Track and Field sweeps Texas Invitational

Saturday, April 11

Austin, Texas

10:00 a.m.

University of Texas

Texas Invitational

Morolake Akinosun & Kendall Baisden

04.11.2015 | Track & Field / Cross Country

Fourth-ranked women’s track and field wins six events, No. 6 men claim seven titles during Saturday’s home meet

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Morolake Akinosun claimed three women's event titles and Chris Irvin was a part of two for the men to help Track and Field continue its strong start to the outdoor season with a sweep of the team titles at Saturday's Texas Invitational.

Skies were cloudy through most of the day, but the expected thunderstorms held off and a number of impressive performances were posted, including a pair of Mike A. Myers Stadium records and a combined 13 event titles (seven men's, six women's) for the Longhorns.

"We had last weekend off for the majority of the team, and obviously had some great performances on the distance end out there at the Stanford Invitational," said head coach Mario Sategna. "Obviously with potential for weather, we weren't sure how today would go, but that held off, so that was great.

The sixth-ranked Texas men posted 187 points in the 18 events to outdistance Minnesota, which tallied 97. Sam Houston State was third with 84.50 points in the nine-team men's field.

The No. 4 Longhorn women were pushed early by Cal State Northridge, but prevailed with 184 points to the Matadors 152. Sam Houston State was third with 74.50 in the eight-team women's standings.

Most teams, including the Longhorns, did not field a full complement of athletes, though there was a strong contingent of professional athletes in the meet.

Before winning both the 100 and 200 meters, Akinosun anchored the 4x100-meter relay to victory. The foursome of Morgan Snow, Courtney Okolo, Shania Collins and Akinosun won in 43.61 seconds, a season best for the Longhorns, who won six event titles at last month's Nike Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, the first home meet of the season.

"We didn't have all of our top athletes on that [4x100m relay] but they still ran one of the best times in the country and Morolake ran a great leg, anchoring and then came back in the 100 and the 200." said Sategna.

The men's quartet of Charles Anumnu, Carlton Anumnu, Basil Fares and Chris Irvin were victorious in 39.75, also a season best for Texas. Carlton Anumnu had personal-best 20.97 in the 200 meters. He was fifth, but trailed only professionals.

Shortly after anchoring the 4x100m relay, Irvin blazed to victory in the 400 in a career-best time of 46.46. He edged LeGerald Betters, a four-time NCAA champion at Baylor, who crossed the finish line in 46.47. Irvin's time ranks 10th on this year's NCAA performer's list.

Akinosun led a 1-2-3 finish in the 100 meters for the Longhorns by clocking a time of 11.37, the fifth-best time on the 2015 NCAA performer's list. Caitland Smith was second in 11.58 and Kendall Baisden third (11.63).

Roughly an hour later, Akinosun claimed the 200-meter title with a Myers Stadium record time of 22.70. She edged Natasha Hastings of Under Armour/NYAC, a gold medalist on the 4x400-meter relay at the 2012 Olympics, who clocked a 22.76 in the field of 42 that featured a number of other professionals. Akinosun's time ranks No. 1 in the NCAA this season.

"Morolake looked very, very good," said Sategna. "You can't say enough in regards to her work ethic and the way that she handles herself on and off the track."

Spencer Dunkerley-Offor had his best time of the season in the 110-meter hurdles, finishing second in 13.78, which ranks eighth on the 2015 NCAA performer's list. Olympian Andrew Riley, who competed at Illinois, won in 13.56.

Snow finished third in the 100-meter hurdles (13.25), trailing only a pair of professionals, including Olympian Queen Harrison won in 12.97.

Sategna liked the progression he saw from some of the freshmen. Max Dordevic was second in the 400-meter hurdles in a personal-best 51.34 and Alan Zapalac was seventh in the hammer throw with a career-best toss of 177 feet, 1 inch (53.99m).

A pair of mid-distance runners excelled as Katie Burford won the 1,500 meters in 4:27.37, shaving more than six seconds off her personal best, and Derrell Manhertz was second in the 800 meters in a career-best 1:49.39.

A three-time NCAA champion in the event, Ryan Crouser did not compete in the shot put, but did come away with a victory in the discus, the final event of the meet. Crouser won with a toss of 193-1 (58.85m), just ahead of teammate Will Spence who went 184-3 (56.15m).

Earlier in the day, Spence claimed the shot put title with a toss of 59-5.50 (18.12m). Casey Wicker captured the pole vault with a season-best clearance of 16-9 1/4 (5.11m).

Texas had a pair of true freshmen women's throwers competing in the shot put, but as unattached athletes. N'Dia Warren-Jacques won the event with a toss of 49 1 3/4 (14.98m) and Lauryn Caldwell was third with a throw of 46-8 (14.22m).

"As a whole, I feel very pleased about the meet," said Sategna."We'll go up to Baylor for the Michael Johnson [Classic] in their new facility next week, then Penn Relays, and then we'll be back here for the first part of May for the Longhorn Invitational."

Two Stadium Records Fall
There was a pair of stadium records set in Saturday's Texas Invitational. Texas-ex Kendra Chambers set the Myers Stadium record in the 800 meters, clocking a time of 2:01.93. It was held by Neisha Bernard-Thomas of LSU (2:02.86 in 2004). Two events later, Morolake Akinosun snapped the facility's 200-meter mark when she crossed the finish line in 22.70. Jeneba Tarmoh of Texas A&M held the record of 22.71 since 2010. Akinosun was just off her career-best of 22.68 set at last year's NCAA West Preliminary Round.

TEAM STANDINGS - Texas Invitational
Austin, Texas • Mike A. Myers Stadium

Women
1. Texas - 184
2. Cal State Northridge - 152
3. Sam Houston State - 74.50
4. North Texas - 70
5. Stephen F. Austin - 58.50
6. Rice - 54
7. UTSA - 49
8. Air Force - 24

Men
1. Texas - 187
2. Minnesota - 97
3. Sam Houston State - 84.50
4. Stephen F. Austin - 78
5. Cal State Northridge - 64.50
6. Air Force - 57.50
7. UTSA - 54
8. North Texas - 36.50
9. Rice - 3

TEXAS INDIVIDUAL RESULTS – Texas Invitational
Austin, Texas • Mike A. Myers Stadium

Saturday, April 11

Men's Events
• 100m: 2. Senoj-Jay Givans, 10.46; 5. Charles Anumnu, 10.61; 9. Carlton Anumnu, 10.69; 11. Basil Fares, 10.72
• 200m: 5. Carlton Anumnu, 20.97; 12. Chris Irvin, 21.46; 26. Spencer Dunkerley-Offor, 22.19; -- Charles Anumnu, DNF; -- Byron Robinson, DQ
• 400m: 1. Chris Irvin, 46.46
• 800m: 2. Derrell Manhertz, 1:49.38; 4. David Anamosa, 1:52.60; 8. Robert Uhr, 1:54.56; 11. Stephen Villalpando, 1:56.83; -- Brady Turnbull, DNF
• 1500m: 1. Blake Williams, 3:52.76; 2. Logan Emery, 3:53.19; 6. Zach Hamstra, 3:59.48; 11. Chris Pietraszkiewicz, 4:07.17
• 110m Hurdles: 2. Spencer Dunkerley-Offor, 13.78; 12. Johannes Hock, 16.37
• 400m Hurdles: 2. Max Dordevic, 51.34
• 4x100m Relay: 1. Charles Anumnu, Carlton Anumnu, Basil Fares, Chris Irvin, 39.75
•4x400m Relay: 4. Max Dordevic, Carlton Anumnu, Spencer Dunkerley-Offor, Derrell Manhertz, 3:17.23; -- Robert Uhr, David Anamosa, Logan Emery, Brady Turnbull, DNF
• Pole Vault: 1. Casey Wicker, 16-9.25 (5.11m); 10. Parks McNeil, 16-3.25 (4.96m); t18. Wolf Mahler, 14-9.50 (4.51m); -- Johannes Hock, NH
• Long Jump: 2. Basil Fares, 22-11.75 (7.00m)
• Shot Put: 1. Will Spence, 59-5.50 (18.12m); 15. Wolf Mahler, 38-3.25 (11.66m); -- Johannes Hock, Foul
• Discus: 1. Ryan Crouser, 193-1 (58.85m); 2. Will Spence, 184-3 (56.15m); 4. Clint Harris, 179-1 (54.59m); 12. Alan Zapalac, 159-7 (48.64m); 14. Blake Jakobsson, 157-2 (47.9m); 30. Wolf Mahler, 127-2 (38.77m)
• Hammer Throw: 7. Alan Zapalac, 177-1 (53.99m); 10. Blake Jakobsson,169-8 (51.71m); 14. Clint Harris, 159-02 (48.51m)
• Javelin: 1. Fabian Jara Dohmann, 211-7 (64.50m)