The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Tyson Invitational
Track & Field takes on elite fields at two meets
02.12.2015 | Track & Field / Cross Country
Tyson Invitational, Husky Classic to feature top talent
Tyson Invitational: Live Results | Entries | Heat Sheets | Schedule | SEC Network (Saturday at noon)
Twitter: Texas | Arkansas
Husky Classic: Live Results | Entries | Heat Sheets | Schedule | FloPro webcast ($)
Twitter: Texas | Washington
AUSTIN, Texas - Texas Track and Field heads to a pair of meets this week that will feature top talent. The Longhorns will see elite distance runners at the Husky Classic in Seattle, Washington, and the Tyson Invitational hosted by the Arkansas Razorbacks has seven top 10 teams represented on both the men's and women's sides of the competition. Each meet will feature two days of action beginning on Friday.
The Longhorns will take their sprinters, throwers and jumpers to the Tyson Invitational to see some of the best of the best. The sprints races will be loaded with the top runners in the NCAA. In the men's 60 meters, 16 of the top 20 times are represented in the heat sheets, and 13 of the top 20 times in the 400 meters for the women are entered at Tyson.
Defending NCAA champion Ryan Crouser will see his top competition for the title this weekend in an NCAA Championships preview. The top six throwers are all slated to compete in the men's shot put at the Tyson Invitational.
At the Husky Classic, Texas will have its top distance runners in action at a meet known for bringing in top distance teams. Craig Lutz will be in an elite field in the 5,000 meters looking to solidify his standing nationally and remain in position to qualify for the NCAA Championships.
Sandie Raines will look to do the same in the 3,000 meters where she ranks No. 9 currently and will see three other top 20 runners. She also will be making her season debut in the 5,000 meters looking to make an impact in that event as well for the Longhorns.
Fans can follow the action of both meets online with live results from Arkansas provided by flashresults.com. Results from Washington will be linked on gohuskies.com when the live results are available. Links to live results from both respective meets will be provided at texassports.com as well.
The Husky Classic will be webcast live online by FloTrack. Subscribers to the site's FloPro service can watch the meet.
The SEC Network will broadcast the second day of action from the Tyson Invitational with coverage beginning at noon Saturday. Check your local listings for availability.
Updates from both meets can be found on Twitter by following @UTexasTrack. Fans can also check on all events from the host school accounts @RazorbackTF and @UWTrack.
Events to Watch
Tyson Invitational
• Men's & Women's Pole Vault: With Arkansas hosting the NCAA Championships, the majority of the top vaulters will be here for one last trip on the Tyson Center runway. Two former NCAA record holders for the women will be in action and the current men's record holder.
• Men's & Women's Sprints: The fields will be loaded with athletes ranked in the Top 20 this week in nearly every sprinting event. The men's 60m will feature 16 of the top 20, including UT's Senoj-Jay Givans. The women's 400m will have 13 of the top 20, with two Longhorns.
• Men's Shot Put: Defending NCAA champion Ryan Crouser has the world-leading mark this year and he will see his top competition for the NCAA crown this weekend. The top six throwers will be in the ring and facing each other for the first time this season. This will be a preview of the NCAA meet.
Husky Classic
• Women's 3000m: Sandie Raines ranks No. 9 in the NCAA so far this season in this event for Texas. She will be up against three others ranked in the top 20. Raines also will be up against a strong field in hre season debut in the 5000m.
Texas Track & Field Notebook
Okolo Debuts at No. 1
• Bowerman Award finalist Courtney Okolo made her season debut in the 400m at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic and pulled away from the field to win in 51.35 seconds.
• It marks the fastest time in the world this season by nearly half a second.
• Okolo was recognized as Big 12 Co-Athlete of the Week for her efforts.
Givans Named Big 12 Athlete of the Week
• Sophomore Senoj-Jay Givans was named the men's athlete of the week for the Big 12 thanks to his victory in the 60 meters at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic.
• He ran a personal best 6.62 seconds to edge out runners from SEC power LSU.
• His time also stands at No. 12 on the NCAA list this year.
Crouser No. 1 in World
• NCAA champion Ryan Crouser entered the UW Invitational ranked No. 2 in the NCAA this season, he left No. 1 in the world. He posted a world-leading mark of 20.95 meters (68-9.00).
• Crouser was named Big 12 Conference Athlete of the Week for his performance at UW.
Cross Country Makes the Grade
• Sandie Raines and Will Nation each were named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team this week. Raines was an all-region performer and holds a 3.58 GPA in psychology. Nation also earn all-region honors and carries a 3.36 GPA in computer science.
• Both the men's and women's teams were recognized as USTFCCCA All-Academic Teams by holding a high team GPA. The women boast a 3.49 as a team, which ranks second in the Big 12. The men have a team GPA of 3.07.
Women Vaulters Move Up NCAA List
• Defending NCAA champ Kaitlin Petrillose had her best performance of the season with a clearance at 4.36 meters (14-3.50) at the UNM Collegiate Classic to finish in fourth place behind Demi Payne of Stephen F. Austin and Arkansas' Sandi Morris and one post-collegiate athlete.
• With her move to 4.36 meters, Petrillose now stands at No. 5 on the NCAA list this year.
• Freshman Kally Long finished fifth as she tied her personal best of 4.26 meters (13-11.75). She is No. 10 on the NCAA list this year.
• Another freshman, Callie Spencer, cleared two bars above her previous best at UNM. She finished ninth with her mark of 4.16 meters (13-7.75) to now rank No. 21 in the NCAA list this year.
2015 The Bowerman Watch List
The most prestigious award in collegiate track and field, The Bowerman, is awarded by the USTFCCCA annually to the top male and female track and field star annually. Since its inception in 2009, the winners combined to win three Olympic medals in 2012.
• 3-time NCAA champion Ryan Crouser is on the men's February watch list.
• NCAA outdoor 400m champ Courtney Okolo is on the women's February watch list.
• Kendall Baisden, Ashley Spencer and Johannes Hock are receiving votes for the watch lists.
400m Depth
• The women's team boasts three returning first team All-Americans in the 400m
• Courtney Okolo is No. 1 in the world currently with her time of 51.35 seconds.
• Kendall Baisden is No. 2, clocking in at 51.81 seconds to win at the Rod McCravy Memorial.
• Based on last year's fastest times, Ashley Spencer leads the group as the No. 2-ranked runner and time of 51.54.
• Spencer and Okolo represent the last three NCAA outdoor titles in the 400m.
Watson Soaring for Longhorns
• Reese Watson has posted a PR three times this season already.
• Most recently he finished fourth behind three professionals at the UNM Collegiate Classic, clearing 5.51 meters (18-1.00). He ranks No. 7 in the NCAA this season.
• Watson won the UW Invitational, clearing 5.46 meters (17-11.00).
Top 10 Expectations
• Texas is again among the best of the best so far in the 2015 season. Seven teams currently have their men's and women's teams ranked in the Top 10 of the USTFCCCA Rankings.
• Texas currently ranks No. 6 on the women's side and No. 10 for the men.
• The Big 12 Conference is well represented in the Top 25 with four men's teams and four women's teams ranked this week. All are ranked No. 17 or better, with all four women's teams in the Top 15 and two in the Top 10.
Golden Kendall
• Sophomore Kendall Baisden won two gold medals this summer at the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships. She won the 400m and ran a leg of the victorious 4x400m relay for Team USA.
Standard Bearers
• Texas currently holds seven collegiate records combined among the men and women. The nearest competitor is Arizona and Colorado with five.
Players Mentioned
