The University of Hawai'i track and field team has not competed against other collegiate athletes in over a year and with the calendar flipping to March, the Rainbow Wahine anticipation and excitement turns to Cal State Fullerton's Ben Brown Invitational Friday and Saturday. 

"The team is grateful for this opportunity to compete," head coach Tim Boyce said. "Our first meet in over a year. We'll have many experiencing their first outdoor meet as Wahine. It will be very exciting for all of us."

Hawai'i will take a group of 23 student-athletes to compete at Fullerton with upperclassmen Kristen LaCosse, Calli-Ann Abbott and Teuila Gardner headlining the group. Of the 23-athlete travel team, eight will be competing in forest green and white for the first time, including Virginia Tech transfer Imagine Patterson and Punahou graduate and Macalester transfer Lily Schlieman. 

Abbott will also look to begin her quest for a coveted spot in the NCAA Heptathlon competition, which takes the top 24 athletes with no preliminary round qualifier. Abbott was less than 300 points off of 24th in 2019. Abbott finished third in the heptathlon at the Big West Championships in 2019 and with the winner and runner-up no longer in the conference, Abbott returns the top score from the 2019 championships.

LaCosse, who finished fourth in the 100-meter hurdles at the Big West Championships in 2019, finished 20th in the West Region, eight spots off the top 12 who get an invitation to the NCAA Championship meet. 

All four throwing events, the distance events and the pole vault will take place on Friday with the sprints and remaining jumps competing on Saturday.