In just over two weeks the University of Colorado will be hosting the 12th Annual Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Championships from May 16-18 at Potts Field.

With such a crucial event in their sights, the CU men's and women's track & field teams are anxious for the opportunity to shine among the Big 12's elite.

In order to compete in the regional competition, athletes must first qualify. Select members of the distance squads will travel to Palo Alto, Calif. this weekend to compete in the Stanford Cardinal Invitational on May 4th. Those not headed for the prestigious Cardinal Invite will look to participate in the Front Range Classic in Laramie, Wyo., on May 3rd.

The 19th ranked CU men's track and field team hopes to qualify numerous athletes to compete in the Big 12 Championships. CU hopefuls Bradley Harkrader and Brent Vaughn will look to make their mark at this weekend's meets.

Both athletes are in search of personal bets in the 5,000-meter event. Harkrader, a junior from Thornton, Colo., is anxious to eclipse his personal best of 14:06.66 (2007) to secure his place as a top competitor when the Buffs play host to the conference championships.

Celebrated student-athlete Brent Vaughn, a senior from Aurora, Colo., is among the best in the Big 12 in the 5,000-meter event. Finishing 1st in the event in 2007, Vaughn has set his sights high for the upcoming qualifier, looking to obtain a quality mark while simultaneously distancing himself from the competition. Vaughn set his personal best last year with a 13:30.12 in the 5,000-meter and will look to carry that momentum into the competition ahead, hopefully catapulting himself onto the winner's podium.

Another Vaughn is making waves all her own, but this time on the women's side.

Junior Sara Vaughn, wife of the aforementioned Brent Vaughn, will be competing in the 1,500-meter race at the Cardinal Invitational. Her personal best outdoor 1,500-meter time of 4:19.70 (2007) will provide a nice benchmark as it landed her 3rd place in last year's Big 12 competition.

Junior Jeremy Dodson, from Denver, will represent CU at the Front Range Classic. Last season at this same meet Dodson was a member of the 4x100 team that qualified and he qualified individually in the 100-meters with a time of 10.41.

This weekend's events are the last two meets before the Buffs host the Big 12 Championships, so CU's top athletes will need to make the most of it if they are going to shine in front of their home crowd May 16-18.

Contact Bennett Spector about this story at (303) 443-6272 ext. 112 or sports@coloradodaily.com