The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Longhorn Invitational
No. 6 Men's Track and Field finishes regular season with Longhorn Invitational
04.20.2013 | Track & Field / Cross Country m, Track & Field / Cross Country
April 20, 2013
Results |
The No. 6-ranked Men's Track and Field team closed out the regular season Saturday by playing host to the Longhorn Invitational at Mike A. Myers Stadium.
While nine Longhorn distance runners competed on Thursday and Friday at the Mt. SAC Relays, many of the remaining team members picked up eight wins in the one-day, non-scored meet that featured athletes from UT-San Antonio and unattached competitors.
The highlights of the day included victories by Ryan Crouser in the shot put and Will Spence in the discus, as well as three Longhorns clearing 17 feet in the pole vault.
Crouser, who already has the best shot-put mark in the nation (67-0.50/20.43m), posted a toss of 65-11 1/2 (20.10m), the second-best outdoor performance of his career. Hayden Baillio was fourth with a season-best toss of 59-0 (17.98m).
Spence was just more than two feet off his personal best in the discus with a winning toss of 186-1 (56.73m).
Freshman Reese Watson had his best performance as a Longhorn, capturing the pole vault with a career-best 17-5 (5.31m). Casey Wicker went over 17 feet for the fourth time this season, finishing second with a clearance of 17-1 (5.21m). Mark Thomas was third with a season-best 17-1 (5.21m).
Texas now has three pole vaulters ranked among the top 30 on the NCAA West Region qualifying list. The athletes with the best 48 times/marks in individual events advance to the NCAA West Preliminary Round, which will be held next month in Austin.
Isaac Murphy, who ranks No. 5 in the nation in the decathlon, had a personal-best clearance of 16-3.25 (4.96m) in the pole vault and John Trucilla chipped in with a personal-best toss of 192-9 (58.75m) in the javelin.
"We saw some improvement today, especially from guys like John Trucilla and Mark Thomas," head coach Bubba Thornton said.
Saturday marked the final competition before the Big 12 Championships for the Longhorns who will try to follow up their 2013 indoor league title with an outdoor crown. The Big 12 meet is scheduled for May 3-5 in Waco, Texas.
"It is about what we do for the next 10 days," Thornton said. "We can't quit working, but we have to stay balanced with school and our work on the track."
Texas got impressive performances from many of its top-level distance runners at the Mt SAC Relays.
Ryan Dohner nearly set the school record in the 5,000 meters, while Kyle Merber and Trevor Van Ackeren moved into the top 10 of the West Region's 1,500-meter performers list.
Dohner clocked a personal-best time of 13:45.25 in Friday night's 5,000-meter Invite Elite race. He finished 19th, but sixth among collegians. The junior was less than one second off the school record (13:44.34 by Jeff Canada, 1989 Mt. SAC Relays).
Dohner moved to the third on the NCAA West Regional qualifying list, pending results of meets this weekend.
Merber posted a time of 3:41.63, which was fifth in the highly competitive Invitational field, but third among collegians and currently fourth on the West-qualifying chart.
Van Ackeren was not far behind, clocking a personal-best 3:42.18 to finish eighth, but that time is currently sixth in the West Region.
During Thursday's action, Rory Tunningley clocked a personal-best time of 29:30.36 in the 10,000-meter Invitational Elite race. He finished 14th in the 28-man field which featured a number of professionals. His time moved him from 29th to 12th on the West Region qualifying list.
"Those are some of the top times in the country so the team is coming together nicely," Thornton said.
There were also some strong performances in Saturday's 1,500 meters. John McNamara finished third in a personal-best 3:47.80 and Austin Roth was sixth in 3:51.83.
Both of them entered the weekend ranked among the top 30 on the West Region 3,000-meter steeplechase list.
TEXAS RESULTS - LONGHORN INVITATIONAL
Austin, Texas - Mike A. Myers Stadium
Saturday, April 20
- 100 Meters: 4. Emerson Sanders, 10.60 (w3.1); 8. Basil Fares, 10.82 (w3.1); 11. Trevor Brown, 10.91 (w3.1); 12. Darnell Porter 10.92 (w3.1); -- Jarard Bruner, FS
- 200 Meters: 8. Johannes Hock, 21.97; 11. Trevor Brown, 22.28 (w2.5); 12. Darnell Porter, 22.37
- 800 Meters: 1. David Anamosa, 1:54.34
- 1,500 Meters: 3. John McNamara, 3:47.80; 6. Austin Roth, 3:51.83; 7. Kevin Rayes, 3:53.62; 9. Blake Williams, 3:56.35; 10. Collin Smith, 3:59.12; 11. Kyle Thompson, 4:00.38
- 110-Meter Hurdles: 1. Jake Wohlford, 14.21
- 400-Meter Hurdles: 4. Josh Brudnick, 52.70; 7. Zachary Wieland, 55.53
- 4x100-Meter Relay: 1. Texas A (Bail Fares, Zack Bilderback, Emerson Sanders, Darnell Porter), 41.23
- 4x400-Meter Relay: 1. Texas A (Zack Bilderback, Kyle Thompson, Isaac Murphy, Zachary Wieland), 3:16.22
- High Jump: 1. Victor Glaze II, 6-8.75 (2.05m); -- Jordan Larkins, NH
- Pole Vault: 1. Reese Watson, 17-5 (5.31m); 2. Casey Wicker, 17-1 (5.21m); 3. Mark Thomas, 17-1 (5.21m); 7. Isaac Murphy, 16-3.25 (4.96m); 8. Johannes Hock, 15-9.25 (4.81m); 10. Jake Wohlford, 13-9.75 (4.21m)
- Long Jump: 3. Basil Fares, 22-9 (6.93m) - w2.3; 5. Jarard Bruner, 21-7.25 (6.58m); -- Emerson Sanders, Foul
- Shot Put: 1. Ryan Crouser, 65-11.50 (20.10m); 4. Hayden Baillio, 59-0 (17.98m)
- Discus: 1. Will Spence, 186-1 (56.73m); 2. Ryan Crouser, 184-7 (56.27m); 3. Blake Jakobsson, 182-6 (55.62m); 4. Clint Harris, 180-7 (55.05m); 5. Hayden Baillio, 168-3 (51.29m); 6. Johannes Hock, 164-0 (49.98m); 9. Isaac Murphy, 144-10 (44.15m); 11. Jake Wohlford, 113-11 (34.72m)
- Hammer: 3. Clint Harris, 171-09 (52.36m); 4. Blake Jakobsson, 167-11 (51.19m); 5. Hayden Baillio, 160-7 (48.94m); 8. Will Spence, 146-07 (44.68m)
- Javelin: 1. John Trucilla, 192-9 (58.75m)
