Harlan looks for indoor hat trick in Chapel Hill

INDIANAPOLIS - 2004 NCAA decathlon champion Ryan Harlan will look to win his third consecutive men's national heptathlon championship this weekend at the 2007 USA Indoor Combined Events Championships at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Harlan led after the first day of competition last year and held off a late comeback on Sunday by 2004 Olympian Paul Terek to win his second consecutive men's title with 5,949 points. Terek, a two-time champion in this event, was the runner-up with 5,883 points. If either Harlan or Terek are victorious this weekend, they will be the first to win this event three times.

2003 NCAA Outdoor Championships runner-up Will Thomas will be in the field, along with 2006 Mt. SAC Relays decathlon runner-up Joe Cebulski. Chris Boyles, who placed third at this event last year (5,751 points) and fourth at the 2006 AT&T USA Outdoor Championships in the decathlon, also will challenge for top honors.

In women's competition, former Eastern Michigan University combined events standout Lela Nelson will look to defend her title in the pentathlon this weekend at Chapel Hill. Nelson, the 2005 NCAA heptathlon champion, won last year with a total of 4,123 points after winning two of the five events, the 60m hurdles (8.47) and the long jump (6.35m/20-10).

Nelson will face a strong challenge from Fiona Asigbee, who was the runner-up at this event in 2005 and placed third in the heptathlon at the 2006 AT&T USA Outdoor Championships in Indianapolis. Former Liberty University standout and 2005 Penn Relays and ECAC champion Danielle McNaney will attempt to win her first national title after placing third last year with 3,886 points.

The men's heptathlon will begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday, and on Sunday the women's pentathlon will kickoff the action at Noon, with the final three events of the men's competition beginning at 1 p.m.

For more information on the 2007 USA Indoor Combined Events Championships, visit www.usatf.org.