The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas Invitational
No. 7 Women's Track & Field posts four victories at the Texas Invitational
04.13.2013 | Track & Field / Cross Country w, Track & Field / Cross Country
April 13, 2013
Results
| Quotes
AUSTIN, Texas - No. 7 Texas Women's Track & Field team played host to the annual Texas Invitational and picked up wins in four events on Saturday at Mike A. Myers Stadium
The 2013 edition of the meet featured Texas victories in the 400 meters, 800 meters, 100 meters and 1,500 meters, with 12 additional top-five finishes and nine personal-best marks.
Freshman Courtney Okolo put forth her best individual effort of the outdoor season, which began with a win in the 400m. Okolo crossed in a personal-best 52.52 seconds, the top mark for a Longhorn this season and the fourth-fastest time in the nation. Junior Briana Nelson earned second in 53.01.
"I felt good and it is a big improvement from last week, so I am really happy about that," Okolo said. "My start was not as good as I wanted it to be, but it is still early in the outdoor season so I will have time to improve. Winning gives me a confidence boost, but there is still a lot left in the season."
The 800m featured a 1-2-3 finish for UT, led by senior Kendra Chambers who won in a time of 2:06.73. Junior Katie Hoaldridge was right behind in 2:06.81, shaving nearly six seconds off her previous personal best of 2:12.68 set at the 2012 Big 12 Outdoor Championships. Junior Sara Sutherland, racing in the first 800m of her collegiate career, grabbed the third spot with a 2:10.67 mark.
"It was really exciting for all of us," Chambers said. "We train together every day, so we came out here and treated this like practice until the finish. We did really well. For us as a team, finishing 1-2-3 means that we are coming. Outdoors here after (Texas) Relays, we have regional qualifiers and nationals to look forward to, so we get our times down and make the mark to say that we are here."
Junior Christy Udoh earned the win in the 100m with a time of 11.63. Sophomore Morgan Snow, racing in the event for the first time in her collegiate career, ran an 11.81 for fourth place.
"It was a great race and great practice for the bigger picture," Udoh said. "I want to work on my start a little more, but I felt really aggressive towards the middle and end of the race. I took it to another gear and felt myself take off. If I had that gear throughout the whole race, I would have finished even better."
Senior Mia Behm took home 1,500m victory in a time of 4:27.45 to kick off the running events for Texas on Saturday. Juniors Brittany Marches and Marielle Hall recorded back-to-back finishes in the race in sixth (4:36.76) and seventh (4:38.43).
"The race was not what I was hoping for time-wise, but in terms of racing it was okay. The wind was not so fun out there but the temperature today was good. I'm more of a long-pace runner, but this is a good experience going into next week when I will run the 5K because I will have a better 1,500m in that race, so I'm excited."
UT landed three in the top five in the 400m hurdles, led by freshman Melissa Gonzalez, who notched a personal-best time of 59.37 for second place. Senior Alicia Peterson ran a season-best 1:00.38 and crossed third, while sophomore Chamique Francis was fifth in 1:02.21.
Five Longhorns raced in the 200m, led by senior Chalonda Goodman, whose time of 23.46 earned her second. Okolo tallied her second personal best of the day, running 23.66 to finish third.
Texas had two other third-place efforts with junior A'Lexus Brannon in long jump (5.97m/19-7) and senior Natasha Masterson, who competed in her first pole vault event of the outdoor season and cleared 3.96m (12-11.75).
In the final event of the day, sophomore Megan Siebert headed a quintet of Longhorns in the 3,000m. Siebert ran a personal-best 10:06.36 to pick up fourth place in the event. Redshirt freshmen Marissa Lee (seventh) and Alaina Perez (eighth) finished in 10:26.13 and 10:28.88, respectively.
Texas will compete in the Mt. SAC Relays on Thursday and Friday, April 18-19, before hosting the Longhorn Invitational on Saturday, April 20. The pair of meets will be the final lead-ups to the Big 12 Championships, which will be contended May 3-5 in Waco.
TEXAS RESULTS - TEXAS INVITATIONAL
SATURDAY, APRIL 13 | * - denotes personal best
400m
1. Courtney Okolo, 52.52*
2. Briana Nelson, 53.01
800m
1. Kendra Chambers, 2:06.73
2. Katie Hoaldridge, 2:06.81*
3. Sara Sutherland, 2:10.67
12. Anne Jones, 2:16.33*
17. Katie Burford, 2:18.00
100m
1. Christy Udoh, 11.63
4. Morgan Snow, 11.81
7. Kiersten Duncan, 11.90
10. Bernice Bamgbade, 12.04
1,500m
1. Mia Behm, 4:27.45
6. Brittany Marches, 4:36.76
7. Marielle Hall, 4:38.43
11. Kendall Howen, 4:40.95
12. Connor Ward, 4:41.20
400m hurdles
2. Melissa Gonzalez, 59.37*
3. Alicia Peterson, 1:00.38
5. Chamique Francis, 1:02.21
8. Caroline Cartwright, 1:05.53*
11. Cody McCrary, 1:07.52
200m
2. Chalonda Goodman, 23.46
3. Courtney Okolo, 23.66*
7. Kiersten Duncan, 24.18
9. Briana Nelson, 24.26
20. Bernice Bamgbade, 25.03
Long jump
3. A'Lexus Brannon, 5.97m/19-7
Pole vault
3. Natasha Masterson, 3.96m/12-11.75
-- Kaitlin Petrillose, NH
3,000m
4. Megan Siebert, 10:06.36*
7. Marissa Lee, 10:26.13
8. Alaina Perez, 10:28.88
12. Claire Andrews, 10:33.66
15. Marissa Pekarek, 10:54.53
100m hurdles
9. Melissa Gonzalez, 14.14*
Shot put
14. Megan McGhee, 10.56m/34-7.75*
