Going into the fourth week of the season, Texas was originally scheduled to split up this weekend to attend both the University of Arkansas’ Tyson Invitational and the Flotrack Husky Classic in Seattle, will instead be staying together in the south, focusing on Fayetteville, AR.

Although the team was faced with the decision to choose between the two events, the Longhorns are well aware that they are approaching another eminent “fork-in-the-road.”

Despite consistent top 10 individual finishes, the team’s national ranking has also shown a consistent negative trend.

Dropping from No. 2 to No. 4 after the first preseason ranking, the now No. 6 Texas knows that its performance at the Tyson Invitational, where they will compete against No. 2 LSU, No. 3 Clemson, No. 4 Arkansas, and No. 5 UCF, could very well be the turning point in its season.

The whole team will show up in full force this weekend, competing in 11 track and field events.

On Friday, Shanay Briscoe, Victoria Lucas, Beverly Owoyele and Alicia Peterson plan to jump-start the team’s momentum in the high jump.

In the first race of the weekend, Julie Amthor and Marielle Hall — both having placed first in the event at meets earlier this season — will represent the Longhorns in the mile run.

With six runners on the race’s roster, Friday’s 400-meter dash holds the most potential for the team to dominate the top 10.

On Saturday, Sara Sutherland will kick off day two of the Invitational with the 3000-meter run.

Among the events of the weekend, races in which Texas could prove itself as a major threat include the 60-meter dash and the 200-meter dash.

In the 4×400-meter relay, the final women’s event of the weekend, two Texas teams will rally to close out the meet with consecutive first and second places.

Printed on Friday, February 10, 2012 as: Texas' ranking has slipped, aims to stop negative trend