The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Tyson Invitational
Track & Field prepped for elite competition
02.11.2016 | Track & Field / Cross Country
Longhorns take on Tyson Invitational, Husky Classic
Tyson Invitational: Heat Sheets | Live Results & Schedule | Live Video: Friday | Saturday
Husky Classic: Heat Sheets | Live Results | Meet Schedule | Live Video ($): Friday & Saturday
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Track & Field splits up this weekend to head to a pair of meets that will both feature some of the top talent from across the nation. The sprinters and jumpers are headed to the Tyson Invitational hosted by Arkansas while the distance crew along with the throwers and pole vaulters head to the Pacific Northwest for the Husky Classic hosted by Washington.
The Tyson Invitational has become one of the premiere meets each year for sprinters and jumpers and the Husky Classic has established itself as one of the top indoor meets each year for the distance events. Last year during this weekend of action, Zack Bilderback broke the school record in the 400 meters at the Tyson Invitational while Craig Lutz set the Texas standard in the 5,000 meters at the Husky Classic.
This will be the final opportunity for the Longhorns to make a statement as the team is not scheduled to compete next week. The Longhorns will take next week off to rest and prepare for the Big 12 Conference Championships. Teams are limited to a roster of only 25 student-athletes at the Big 12 meet and the coaching staff will be looking for strong performances this week in Arkansas and Washington to set the roster for the trip to Ames, Iowa. Texas swept the conference championships last year winning both the women's and men's titles.
Both meets can be viewed live online. The Tyson Invitational will be webcast on SECN+, the online branch of the SEC Network. The webcast is set to start at 5 p.m. Friday and at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. The Husky Classic will be aired live by FloTrack. Subscriber's to the website's FloPro service can watch the meet live.
Fans can also keep up with the action at both meets through live results. FlashResults.com will provide updates at the Tyson Invitational while results from the Husky Classic can be found at gohuskies.com Updates from both meets can also be found by following the team's official Twitter handle @UTexasTrack.
Longhorns Both in Top 5 Nationally
• Texas is among the favorites to win NCAA Championships in 2016 on both sides. The Longhorns ranked No. 5 for the men and No. 5 for the women in the latest USTFCCCA Rankings.
• The men were ranked No. 2 in the preseason rankings, the highest ranking ever for the men's team, who has never won a team NCAA crown.
• The women were No. 3 in the preseason and are seeking their first team NCAA title since 2006.
• Last year the both teams finished 6th indoors at the national meet.
Okolo Named National Athlete of the Week
• Texas senior sprinter Courtney Okolo ran the fastest time in the world this season at the Husker Invitational, clocking 51.16 seconds. For the effort she was named the USTFCCCA Division I National Athlete of the Week.
• Okolo bested former teammate and now professional runner for Nike, Ashley Spencer.
• It also was Okolo's season debut in her primary event as she is preparing to defend her 2015 NCAA title indoors.
Texas Distance gaining momentum
• In a special invitational 3,000 meters at the Husker Invitational, freshman Alex Rogers placed fifth with a time of 8:13.47 in his first 3,000 as a collegiate. Sandie Raines finished third for the women with freshman Meghan Lloyd crossing in sixth.
• Senior Brady Turnbull got the crowd excited at the Devaney Center in the special invitational mile. He continued to push the tempo and was on pace for the first-ever sub-4-minute mile at the Husker Invite when the bell rang for the final lap. Turnbull was unable to maintain that pace, however, as he ran out of gas and finished fourth in 4:07.15. The winner ran 4:04.57.
Sprinters Shine at Husker Invitational
• Texas tallied four victories in the sprints in Nebraska
• Freshman Teahna Daniels won the 200 meters in 23.98 seconds for a new personal record. She took more than half a second off her previous best indoors.
• In addition to Courtney Okolo's win in the women's 400m, Byron Robinson proved to be the top man in meet for that event. He ran 46.74, just .01 off his PR, in his first 400m of the season.
• Senior Melissa Gonzalez posted a win for the Longhorns in the 600 meters. The 400-meter hurdler outdoors ran a personal best time of 1:33.78 coming from behind on the final straightaway to pass freshman Sydne Fowler. Fowler clocked in at 1:34.13 in her first ran at 600 meters.
• Senior Morolake Akinosun took second in the special invitational 200m behind former teammate Ashely Spencer. Akinosun clocked 23.50 seconds.
• Texas displayed depth in the hurdles with all three women making the final. BJ Adeokun took third place and freshman Ashley Miller ran another PR in 8.36 seconds to finish fourth. Ariel Jones finished seventh.
• Freshman John Burt continued his steady improvement in the 60 meter hurdles. The wide receiver ran 8.06 seconds to finish 10th at the Husker Invite. He has improved his PR at every meet this season.
Zamzow leading pack of Texas pentathletes
• Sophomore transfer Ashtin Zamzow stormed onto the scene this summer winning gold in the heptathlon at the Pan American Junior Games. In her first pentathlon as a Longhorn at the Husker Invitational, she put herself at No. 2 in school history with a score of 3,861 points.
• Zamzow finished fourth overall at the meet and has positioned herself to be a player at the Big 12 Championships.
• She tallied PR's in 3-of-5 events in the pentathlon while attempting to tie her PR in the high jump.
• Junior Sierra Patrick posted a score of 3,740 points to finish eighth and her score ranks her fifth in school history. She was just off her personal best score set last year while she was redshirting. Patrick shattered her PR in the hurdles and set a new one in the 800m as well.
• With her score Patrick also is in position to be a contributor at the conference meet in two weeks.
Zap Attack
• Redshirt sophomore Alan Zapalac started 2016 off with a victory in the weight throw at the A&M 11-Team Invitational. He posted the winning mark on his very first throw of the competition at 19.37 meters (63-6.75).
• His throw moved him into No. 2 in school history in the weight throw.
• Zapalac has posted back-to-back PR's to keep progressing since. He threw 19.39m (63-7.50) at the Cherry & Silver Invitational at New Mexico and then finished second at the Husker Invitational, tossing 19.78m (64-10.75).
• He is now a contender to win the Big 12 as he is only 1cm behind K-State's Brady Grunder. Zapalac defeated Grunder heads-up at the Husker Invite. The Wildcat threw 19.21m.
Players Mentioned
