The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Women's Track and Field qualifies eight and a relay for NCAA Indoor Championships
03.07.2011 | Track & Field / Cross Country w, Track & Field / Cross Country
March 7, 2011
AUSTIN, Texas - The No. 4 Texas Women's track and field team will send eight athletes and a relay to the NCAA Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas on Friday and Saturday, March 11-12, the NCAA has announced. ESPN3.com will stream live portions of the event with NCAA.com/aggieathletics.com streaming the remainder.
Texas qualified four in the 400m led by freshman Briana Nelson, who currently ranks third in the NCAA with her time of 52.18. Juniors Angele Cooper, Stacey-Ann Smith and Kendra Chambers will also compete in the quarter mile. Cooper owns a personal-best of 52.69 this season, which ranks sixth overall while Smith and Chambers each posted a 53.23 to tie for 14th in the NCAA.
The Longhorns will also have more than one athlete competing in the high jump behind freshman Shanay Briscoe and junior Victoria Lucas. Briscoe secured her spot in the national meet at the Arkansas Last Chance meet, where she cleared 6-1.25 (1.86m), which ties for third in the NCAA. Lucas also moved up the descending list in Fayetteville, with her indoor personal-best height of 6-0 (1.83m).
Senior Chantel Malone will look to add another indoor All-American honor to her resume as she will double in the long and triple jump. Malone, who finished seventh at last year's national meet in the long jump, currently leads the nation in the event with her mark of 21-10 (6.65m). She also owns the fourth-best triple jump leap this year, 43-5.75 (13.35m).
Junior Mia Behm, competing in her first NCAA Indoor Championships, will run in the 17-person, 5,000m final. Earlier this season, Behm clocked a 15:58.34 for the second-fastest time ever at UT to automatically qualify her for the indoor meet.
Texas will also field a 4x400m relay after posting the third-fastest time in the NCAA at the Big 12 Indoor Championships. The Longhorns' squad of Smith, Malone, Chambers and Nelson clocked a 3:32.89 to qualify for the event for the sixth-straight year.
The Longhorns will begin competition at the NCAA Indoor Championships at 4:15 p.m. on Friday with Malone in the long jump finals. The 2011 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships will air on a tape-delay on Wednesday, March 16 from 2:30 - 4 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Texas' Schedule of Events (all times listed Central)
Friday, March 11
4:15 - Women's Long Jump - Chantel Malone
5:00 - Women's 400m prelims - Angele Cooper, Briana Nelson, Stacey-Ann Smith, Kendra Chambers
6:30 - Women's High Jump - Shanay Briscoe, Victoria Lucas
7:05 - Women's 5,000m - Mia Behm
Saturday, March 12
3:30 - Women's Triple Jump - Chantel Malone
5:40 - Women's 400m final - Briana Nelson, Angele Cooper, Stacey-Ann Smith, Kendra Chambers
7:10 - Women's 4x400m relay
