By Chandler Howard

Senior sprinter Sorrillo shines at NCAA Track and Field Championships

One UK track and field senior ended his collegiate career on the highest of notes.

During the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore., sprinter Rondel Sorrillo pulled away from the pack to claim a first-place finish in the men’s 200-meter dash, earning UK its first title in the event in school history. Sorrillo finished with a time of 20.36 seconds, the second fastest of his career as a Cat. His personal best time of 20.29 seconds is a current UK record.

Sorrillo also posted the Cats’ highest finish in the 100-meter dash since Tim Harden’s 1995 title-winning performance by finishing second, clocking in at 10.09 seconds. He shares the UK record in the event with a time of 10.05 seconds, matching Harden’ best.

The senior’s combined 18 points helped UK to a top-15 finish at the NCAA Championships and marked the second-highest point total in UK men’s history. He has now achieved eight All-American honors in only two years at UK, the quickest any athlete has been able to accomplish such a feat.

Sorrillo’s success proves UK’s potential to compete with the nations best in the collegiate track and field picture in upcoming seasons.

Nidiffer, Glad sign MLB free agent contracts

Only days after UK baseball saw six of its players swiped up in the 2010 MLB Draft, two more were pulled from free agency into big-league organizations.

Seniors Gunner Glad and Marcus Nidiffer each inked deals to play for professional clubs in the upcoming seasons. Glad, a versatile fielder, signed on with the Minnesota Twins, while Nidiffer, a catcher, made official a contract with the Houston Astros.

Glad established himself as one of the best hitters in the Southeastern Conference in his most recent campaign at UK, batting .336 and knocking in 45 runs in 2010. His adaptable skills make him a prime candidate for many professional teams.

Nidiffer served as UK’s forceful catcher over the last three seasons. He finished 2010 going .320 at the plate, with 35 runs batted in. He has been playing his best as of late, giving him more hope of a solid professional career with the Astros.

With the two signings, UK has now sent eight players to MLB organizations in 2010. The team’s achievements are bypassing those of average collegiate programs.

UK hoops preview in Canada comes in mid-August

The unveiling of the 2010-11 UK men’s basketball team will come sooner than many fans anticipated.

UK and head coach John Calipari have announced plans to kick off next season on a three-day, three-game exhibition series in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, in mid-August. UK will face two teams on the trip: the University of Windsor and the Western Mustangs. The Cats will compete against the University of Windsor on August 15 and 17, and will play Western on August 16.

The series in Canada posts the first time a UK team has traveled north of the border and only the first time since 1995 the team will play an exhibition game before the start of the regular season.

After losing eight players, UK hopes to break in its top-rated recruiting class on the trip.