 2005 cross country season, but has been struggling with injuries since. When healthy, Gallegos has been effective, winning the 3,000-meter run at the Cardinal and Gold Invitational.
While the seniors have been a big part of this year's team, the Lobos have some underclassmen who have performed at a high level as well. Sophomore sprinters Jarrin Solomon and Ariel Burr have run some impressive times this season, and both have qualified for the regional meet.
Burr is coming off a stretch in which she etched her name into the UNM record books. At the Mount Sac Relays in Walnut, Calif., Burr broke her own school record in the 400-meter dash. Last week at the UCSD Triton Invitational in San Diego, Burr won the 200-meter dash.
Burr said she prefers running the 400, but was happy to have success in another event.
"I really didn't even think about it," Burr said. "My coach just wanted me to run it, so I did."
Burr said it will give the Lobos an advantage to not have to go on the road for Saturday's meet.
"I'm pretty excited, just because we don't have to travel," she said. "It's definitely a lot better than running away."
While Burr has had quite a bit of individual success this season, she said she hopes the relay teams can perform well on Saturday.
"I'm looking forward to the 4 x 100 because we really want to qualify," Burr said. "We have the ability to qualify for the 4 x 400. I'm really excited for both of those relays."
Solomon, also primarily a 400-meter runner, has performed well this season too. Solomon finished second in the Mount Sac Relays, losing only to professional runner Rashaad Johnson. He followed that up by winning the 400 at the UCSD Triton Invitational.
Solomon said he hopes to carry the momentum with him to the home meet on Saturday, and added that he's excited to see the home fans.
"I'm real pumped," Solomon said. "It should be real fun. It's always good to run at home. There's a lot of cool people that come out to support."
Henry has always recruited local athletes, something Solomon said will help make Saturday's meet even bigger.
"It's real exciting," Solomon said. "You're going to have a larger crowd. Everybody comes out to watch everybody that they've seen throughout high school. They want to come and support all the hometown kids."
