The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas Invitational
No. 5 Men's Track and Field wins four events at home meet
04.13.2013 | Track & Field / Cross Country m, Track & Field / Cross Country
April 13, 2013
Results (HTML) | Results (PDF)
Kyle Thompson cruised to victory in the 800 meters with one of the best times in the nation, Austin Bussing continued his strong outdoor season with a win in the 1,500 and Will Spence captured the discus title to lead the fifth-ranked Men's Track and Field team at Saturday's Texas Invitational, a non-scored meet which featured athletes from seven other programs.
Thompson easily outpaced the 25-man field in a personal-best 1 minute, 48.48 seconds, the top time in the Big 12 this season. Yonas Tesfai of Houston was second in 1:49.62.
Thompson, a sophomore, qualified in the 800 at the 2012 NCAA Indoor Championships and should make the field for the NCAA West Preliminary round in Austin with a time that ranks No. 6 in the nation (based on times heading into this weekend). The top 48 marks in each individual event advance to the NCAA prelims.
"It feels great," Thompson said of improving his career best by .05 seconds. "It is a confidence booster going into the conference meet."
Bussing clocked a personal-best 3:47.73 in the 1,500 to edge teammate Trevor Van Ackeren who crossed the finish line in 3:48.06. It was the first of four wins for the Longhorns who were serving as host Saturday to No. 19 Baylor, No. 24 Texas Tech, as well as Cal State Northridge, Houston, TCU, UTSA and Texas State.
Bussing, a senior transfer from Kansas, has won both of his 1,500-meter races this season and was second in his lone steeplechase. He clocked what was then a personal-best 3:48.85 at last month's Texas State Elite meet. He also had a career-best 8:52.05 during the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.
But he had to gut out the last few hundred meters in the 1,500 Saturday at Mike A. Myers Stadium.
"The last half got pretty painful, but it was nice to run at home'" Bussing said. "It is awesome to get to run at Texas Relays and here today. There is a good cheering section. Going into the last 200 meters, I rode of the enthusiasm of the crowd."
Van Ackeren, a senior transfer from Princeton, had a hand in the personal bests for both Bussing and Thompson. Not only did he push Bussing in the 1,500, but he also served as a rabbit in the 800.
"I knew Trevor was coming for me," Bussing said. "He is a good runner for sure. He was breathing down my neck."
Just a sophomore, Spence saved his career best for the final event of the day. He tossed the discus 188-8 (57.52m) on his first attempt in the finals and hung for the win over teammate Ryan Crouser, who came into the weekend with the top shot put (67-0.50/20.43m) in the nation and seventh-best discus mark (194-6/59.28m).
Crouser did not take part in shot put, but his throw of 187-2 (57.04m) earned him second place in the discus.
Freshman Victor Glaze II earned his first-career win in the high jump, clearing 6-10 3/4 (2.10m), which is an inch off his collegiate best.
Josh Brudnick continued his strong outdoor season, posting a career best in the 400-meter hurdles for the third time in the last four weeks. He clocked a time of 51.94 to finish fifth. That time could move him into the top 20 nationally, depending on other marks posted this weekend.
Texas also had a pair of pole vaulters clear 17 feet.
Casey Wicker finished second with a clearance of 17-1 1/2 (5.22m) and Reese Watson was fourth with the same mark.
Texas is sending a group of distance runners to the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, Calif., on Thursday and Friday, but the bulk of the team will be in Austin next Saturday for the Longhorn Invitational, the final regular-season home meet of the season.
"We are piecing the team together. I like where we are," head coach Bubba Thornton said. "We are looking forward to next Saturday and excited about the opportunity for our distance guys to at Mt. SAC."
TEXAS RESULTS - TEXAS INVITATIONAL
Austin, Texas - Mike A. Myers Stadium
Saturday, April 13
- 100 Meters: 7. Basil Fares, 10.75; 12. Emerson Sanders, 10.96; 13. Darnell Porter, 11.00; 19. Trevor Brown, 11.21
- 200 Meters: 11. Basil Fares, 21.78; 17. Darnell Porter, 22.33; 19. Trevor Brown, 22.52
- 400 Meters: 5. Zack Bilderback, 47.46
- 800 Meters: 1. Kyle Thompson, 1:48.48; 6. Brady Turnbull, 1:50.71; 12. David Anamosa, 1:54.03; -- Trevor Van Ackeren, DNF
- 1,500 Meters: 1. Austin Bussing, 3:47.73; 2. Trevor Van Ackeren, 3:48.06; 5. Daniel Vertiz, 3:56.44; 7. Collin Smith, 3:58.46; 8. Blake Williams, 3:59.02
- 110-Meter Hurdles: 3. Jake Wohlford, 13.95; 5. Johannes Hock, 14.80
- 400-Meter Hurdles: 5. Josh Brudnick, 51.94; 13. Zachary Wieland, 56.03
- 4x100-Meter Relay: 3. Texas A (Basil Fares, Zack Bilderback, Emerson Sanders, Darnell Porter), 41.28
- 4x400-Meter Relay: 4. Texas A (Josh Brudnick, Zack Bilderback, Kyle Thompson, Johannes Hock), 3:11.98; 7. Texas B (Jake Wohlford, Zachary Wieland, Trevor Brown, David Anamosa), 3:20.66
- High Jump: 1. Victor Glaze II, 6-10 3/4 (2.10m); 5. Jordan Larkins, 6-6 3/4 (2.00m)
- Pole Vault: 2. Casey Wicker, 17-1 1/2 (5.22m); 4. Reese Watson, 17-1 1/2 (5.22m); t-8. Mark Thomas, 16-1.75 (4.92m); -- Hayden Clark, NH
- Long Jump: 7. Basil Fares, 22-7 1/4 (6.89m); 8. Jake Wohlford, 22 3/4 (6.72m)
- Triple Jump: 2. Jarard Bruner, 49-1 3/4 (14.98m)
- Shot Put: 2. Hayden Baillio, 58-2 1/2 (17.74m); 3. Will Spence, 56-6 (17.22m); 16. Johannes Hock, 44-0 (13.41m); 20. Jake Wohlford, 38-7 (11.76m)
- Discus: 1. Will Spence, 188-8 (57.52m); 2. Ryan Crouser, 187-2 (57.04m); 4. Clint Harris, 177-4 (54.06m); 5. Blake Jakobsson, 175-10 (53.60m); 13. Hayden Baillio, 157-11 (48.13m)
- Hammer: 5. Clint Harris, 169-7 (51.69m); 7. Hayden Baillio, 165-6 (50.44m); 10. Blake Jakobsson, 161-1 (49.11m)
- Javelin: 4. John Trucilla, 171-6 (52.27m)
