Weekly Outdoor Track and Field Notes (Apr. 27) 4/27/2004 12:00:00 AM Related MaterialWeekly Release.pdfFor a complete listing of the conference's top performers and schedules, click on the .pdf to the right.WAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEKBoise States Ray Ardill and Rices Allison Beckford have been named the Western Athletic Conference mens and womens Outdoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week, respectively.Ardill, a senior from Victoria, B.C., Canada, won the 200 meters with a NCAA regional time of 20.94 at the Oregon Invitational. Ardill also ran on both Boise State relay teams. In the 4x100-meter relay, he helped the Broncos to a second-place time of 40.76, and in the 4x400 meter relay, he ran a split time of 45.80 in helping Boise State to victory with a season-best time of 3:12.09.Beckford, a senior from Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, Jamaica, won the 400-meter hurdles at the Penn Relays with her best time of the season, 56.12. She then anchored the Owls 4x200 meter relay team that set a school record with the time of 1:34.55. Beckford also helped the Owls to their best time in the 4x400, 3:38.94.OTHERS NOMINATED MEN - Greg Doughty, Louisiana Tech; Ben Wiggins, Rice; Michael Robertson and Cory Ray, Tulsa.WOMEN - Emily Mathis, Boise State; Kelly Young, Hawaii; Brenda-Grace Hunt, Louisiana Tech; Caira Hane, Nevada; LaVada Hill, SMU and Shana Robinson, Tulsa. SMU, RICE RANKED AMONG NATIONS TOP 25 - The SMU mens team is ranked eighth in the nation according to Trackwire. The Mustangs are led by a quadrant of throwers all ranking in the top seven in the nation. In the discus, Michael Robertson and Hannes Hopley are rated first and second, respectivley, according to Trackwires Dandy Dozen. In the hammer throw, Jerome Bortoluzzi is fourth. Led by Ryan Harlan, Rice stayed in the top 25 this week, moving up one space to No. 23. Harlan posted the worlds top decathlon mark at 8,045.2004 Trackwire Dandy Dozen(Apr. 27)MEN800 Meters11. Adam Davis, RiceSteeplechase3. Mircea Bogdan, UTEP4. Soeren Linder, SMU400m-Hurdles5. Ben Wiggins, Rice4x100 Relay11. UTEPHigh Jump9. Mickael Hanany, SMU12. Henderson Dottin, UTEPDiscus1. Michael Robertson, SMU2. Hannes Hopley, SMUHammer4. Jerome Bortoluzzi, SMUJavelin10. Gabriel Wallin, Boise StateDecathlon2. Ryan Harlan, RiceWOMEN400 Meters8. Allison Beckford, Rice800 Meters10. Nicole McRae, Nevada11. Kelly Young, HawaiiSteeplechase11. Kara June, Fresno State10,000 Meters10. Karin van Rooyen, SMU400m-Hurdles4. Allison Beckford, Rice4x100 Relay6. Louisiana Tech11. Rice High Jump6. Nvenna Lendel, SMUPole Vault12. Beth Hinshaw, RiceUTEPS ERENG JOINS DRAKE RELAYS ATHLETES HALL OF FAME - UTEP head cross country coach and Olympic gold medallist Paul Ereng was inducted into the Drake Relays Athletes Hall of Fame during an April 22 reception in DesMoines, Iowa. Ereng's induction increased membership in to the Drake Relays Athletes Hall of Fame to 195. The Athletes Hall of Fame was established in 1959 during the Golden Anniversary of the Drake Relays with 72 charter members, including Jesse Owens who was named the outstanding performer during the first half century of the Drake Relays. Ereng was a three-time NCAA champion, a four-time NCAA All-American, the 1988 Olympic gold medallist in Seoul, South Korea; a two-time World Indoor champion and a former world record holder.2004 WAC CHAMPIONSHIP TO HELD IN HOUSTON - The 2004 edition of the WAC Outdoor Track and Field Championship will be held, May 12-15 at the Rice Track Stadium on the campus of Rice in Houston. The multi events are scheduled for Wednesday, May 12 and Thursday, May 13 with the preliminaries and finals scheduled for Friday and Saturday. Rice last hosted the outdoor championship in 2002. The UTEP men and Rice women look to defend their 2003 outdoor titles.