Olympic gold medalist Maurice Greene, who stole the show at last year’s KU track carnival and the Sydney Games, has a prior commitment in California next week same week as the Relays.

“It’d be nice to have him here, but one person has never made the meet,” KU track coach Stanley Redwine said. “We have all the other Olympic athletes coming in. The field is going to be loaded.”

In all, 21 Olympians have signed up for the Relays, set for next Wednesday through Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

They are:

Melvin Lister (triple jump, long jump), Ken Brokenburr (100, 200), Michelle Collins (100, 200), Tonja Buford-Bailey (400), Sandra Farmer Patrick (400 hurdles), Robert Howard (triple jump, long jump), Passion Richardson (100), Calvin Davis (400 hurdles), Ian Weakley (400 hurdles), Andy Bloom (discus, shot), Nathan Leeper (high jump), LaTasha Colander-Richardson (200), Brian Lewis (100), Clement Chukwu (200, 400), Benjamin Youla (400), Fabian Rollins (200, 400), Jerome Young (200, 400), Sheila Burrell (long jump), Dinsdale Morgan (400 hurdles), Paul Tucker (400 hurdles) and Verneta Lesforis (400).

Also, world class pole vaulter and ex-Jayhawk Pat Manson will compete.

Athletes from six Big 12 schools KU, K-State, Missouri, Nebraska, Colorado and Oklahoma State will compete, along with athletes from 114 other collegiate teams and 252 high school teams.

“This is a tremendous chance for KU athletes to compete in front of the home crowd. It’s our obligation to put on a good show for them,” Relays meet director Tim Weaver said. “With 21 Olympians so far with some possible additions, it will be a great show.”

Last year, 10,500 fans attended for Saturday’s marquee finals.

“I expect more. I expect a bigger crowd,” Weaver said. “Fans may not know the names of these athletes coming into the meet. If they stick around they will know their names after the meet. We’d all like to have gone to Sydney (for Olympics). Here’s a chance to see Olympians compete right here in Kansas. We are very excited about the field.”