The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Arkansas Invitational
Freshman Crouser breaks 30-year old indoor shot put school record
01.27.2012 | Track & Field / Cross Country m, Track & Field / Cross Country
Jan. 27, 2012
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Freshman Ryan Crouser broke a 30-year old school record in the indoor shot put with a throw of 66-7 (20.29) to lead Texas during the first day of the Razorback Invitational on Friday.
"It feels great and is hard to describe," said Crouser. "I am really happy with where my season is at and I don't think I would be throwing this well if I wasn't at Texas. I have a great group of guys to train with and great coaches who have helped me get here."
In just his second collegiate meet, Crouser topped the previous record of 65-0 set by Oskar Jakobsson at the 1982 Sooner Invitational. Crouser hit the NCAA automatic qualifying standard to lead a Texas trio that took the top three spots in the shot put. Jacob Thormaehlen was second (19.03m, 62-05.25) and Hayden Baillio took third (18.99m, 62-03.75) on the day.
"This meet I was really fired up mentally," said Crouser. "I knew it was there after what I threw last meet and it feels really good. The guys were pulling for me and picked me up. I had a really solid series, the best I have ever had so I am very happy with where I am at and will hopefully keep improving."
"We had another strong showing today and have guys who are getting better each week," said head coach Bubba Thornton. "We had some really good performances with a school record and a NCAA automatic qualifier and we need to have another good day tomorrow."
Junior Marquise Goodwin had the second longest distance in school history in the long jump, coming up just shy of his own school record with a leap of 26-7 on Friday to win the event. He set the school record a year ago at the same meet with a jump of 26-08.50. His jump of 8.1m surpassed the NCAA automatic qualifying mark of 8.0.
"I went out there with a goal in mind to make the NCAA automatic qualifying mark," said Goodwin. "I have done real well here during indoors, qualifying last year in my first meet. My main goal is not a distance right now but just to win and I was happy with that."
In his first meet since 2009, junior Maston Wallace returned to form by winning the pole vault. He cleared a height of 5.25m (17-02.75) to best the competition. Fellow Longhorn Mark Thomas tied for fifth in the event with a mark of 5.15m (16-10.75).
"It felt great and I have a feeling of gratitude," said Wallace. "Being given the opportunity to jump here is amazing and I am thankful for it. I couldn't have won without my teammates being there for me."
"The whole team was pulling for Maston," said Thornton. "Every guy out there was excited when he made the winning bar. There is a lot left there so we are excited to be on the right track."
Three of the top four finishers in the 5000m were UT runners. Junior Rory Tunningley won the race with a personal best 14:25.85 while Austin Roth was third and Nathan Christianson fourth overall.
Three runners recorded qualified for the finals in the 60m dash with their times in the preliminary rounds. Goodwin won his heat with the third fastest time overall at 6.755. He will be joined in the finals by Mark Jackson and D.J. Monroe. Jackson was ninth with a time of 6.83 while Monroe ran a 6.84 for 10th best. The final will be at 2:20 p.m. on Saturday.
Two sprinters won their heats in the 200m dash. Monroe finished 11th overall and won his heat with a time of 21.62. Alex Williams also won a heat with a time of 22.07 to finish 24th.
Midway through the heptathlon, two Longhorns are in the top 10. Freshman Petter Olson has 3,086 points and stands eighth while Isaac Murphy is next in the standings with 3,083 points. Murphy was second in the 60m dash (6.98) and Olson was fourth in the shot put (13.66m) for each individual's top performances.
The meet will continue on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. with the weight throw and 3,000m run at the Randal Tyson Track Center.
