Feb. 23, 2012

MILWAUKEE - University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee volunteer assistant track & field coach Garrett Huyler is off to Albuquerque, N.M. this weekend to compete in the USA Indoor Nationals.

Huyler, a standout at Cornell, will be competing in high jump in hopes of making it to Olympic Trials this June.

"I would love to win the USA meet, but its pretty lofty goal with a couple former Olympians and a world champion (Jesse Williams) in the field," Huyler said. "Right now my goal for the season is to qualify for the Olympic Trials in June. The qualifying mark for that is 7-2 1/2 (2.20m), but they only take the top 24 in the U.S. In order to make it this year it looks like I'll have to jump 7-4 (2.24m), which I would say is an obtainable goal since my lifetime best is 7'3" (2.21m) and season best so far is 7'2" (2.19m)."

Huyler has been helping Milwaukee with high jumps starting last season and has helped the Panthers to new heights. Last year, then-freshman Nick Hughes was named Newcomer of the Year at the Indoor League Championships after winning the high jump with a mark of 6-8 ¾ (2.05m), which ranks fifth all-time in school history.

"UWM has been extremely generous to me and made it much easier to continue competing in track and field," Huyler said. "Having training partners, being able to pass along what I have learned about the sport and sharing in the team's accomplishments has been a very rewarding experience."

Last week, Huyler tied the Klotsche Center record while competing for his national team, clearing 7-0 ¼ (2.14m) at the UWM Panther Tune-Up.

"I'm glad it turned out the way it did, tying with friend and former UWM high jumper Quinn Mongoven, which should keep us both motivated for Indoor Season next year," Huyler said. "Nick Hughes is also close to getting the record with some very good jumps on Friday. Training with two other guys right around seven feet definitely keeps us accountable at practice because we know that any week the other guys could win."