FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. - Weather has delayed competition on the opening day of the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships as a series of thunderstorms moved through the Fayetteville area, forcing the suspension of the meet.

"We are still in a weather delay at this time," John Gartland, Indiana State women's track & field coach said at 10 p.m. (ET) today. "They will get the events in but it may be well after midnight before they are done."

Fierce lightning and heavy rain forced meet officials to suspend the action. Indiana State sophomore Major Clay and junior Kylie Hutson were just beginning their warm-ups in the preliminaries of their respective events when the call came to move inside.

The rain is expected to move out of the area by 10:30 p.m. (ET) and competition will resume shortly after that. Clay is competing in his first NCAA Championship, advancing with a fifth place finish in the men's high jump at the Mideast Regional. Hutson is competing in her third NCAA outdoor championships and advanced to the national championship in the women's pole vault with a second place finish at the Mideast Regional.

ISU junior Erica Moore will be competing in the women's heptathlon Thursday and Friday while junior Lauren Martin will compete in the women's triple jump preliminaries on Friday.

Live results from the NCAA championship can be found at: http://www.flashresults.com/2009_Meets/outdoor/NCAA/