ROCK HILL, SC--More than 600 athletes from 21 colleges and universities are expected to compete this week in the 2013 Winthrop Invitational Track & Field Meet that will be held at the Irwin Belk Track.

The event is scheduled to get underway at 2 p.m. on Thursday with the first Heptathlon and Decathlon events.  The meet gets into full swing on Friday beginning at 10 a.m. and will continue on Saturday at 8:30 a.m.  For a complete schedule of events and start times, visit www.winthropeagles.com and select the additional links button on either the men's or women's track and field page.

'This is always a very competitive meet that schools like to attend," said Winthrop head coach Ben Paxton.  "We already have 21 schools entered and could have a couple more entrees come in before Thursday afternoon."

In addition to Winthrop, nine other NCAA Division I schools are entered.  They include: Wright State, Wofford, Radford, Ohio, Lehigh, Gardner-Webb, Davidson, College of Charleston, Savannah State and UNC Wilmington.  A total of 10 non-Div. I schools are also entered and include: West Virginia Wesleyan, Spartanburg Methodst, Paine, Morris, Milligan, Lenoir-Rhyne, Francis Marion, Converse, Coker and Benedict.

Admission to the meet is free.