The men’s track team added to their storied history by claiming both the indoor and outdoor American Athletic Conference championships last season. | File Photo/The Cougar
Track and field head coach Leroy Burrell announced Tuesday that the men’s and women’s track teams have been selected to compete in the World University Games in Taiwan in Aug. 2017.
“Being named as the USA representative for the World University Games is a tremendous honor for our program,” Burrell said in a press release. “This is an opportunity for the University of Houston to prove that we can compete not only on the collegiate stage, but on an international platform as well.”
Since 1959, the games have been held semiannually and representing teams must be selected by the U.S. International University Sports Federation.
The games, also known as The Universiades, are a sports and culture festival held for both winter and summer games every two years in various cities around the globe. The Universiades’ prestige level is just under the Olympics.
The team is coached by former Olympic gold medalists Burrell and Carl Lewis who have turned the program into a perennial power.
Last academic year, The Cougars’ men’s track team won both the indoor and outdoor American Athletic Conference Championships, giving the program a combine of 46 conference championships in school history.
With 15 gold medalists from 24 Olympians in various Olympic Games, the track and field team has dominated competition at the local, national and global level.
The World University Games will be the latest example of the global impact track and field is proving they have. The Summer Universiade will be held in Taipei, Taiwan Aug. 19 to 30, 2017.
