The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Big 12 Indoor Championships
Texas women win Big 12 Indoor Track and Field title, men finish second
03.01.2014 | Track & Field / Cross Country
Fifth-ranked women win six individual titles, including two from Hall (mile and 3,000); No. 17 men claim four individual crowns.
2014 BIG 12 INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
• When: Friday-Saturday, Feb. 28-March 1 - Big 12 Championship page | Meet Preview Notes
• Where: Ames, Iowa (Lied Recreation Center)
• Videos: Meet Preview (Feb. 25) | Practice at Iowa State (Feb. 27) | Sprinters at LHN (Feb. 28) | Day one recap (Feb. 28) | Final day recap (March 1)
• Photo galleries: Day 1 | Day 2
• Complete Results: HTML | PDF
AMES, Iowa – Powered by six individual victories, including wins by senior Marielle Hall in the mile and 3,000 meters on Saturday, the fifth-ranked Texas women's team cruised to the 2014 Big 12 Indoor Track and Field title.
The Longhorn women, who won five events Saturday, posted 147 points to outdistance second-place Baylor which collected 102 over the two-day meet held at Iowa State.
The 17th-ranked men had individual victories Saturday from sophomores Ryan Crouser (shot put) and Zack Bilderback (400 meters), freshman Senoj-Jay Givans (60 meters) and the 4x400-meter relay unit, but were unable to defend their team title, finishing with 108.50 points. Oklahoma State won the men's crown with 112.50. Kansas State was third with 95 points.
The women's team, which was edged by Kansas 150.5 to 148 in the 2013 Big 12 Indoor meet, also collected individual titles Saturday in the 60 meters (Morolake Akinosun), 400 meters (Ashley Spencer) and high jump (Shanay Briscoe).
For the women, it was their sixth Big 12 Indoor title and first in eight years.
"The goal coming in was to win on both sides and to come away with the women's first indoor conference championship since 2006 was exciting," first-year head coach Mario Sategna said. "We had some phenomenal performances. We were happy with the individual conference champions we had, but also about the number of people we had reach the top eight to score."
Crouser won his third Big 12 shot put title, including second indoors. His winning toss of 67 feet, 8 1/4 (20.63m) was off his school-record and national-leading mark of 69-8 (21.23m) posted last month at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic, but still ranks as the second-best performance in school history.
Spencer, a junior transfer from Illinois competing in her first postseason meet as a Longhorn, set a Lied Recreation Center record and posted the second-best mark in the nation by winning the 400 in 51.54 seconds. It was the third-best time in school history. Sophomore Courtney Okolo posted the third-fastest time in the nation this year and No. 4 in school history (51.56) with her second-place finish in the 400.
Bilderback took home the men's 400-meter title in a school-record 46.03. It marked just the second Big 12 indoor 400m title in school history (former school record holder Ashton Collins won in 2003). He was also sixth in the 200 meters (21.49) and helped steer the 4x400-meter relay to its first Big 12 conference title.
Bilderback, a sophomore who ran the second leg of the 4x400m relay, was joined by three freshmen – Pieter Conradie, Givans and Chris Irvin. That foursome clocked a season-best time of 3:09.47, a mark which ranks No. 9 on the all-time school performance list. It was first win in that event at a league meet since capturing the mile relay title at the 1977 Southwest Conference Championships. The Longhorns also edged Baylor (3:09.49) which had won 13 of the previous 17 Big 12 titles in the event.
Givans won the third 60-meter men's crown in UT history and first in 11 years. He matched his career best by clocking a 6.64. He was also fourth in the 200 (21.36).
At one point Saturday, the Longhorns won three straight races. Right after Akinosun (7.29) and Givans won back-to-back 60 meter titles, Hall captured her first league indoor mile crown after finishing second each of the last two seasons. The 2013 Big 12 cross country champion, Hall won the mile in 4:41.78, the third-best time in school history.
She came back a couple hours later to win the 3,000 meters in a personal-best 9:15.57, earning the women's top point producer (20) of the meet.
"It was great to see Marielle step up," Sategna said. "We saw that all fall during the cross country season where she led the charge on the women's side. I couldn't be more proud because I know there are even better things to come during the outdoor season."
Kaitlin Petrillose had the women's first individual title, defending her pole vault crown with a meet-record clearance of 14-5 1/4 (4.40m) on Friday when the men's and women's teams sent a number of athletes from prelims to Saturday's running finals.
The women's team advanced a combined 13 from the prelims to Saturday's finals in the 60, 200 and 400 meters, and 60-meter hurdles. Six athletes scored in the 200 led by Akinosun's second-place finish (a season-best 23.54) and four in the 400 meters.
Freshman Kendall Baisden (23.77), sophomore Courtney Okolo (23.93) and seniors Christy Udoh (24.10) and Danielle Dowie (24.43) went 5-6-7-8 in the 200. Baisden was also fourth in the 400 in a personal-best 52.59.
Morgan Snow got the women off to a fast start, finishing second (8.24) in the 60-meter hurdles, the first running event of the day.
Briscoe followed up her second-place performance in Friday's pentathlon by winning the indoor high jump title for the second-straight season with a clearance of 5-10 3/4 (1.80m).
Next up is the NCAA Indoor Championships, which will take place March 14-15 in Albuquerque, N.M., and the Longhorns should be well represented. The top 16 marks in individual events and best 12 relay times earn berths to the meet.
Longhorn Notes
• Texas has captured at least one men's or women's indoor title in 10 of the 18 years of the Big 12 Conference's existence. The Texas men and women swept the indoor titles in 1999 and 2006. This is the 18th league title in the history of Texas women's track and field. With a second-place showing, the men have finished in the top two at the Big 12 Indoor meet 12 times, including six titles.
• Texas claimed a league-best 10 combined individual titles (six women, four men) at the Big 12 meet. Oklahoma State and Iowa State were second with seven apiece. The Longhorns led the women's side and OSU topped the men with five.
• Morolake Akinosun won the fourth Big 12 Conference 60-meter women's title in school history. Alexandria Anderson was the last Longhorn to win (2006).
• Ashley Spencer won her third-straight 400m indoor conference title, but first in the Big 12. Spencer secured the 2012 and 2013 crowns in the Big Ten Conference as a member of Illinois. Spencer is the first Texas woman to win the indoor 400 since 2004, though a Longhorn won the indoor 400 six of the first eight years of the Big 12 (1997-04).
• Senoj-Jay Givans claimed the third 60-meter men's crown in UT history. Amar Johnson won in 1999 and Tre Gardner in 2003.
• On Friday, Kaitlin Petrillose became the first Big 12 women's pole vaulter to claim three straight titles. Petrillose, who ranks second on the 2014 NCAA performers list with a school-record clearance of 14-7.25 (4.45m), became the eighth performer to sweep the Big 12 indoor and outdoor titles last season (also Candy Mason, Kansas - 1998; Andrea Branson, Kansas - 1999; Erin Anderson, K-State - 2000; Jenny Green, Nebraska - 2004; Kate Sultanova, Kansas - 2008; Shade Weygandt, Texas Tech; Natalie Willer, Nebraska - 2011), though none were able to win a third. Texas became the second school to claim four straight women's pole vault titles. Natasha Masterson won for the 2012 outdoor title for Texas. Kansas captured the first four pole vault titles in 1998-99. Petrillose is the only Longhorn to win a Big 12 indoor pole vault crown.
• Freshman Kendall Baisden competed in her first 200-meter race of the season Friday and was impressive. She was one of six Longhorns to advance to Saturday's final and her time of 23.58 ranks No. 27 on the 2014 national performers list. Baisden also posted a then personal-best 52.71 in the 400m prelims. She improved her PR to 52.59 in Saturday's final, a time that is No. 11 on the 2014 national performers list.
• A two-time All-Big 12 choice in cross country, senior Megan Siebert earned all-league honors indoor or outdoors for the first time with a seventh-place finish in the 5,000 meters on Friday. She clocked a time of 16:50.44, which was just off her personal-best of 16:50.40 (2013 Big 12 Indoor meet).
• Freshman Robert Uhr saved his best performance of the season for the Big 12 meet. He was the lone Texas entry in the 800 meters. He posted the second-best qualifying time (1:51.63) Friday and went on to place second in the event in a personal-best 1:51.05.
• Redshirt freshman Chris Irvin had an impressive postseason debut. The multi-event performer scored in a pair of events. Competing for the first time in the 400 meters, he placed fifth in the Friday's prelims with a time of 47.55 and then claimed fourth in Saturday's finals with personal-best 47.31. He capped off the weekend by running the anchor leg of the winning 4x400-meter relay. It marked the Longhorns' first-ever Big 12 title in the event.
• Marielle Hall seems to like the Lied Recreation Center track. Two weeks ago at the Iowa State Classic, the senior posted a time of 4:41.19, which ranks No. 2 on the UT all-time performance list. During Friday's mile prelims, Hall posted the then fourth-best time (now fifth) in school history by clocking a time of 4:42.60. It was also the top time in the prelim. Liz Diaz is the only other Longhorn to run a faster indoor mile time than Hall. Diaz posted a school record time of 4:40.12 in winning the 2000 Big 12 indoor title at the same venue. She is the only Longhorn to win a Big 12 indoor mile crown. Hall went on to win both the mile and 3,000 meters on Saturday.
• Shanay Briscoe had her best-ever performance Friday in the pentathlon, posting a total of 4,043. Her previous best of 4,039 came at the 2013 NCAA Indoor meet, where she finished 12th. Briscoe, who capped off Friday's pentathlon with a career-best time of 2:24.52 in the 800 meters, was fourth in the event at last year's Big 12 Indoor meet. That was her first-ever pentathlon. On Saturday, Briscoe repeated as indoor high jump champion with a clearance of 5-10 3/4 (1.80m). She became the third woman to win consecutive indoor high jump titles and all have been Longhorns. Erin Aldrich won the first three (1997-99) in the Big 12 and Destinee Hooker claimed the 2006 and '07 crowns.
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS – 2014 Big 12 Indoor Championships
Ames, Iowa • Lied Recreation Center
| 1. | Texas | 147 |
| 2. | Baylor | 102 |
| 3. | Kansas | 99 |
| 4. | Iowa State | 96 |
| 5. | Kansas State | 77 |
| 6. | Texas Tech | 70.50 |
| 7. | Oklahoma State | 60 |
| 8. | TCU | 38 |
| 9. | Oklahoma | 28.50 |
| 10. | West Virginia | 23 |
| 1. | Oklahoma State | 112.50 |
| 2. | Texas | 108.50 |
| 3. | Kansas State | 95 |
| 4. | Texas Tech | 92 |
| 5. | Oklahoma | 91 |
| 6. | Iowa State | 71 |
| 7. | Baylor | 67 |
| 8. | Kansas | 52.50 |
| 9. | TCU | 45.50 |
TEXAS INDIVIDUAL RESULTS – 2014 Big 12 Indoor Championships
Ames, Iowa • Lied Recreation Center
Friday, Feb. 28
Women
• 60 Meters (Semifinal): 1 Morolake Akinosun, 7.32Q; 8. Christy Udoh, 7.56Q; 9. Morgan Snow, 7.59; 11. Bernice Bamgbade, 7.60
• 200 Meters (Prelim): 1. Ashley Spencer, 23.52Q; 3. Kendall Baisden, 23.58Q; 5. Morolake Akinosun, 23.70Q; 6. Courtney Okolo, 23.85Q: 7. Christy Udoh, 23.86Q; 8. Danielle Dowie, 24.16Q
• 400 Meters (Prelim): 1. Kendall Baisden, 52.71Q; 2. Courtney Okolo, 52.72Q; 3. Ashley Spencer, 53.26Q; 6. Danielle Dowie, 53.48Q; 9. Briana Nelson, 54.83; 12. Nia Dorner, 56.09
• 800 Meters (Prelim): 11. Mary Beth Hamilton, 2:13.58
• Mile (Prelim): 1. Marielle Hall, 4:42.60Q; 11 Connor Ward, 4:56.12; 15. Hannah Grubb, 5:13.36
• 5,000 Meters: 2. Olivia Mickle, 16:21.29; 7. Megan Siebert, 16:50.44
• 60-Meter Hurdles (Semifinal): 3. Morgan Snow, 8.26Q
• Distance Medley Relay: 5. Katie Burford, Nia Dorner, Mary Beth Hamilton, Brittany Marches, 11:41.07
• Pole Vault: 1. Kaitlin Petrillose 14-5.25 (4.40m)^; t6. Alyssa Gullo, 12-5.50 (3.80m): -- Anne Harwig, NH
• 60-Meter Hurdles (Pentathlon): 5. Melissa Gonzalez, 8.75 (963); 7. Shanay Briscoe, 8.97 (916)
• High Jump (Pentathlon): 1. Shanay Briscoe, 5-10.75/1.80m (978); t10. Melissa Gonzalez, 5-1.25/1.56m (689)
• Shot Put (Pentathlon): 3. Shanay Briscoe, 39-7.75/12.08m (666); 6. Melissa Gonzalez, 33-9.25/10.29m (548)
• Long Jump (Pentathlon): 4. Shanay Briscoe, 18-3.25/5.57m (720); t5. Melissa Gonzalez, 18-0.25/5.49m (697)
• 800 Meters (Pentathlon): 6. Melissa Gonzalez, 2:17.35 (860); 8. Shanay Briscoe, 2:24.52 (763)
• Pentathlon (Total – Five Events): 2. Shanay Briscoe, 4043; 6. Melissa Gonzalez, 3757
Men
• 60 Meters (Semifinal): 4. Senoj-Jay Givans, 6.76Q; 11. Basil Fares, 6.95
• 200 Meters (Prelim): 5. Zack Bilderback, 21.28Q; 8. Senoj-Jay Givans, 21.44Q
• 400 Meters (Prelim): 1. Zack Bilderback, 46.72Q; 5. Chris Irvin, 47.55Q
• 600 Yards (Prelim): 10. Josh Brudnick, 1:11.91; 12. Pieter Conradie, 1:12.17
• 800 Meters (Prelim): 2. Robert Uhr, 1:51.63Q
• 1,000 Meters (Prelim): 6. Brady Turnbull, 2:27.48Q
• 5,000 Meters: 6. Will Nation, 14:18.26; 7. Mark Pinales, 14:19.62; 10. Chris Galvin, 14:33.53; 13. Collin Smith, 14:46.62
• 60-Meter Hurdles (Semifinal): 8. Jake Wohlford, 8.11Q; 9. Johannes Hock, 8.18
• Distance Medley Relay: 4. Nate Moore, Pieter Conradie, Robert Uhr, Brady Turnbull, 9:50.69
• Pole Vault: 6. Mark Thomas, 17-0.75 (5.20m); 7. Reese Watson, 17-0.75 (5.20m); t12. Noah Zorsky, 15-7 (4.75m); -- Hayden Clark, NH
• Long Jump: 7. Johannes Hock, 23-11.75 (7.31m); 13. Nick Phynn, 23-1.75 (7.05m); 14. Logan Brittain, 22-10.50 (6.97m); 15. Basil Fares, 22-07.75 (6.90m)
• Weight Throw: 4. Blake Jakobsson, 59-11.25 (18.27m); 9. Will Spence, 53-06.25 (16.31m); 10. Clint Harris, 53-0.75 (16.17m)
• 60 Meters (Heptathlon): 1. Wolf Mahler, 7.06 (861)
• Long Jump (Heptathlon): 5. Wolf Mahler, 21-2.75/6.47m (691)
• Shot Put (Heptathlon): 6. Wolf Mahler, 36-6.25/11.13m (554)
• High Jump (Heptathlon): 5. Wolf Mahler, 6-0.75/1.85m (670)
• Heptathlon (Day One Total – Four Events): 5. Wolf Mahler, 2776
Q – qualified for final
Saturday, March 1
Women
• 60 Meters - Final: 1. Morolake Akinosun, 7.29; 8. Christy Udoh, 7.61
• 200 Meters - Final: 2. Morolake Akinosun, 23.54; 4. Ashley Spencer, 23.66; 5. Kendall Baisden, 23.77; 6. Courtney Okolo, 23.93; 7. Christy Udoh, 24.10; 8. Danielle Dowie, 24.43
• 400 Meters - Final: 1. Ashley Spencer, 51.54^; 2. Courtney Okolo, 51.56; 4. Kendall Baisden, 52.59; 6. Danielle Dowie, 54.05
• Mile - Final: 1. Marielle Hall, 4:41.78
• 3,000 Meters- Final: 1. Marielle Hall, 9:15.57; 8. Sara Sutherland, 9:29.18; 11. Olivia Mickle, 9:39.94; 13. Connor Ward, 9:43.88; 17. Brittany Marches, 9:46.78; 29. Kaleigh Ervin, 10:06.35; 36. Alaina Perez, 10:16.83
• 60-Meter Hurdles - Final: 2. Morgan Snow, 8.24
• 4x400-Meter Relay: 2. Briana Nelson, Kendall Baisden, Nia Dorner, Danielle Dowie, 3:36.57
• High Jump: 1. Shanay Briscoe, 5-10.75 (1.80m)
• Triple Jump: 8. Melissa Gonzalez, 38-2.25 (11.64m)
Men
• 60 Meters - Final: 1. Senoj-Jay Givans, 6.64
• 200 Meters - Final: 4. Senoj-Jay Givans, 21.36; 6. Zack Bilderback, 21.49
• 400 Meters - Final: 1. Zack Bilderback, 46.03; 4. Chris Irvin, 47.31
• 800 Meters - Final: 2. Robert Uhr, 1:51.05
• 1,000 Meters - Final: 6. Brady Turnbull, 2:26.92
• 3,000 Meters: 4. Mark Pinales, 8:11.39; 12. Chris Galvin, 8:20.38; 22. Collin Smith, 8:30.89; 30.Nate Moore, 8:41.14; -- Brady Turnbull, DNF
• 60-Meter Hurdles - Final: 6. Jake Wohlford, 8.05
• 4x400-Meter Relay: 1. Pieter Conradie, Zack Bilderback, Senoj-Jay Givans, Chris Irvin, 3:09.47
• High Jump: t7. Logan Brittain, 6-9 (2.06m)
• Triple Jump: 4. Nick Phynn, 48-0.75 (14.65m); 11. Basil Fares, 43-5.25 (13.24m)
• Shot Put: 1. Ryan Crouser, 67-8.25 (20.63m); 6. Will Spence, 58-11.25 (17.96m); 11. Clint Harris, 51-11 (15.82m); 13. Blake Jakobsson, 49-04.50 (15.05m)
• 60-Meter Hurdles (Heptathlon): 3. Wolf Mahler, 8.57 (843)
• Pole Vault (Heptathlon): t2. Wolf Mahler, 15-3/4.65m (804)
• 1,000 Meters (Heptathlon): 1. Wolf Mahler, 2:40.54 (867)
• Heptathlon (Final Total – Seven Events): 4. Wolf Mahler, 5290
^ - meet record
