The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
New Mexico Collegiate Classic
Track & Field set to compete at Notre Dame, UNM
02.05.2015 | Track & Field / Cross Country
Distance runners take on Meyo Invitational
Meyo Invitational
Meet Schedule | Entries | Heat Sheets | Live Results | Webcast ($)
Twitter: Texas | Notre Dame
New Mexico Collegiate Classic
Meet Schedule & Entries | Heat Sheets | Live Results
Twitter: Texas | New Mexico
AUSTIN, Texas - The Texas Longhorns will send their distance runners to Notre Dame this week while the rest of the track and field team heads to Albuquerque for the New Mexico Collegiate Classic. Action begins at both meets on Friday and will feature top talent with a number ranked teams facing each other midway through the indoor season.
Over the last few years, the Meyo Invitational has developed into a premier distance meets bringing some of the top runners to run against each other. A number of distance medley relays have qualified for the NCAA Championships out of this meet, and that event is expected to produce fast times again. Some Longhorns will be competing in special invitational races as well as the Meyo Invitational continues to pit top talents against each other.
At the New Mexico Collegiate Classic, Texas will see a number of ranked teams in a meet that will feature team scoring. Texas Tech will be one of the other ranked opponents. The Red Raider men are ranked No. 14 and the women are No. 16 in the latest USTFCCCA Rankings. Texas is ranked No. 11 on the men's side and No. 7 for the women.
The New Mexico Collegiate Classic will also feature a pentathlon and heptathlon. The Horns will have multiple athletes competing in the combined events to prepare for upcoming Big 12 Championships later this month.
Fans can follow the action of both meets online with live results from New Mexico provided by liverunningresults.com. Results from Notre Dame can be found at deltatiming.com. Links to live results from respective meets will be provided at golobos.com and und.com as well as at texassports.com.
The Meyo Invitational will be webcast live online by FloTrack. Subscribers to the site's FloPro service can watch the meet. Links will be provided online by Notre Dame and Texas. Updates from both meets will be available on Twitter by following @UTexasTrack.
Texas Track & Field Notebook
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.
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 indoor champ Kaitlin Petrillose was on the women's preseason list.
• NCAA outdoor champ and record holder Courtney Okolo was on the women's preseason list.
• The women's watch list will be updated on Thursday.
400m Depth
• The women's team boasts three returning first team All-Americans in the 400m
• Kendall Baisden has run the fastest 400m so far this year, clocking in at 51.81 seconds to win at the Rod McCravy Memorial against an NCAA caliber field.
• Based on last year's fastest times, Ashley Spencer leads the group as the No. 2-ranked runner and time of 51.54.
• Courtney Okolo is ranked 3rd in the event with an indoor best of 51.56.
• Spencer and Okolo represent the last three NCAA outdoor titles in the 400m.
• Okolo runs her first 400m race of the season this weekend.
Pole Vaulters Soaring for Longhorns
• Reese Watson has posted a PR twice this season already. Most recently he won at the UW Invitational, clearing 5.46 meters (17-11.00). He ranks ninth in the nation so far this season.
• Freshman Kally Long won the UW Invitational with a mark of 4.26m (13-11.75). She is No. 6 in the NCAA this season and stands No. 2 in Longhorn history.
• NCAA champion Kaitlin Petrillose finished third at the Lobo Collegiate Invitational earlier this season with a clearance of 4.22 meters (13-10.00). She ranks 12th in the NCAA.
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 11 of the USTFCCCA Rankings.
• Texas currently ranks No. 7 on the women's side and No. 11 for the men.
• The Big 12 Conference is well represented in the Top 25 with five men's teams and four women's teams ranked this week. Four on the men's side are No. 16 or better. With three women's teams better than No. 15.
Akinosun Winning in Style
• Sprinter Morolake Akinosun has opened the season with a pair of wins in the 60 meters. She recently did it against a field of NCAA title contenders at the Rod McCravy Memorial with a time of 7.22 seconds.
• Akinosun bested three runners who were in the NCAA final last year in that win.
• Akinosun opened the year with a win at the Arkansas-Texas Dual in 7.27 seconds.
• She ranks No. 4 in the nation so far this season in the 60m.
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 eight collegiate records combined among the men and women. The nearest competitor is Arizona and Colorado with five.
Bilderback Building on 2014
• Sprinter Zack Bilderback is among the top 400 meter runners again in 2015 after earning All-America honors last year and winning the Big 12 outdoor crown.
• Bilderback is crrently No. 10 on the TFRRS list at 46.70 seconds and No. 2 in the Big 12.
• His time came at the McCravy Memorial where he finished behind post-collegiate runner Bryce Spratling.
Givans Doubles in Sprints
• Sophomore sprinter Senoj-Jay Givans is putting himself in the hunt to qualify for the NCAA Championships in March. He currently ranks in the Top 20 in the 60m and 200m.
• His time of 6.67 seconds in the 60 puts him No. 4 in the Big 12.
• Givans also is No. 4 in the Big 12 i nthe 200 at 21.18.
Players Mentioned
