The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Tyson Invitational
Track and Field improves nationally at Tyson Invite and Iowa State Classic
02.14.2014 | Track & Field / Cross Country
Spencer posts second-best 400m time in nation, Bilderback moves to No. 12 in the 400 and Sutherland lands in top 10 of 5,000m on Friday
TYSON INVITATIONAL
• When: Friday-Saturday, Feb. 14-15 - Schedule | Heat Sheets
• Where: Fayetteville, Ark. (Randal Tyson Track Center)
• Live Results: Click here
• Results: Day One | Day One
IOWA STATE CLASSIC
• When: Friday-Saturday, Feb. 14-15 - Schedule | Heat Sheets
• Where: Ames, Iowa (Lied Recreation Center)
• Live Results: Click here
• Video Streaming: Click here (subscription)
• Results: Day One
With groups competing Friday at both the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., and the Iowa State Classic in Ames, Iowa, the Track and Field team was able to rack up a number of performances which rank among the best in the nation this season.
On the women's side, the Longhorns improved in the 60 meters and 400 meters, and posted one of the top times in the 5,000 during the final indoor regular season competitions. The men's squad got a huge performance from one its freshman sprinters and an improved mark in the 400.
"We had the type of performances we wanted," head coach Mario Sategna said. "We solidified ourselves in a number of events. It was a great day."
Junior Ashley Spencer, the two-time defending NCAA outdoor champion in the 400 meters, opened the day at the non-team scored Tyson Invitational by posting the second-best 400-meter time in the nation. Spencer clocked a time of 52.33 seconds in her first appearance in that event this season. Sophomore Courtney Okolo, who came into the day with the No. 2 time in the nation (52.51a – adjusted for altitude), crossed the finish line second in 52.54.
"Ashley and Courtney were really solid in the 400. Actually all six ladies did a nice job in the 400 and that got us started today," Sategna said.
The second-ranked UT women now unofficially have four athletes among the top 13 on this season's 400-meter national performers list. Senior Briana Nelson, who was also competing in her first 400m race of the year, clocked a time of 53.15, which was sixth in the race and ranks tied for 12th this season. Freshman Kendall Baisden was eighth and her new personal-best time of 53.23 is No. 13 in the nation.
The UT men and women's team entered the weekend ranked in the top 10 nationally in eight events, including five with a top-five mark. The top 12 relay units and best 16 marks in each individual event qualify for next month's NCAA Indoor Championships.
Sophomore Zack Bilderback, competing for the 13th-ranked Texas men, also impressed in the 400 in Arkansas. He improved his No. 27 spot on the 2014 collegiate performers list to No. 12 by clocking a personal-best time of 46.47 which placed him third in the race.
Freshman Senoj-Jay Givans had a breakout performance against some of the top sprinters in the nation. He improved his personal best time in all three 60-meter races. The Jamaica native went from 6.73 in the prelims to 6.69 in the semifinals to 6.64 in the finals. He was third in the finals, but Cameron Burrell of Houston won in 6.57, time that ranks No. 3 on the 2014 collegiate performers list. Givans' 6.64 is tied for the sixth-best performance in school history and is 16th nationally this season. Only Tre Gardner has clocked a faster 60-meter time as a Longhorn.
"Senoj-Jay had a phenomenal day," Sategna said. "We are very excited for him. He improved in each of his three races today."
Morolake Akinosun led the women's effort in the 60 meters. She matched her personal-best time of 7.25 when the sophomore finished second in the finals. Akinosun was already No. 4 on the 2014 collegiate performers list.
On the field events side, junior Kaitlin Petrillose was once again in the spotlight. She finished tied for third in the Olympic development pole vault with a clearance of 13 feet, 9 1/4 inches (4/20m). That mark was off her national-leading and school-record mark of 14-7 1/4 (4.45m) posted at last week's New Mexico Classic, but it still ranks tied for third on the UT all-time performance list. She now has the top four indoor pole vault efforts in school history.
"Kaitlin looked solid. We feel good about where she is," Sategna said.
While the sprinters, hurdlers and field event performers shined in Fayetteville, Ark., a small group of distance runners were in action in Ames, Iowa, in one of the two high-profile distance meets of the weekend, joining the Husky Classic at Washington. Ames will also be the site of the Big 12 Indoor Championships in two weeks.
Senior Sara Sutherland put herself in position to make another trip to the NCAA Indoor meet, which is scheduled for next month in Albuquerque, N.M. Already ranking No. 8 nationally in the 3,000 meters, she is now eighth in the 5,000 after finishing second in 15 minutes, 53.98 seconds, which was just off her career best and UT record 15:50.04 (2013). Sutherland now has posted the top four indoor 5,000-meter times in school history.
Mark Pinales was 12th in the 5,000 with a personal-best time of 14:03.17, but the top nine finishers in that race went sub-14:00 after only three runners nationally had done that this season.
While a number of other athletes did not post highly-ranked national marks, there were plenty of career efforts at the Tyson Invitational:
• Bernice Bamgbade's 7.54 in the 60m prelims was a career best
• Freshmen Pieter Conradie (1:10.94) and Derrell Manhertz (1:12.30) had personal bests in the 600 yards, an event which will be competed at the Big 12 Indoor Championships
• Basil Fares finished third in the long jump with personal-best 24-3 (7.39m).
• Nia Dorner had a career-best 55.15 in the 400m
• Anne Harwig and Alyssa Gullo each cleared a personal-best 11-9 3/4 (3.60m) in the pole vault
Action at the Tyson Invitational begins at Noon Central Saturday, while the Iowa State Classic starts at 9 a.m.
Longhorn Notes
Manzano to Compete at Millrose Games: Former Longhorn and Olympic silver medalist Leo Manzano will compete Saturday in the 2014 NYRR Millrose Games at The New Balance Track & Field Center at The Armory in New York City. Manzano, who was second in the 1,500m at the 2012 London Games after winning five NCAA titles with the Longhorns, will compete in the Wanamaker Mile with 12 other elite men's competitors, including 2013 World Championships 1,500-meter silver medalist Matthew Centrowitz and 2013 NCAA indoor mile and 3000-meter champion, Lawi Lalang. NBC Sports Network will air the Millrose games from 2-4 p.m. Central. The men's Wanamaker Mile will air at 3:48 p.m.
TEXAS ENTRIES/RESULTS – Tyson Invitational
Fayetteville, Ark. • Randal Tyson Track Center • All Times Central
Friday, Feb. 14
Women
• 60 Meters - Prelims: 3. Morolake Akinosun, 7.38; 16. Morgan Snow, 7.52; 21. Bernice Bamgbade, 7.54; 35. Christy Udoh, 7.64
• 60 Meters – Semifinal: 2. Morolake Akinosun, 7.32; 20. Bernice Bamgbade, 7.60; 21. Morgan Snow, 7.62
• 60 Meters - Final: 2. Morolake Akinosun, 7.25
• 400 Meters: 1. Ashley Spencer, 52.33; 2. Courtney Okolo, 52.54; 6. Briana Nelson, 53.15; 8. Kendall Baisden, 53.23; 14. Danielle Dowie, 53.47; 25. Nia Dorner, 55.15
• 60-Meter Hurdles - Prelims: 9. Morgan Snow, 8.41; 32. Melissa Gonzalez, 8.79; 40. Shanay Briscoe, 9.04
• 60-Meter Hurdles – Semifinal: 4. Morgan Snow, 8.23
• 60-Meter Hurdles - Final: 7. Morgan Snow, 8.33
• Pole Vault – College: 10. Anne Harwig, 11-9 3/4 (3.60m); 11. Alyssa Gullo, 11-9 3/4 (3.60m)
• Pole Vault – Olympic Development: t3. Kaitlin Petrillose, 13-9.25 (4.20m)
• Long Jump – College: 22. Melissa Gonzalez, 17-0 (5.18m)
Men
• 60 Meters - Prelim: 6. Senoj-Jay Givans, 6.73; 27. Charles Anumnu, 6.91; t31. Carlton Anumnu, 6.93; 42. Montrel Meander, 7.02; 52. Adrian Colbert, 7.12; 55. Chris Irvin, 7.15; 60. Johannes Hock, 7.21; -- Basil Fares, FS
• 60 Meters – Semifinal: 5. Senoj-Jay Givans, 6.69
• 60 Meters - Final: 2. Senoj-Jay Givans, 6.64
• 400 Meters: 3. Zack Bilderback, 46.47
• 60-Meter Hurdles - Prelims: 9. Jake Wohlford, 7.99; 18. Spencer Dunkerley-Offor, 8.21; 28. Johannes Hock, 8.41; 31. Wolf Mahler, 8.65; 37. Chris Irvin, 10.03
• 60-Meter Hurdles – Semifinal: 14. Jake Wohlford, 8.10; 19. Spencer Dunkerley-Offor, 8.20
• Long Jump – College: 3. Basil Fares, 24-3 (7.39m); 9. Johannes Hock, 23-5.25 (7.14m); 11. Logan Brittain, 23-3.50 (7.10m); 22. Nick Phynn, 22-5 (6.83m); 30. Wolf Mahler, 21-2.75 (6.47m); 33. Chris Irvin, 20-8 (6.30m)
• Weight Throw: 9. Will Spence, 56-4.75 (17.19m); 11. Blake Jakobsson, 55-0 (16.76m); 12. Clint Harris, 54-3.25 (16.54m)
Saturday, Feb. 15
Women
• Triple Jump – College (Noon): Melissa Gonzalez
• 200 Meters (1 p.m.): Ashley Spencer, Christy Udoh, Morolake Akinosun, Kendall Baisden, Nia Dorner, Danielle Dowie, Briana Nelson, Courtney Okolo, Bernice Bamgbade
• High Jump – Championship (3:30 p.m.): Shanay Briscoe
• 4x400-Meter Relay (5 p.m.): Courtney Okolo, Kendall Baisden, Briana Nelson, Ashley Spencer, Danielle Dowie, Morolake Akinosun
Men
• Pole Vault – College (Noon): Mark Thomas, Noah Zorsky
• High Jump – College (Noon): Logan Brittain, Spencer McCloud, Jordan Larkins, Johannes Hock
• 200 Meters (2 p.m.): Carlton Anumnu, Charles Anumnu, Zack Bilderback, Adrian Colbert, Antwuan Davis, Senoj-Jay Givans, Montrel Meander
• Shot Put (3 p.m.): Will Spence, Clint Harris, Blake Jakobsson
• Pole Vault – Championship (3:30 p.m.): Reese Watson, Hayden Clark
• 4x400-Meter Relay (5:30 p.m.): Andrew Whyte, Senoj-Jay Givans, Zack Bilderback
TEXAS ENTRIES/RESULTS – Iowa State Classic
Ames, Iowa • Lied Recreation Center • All Times Central
Friday, Feb. 14
Women
• 5,000 Meters: 2. Sara Sutherland, 15:53.98; 11. Olivia Mickle, 16:20.07; 27. Megan Siebert, 16:51.12
Men
• 600 Yards: 1. Pieter Conradie, 1:10.94; 9. Derrell Manhertz, 1:12.30; 10. Josh Brudnick, 1:12.41
• 5,000 Meters: 12. Mark Pinales, 14:03.17; 23. Will Nation, 14:20.73; 26. Chris Galvin, 14:28.27; 33. Eduardo Rodriguez, 14:39.60; 36. Collin Smith, 14:47.04
Saturday, Feb. 15
Women
• 3,000 Meters (11:25 a.m.): Connor Ward, Brittany Marches, Alaina Perez
• Mile (1:40 p.m.): Marielle Hall, Brittany Marches
• 800 Meters (3:20 p.m.): Mary Beth Hamilton
• 3,000 Meters (4:05 p.m.): Sara Sutherland, Marielle Hall
Men
• 400 Meters (10:35 a.m.): Josh Brudnick, Pieter Conradie, Derrell Manhertz
• 3,000 Meters (11:40 a.m.): Nate Moore
• Mile (2:05 p.m.): Brady Turnbull
• 1,000 Meters (3:15 p.m.): Robert Uhr
