The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Big 12 Conference Indoor Championships
02.24.2016 | Track & Field / Cross Country
Longhorns face conference rivals in Ames, Iowa
Complete Texas Meet Notes
Big 12 Championships: Homepage | Heat Sheets (coming soon) | Live Results | Live Video ($)
FloTrack Preview | USTFCCCA Conference Championship Central
AUSTIN, Texas – Trophies are on the line this weekend as the Texas Track & Field teams look to defend their Big 12 Conference titles at the Big 12 Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships in Ames, Iowa. The Longhorns won the men's and women's titles last year and eye a repeat for the men and a third straight for the women.
Texas enters this weekend's Big 12 Championships ranked No. 5 in the nation on the women's side and No. 6 for the men. The Big 12 boasts four ranked teams on both sides with Texas Tech's men representing another Top 10 team, standing at No. 7. Kansas State's women also are No. 7 and both pose serious threats to the Longhorns with quality depth and national title contenders to counter Texas.
"The goal that we first talk about in our first team meetings is first and foremost the conference championship," said Head Coach Mario Sategna. "We are not looking down to Birmingham two weeks after the conference meet, it is really solidifying and adding to that history and tradition. We want to see has many conference titles as we can on the individual side and ultimately that will help us win that team championship."
Action begins at 10 a.m. Friday from the Lied Recreation Center on campus at Iowa State. The pentathlon and heptathlon gets things started with preliminary heats of running events starting at 3 p.m. along with finals for three field events. The 5,000 meters and distance medley relay will run finals on Friday night as well. Day 2 of action starts at 11 a.m. and team champions will be crowned after the conclusion of the 19 events at approximately 5:30 p.m.
This year's Big 12 Championships will be webcast live online thanks to a recent agreement between the conference office and FloSports. The track and field dedicated site FloTrack will provide the live streaming via FloSports' subscription service FloPro. The live stream will start at 10 a.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday to provide full coverage of the multi-events as well as field events and running events.
"Working with the Big 12 to expand the reach of their Conference Championships in indoor track & field and wrestling to die-hard fans worldwide is an incredible opportunity," FloSports co-founder and CEO Martin Floreani said in a press release announcing the agreement. "Some of the top teams and athletes in the U.S. will be competing in these Championships, and we're excited to showcase their talents to our global audience."
Last year, Texas took home the team championships thanks to a dominating performance by the men and a total team effort from the women to hold off K-State. The Longhorn men tallied 140 points, winning four of the 19 events and finishing second in six of them. Texas won by 44.5 points, which ranks as the third-largest margin of victory in Big 12 history.
On the women's side in 2015, Texas held off K-State as the title was not in hand until the final event when Texas won the 4x400 meter relay. The final tally was Texas 139 and K-State 132.50. This year K-State brings another strong team that will be fighting for the team title. Texas won six events last year and return three individuals who won titles.
"The championship is really about meeting people head-to-head. That starts on Friday by making the final," Sategna said. "We have a great group. The staff has done a phenomenal job across the board in every event area to get them ready. It is great to have a program that is vying for both titles."
In addition to the live streaming via FloPro, fans can follow the action with live results provided by DeltaTiming.com. Updates also will be on the team's official Twitter feed @UTexasTrack. The Big 12 will be tweeting from @Big12Conference. Fans can interact and keep up with the meet by also following and using the hashtag #Big12TF.
Events to Watch
Big 12 Championships
• Women's 60m
Senior Morolake Akinosun is the defending champion and freshman teammate Teahna Daniels gives Texas a 1-2 punch. Daniels is ranked No. 4 in the NCAA this year at 7.23 seconds and Akinosun is No. 5 at 7.24.
• Men's 400m
Senior Zack Bilderback won this event last year and brings teammates AJ Bailey and Chris Irvin with him. Bailey was an All-American in the 400 while at Texas A&M and gives Texas the potential to finish 1-2 for a big point grab.
• Women's 400m
Senior Courtney Okolo has the fastest time in the world this year. Chrisann Gordon joins her among the best in the NCAA this year. She ranks 3rd in the Big 12 and is just .02 behind OU's Daye Shon Roberson to give Texas another threat to finish 1-2.
• Men's Long Jump
Senior Basil Fares finished 2nd a year ago by just 1 centimeter. This year freshman Steffin McCarter is 6 cm behind the conference leader. This makes the Longhorns a threat to score big in this event on Friday night.
• Men's Shot Put
Senior Ryan Crouser broke the school record in his last meet with a toss of 21.28m (69-9.75). He broke the Big 12 Championship meet record last year. Crouser is threatening to become the first collegiate to throw 70 feet since 2010.
• Women's Pole Vault
Texas has one of the deepest groups in this event in the Big 12. The Longhorns will send five female vaulters to Ames with Kaitlin Petrillose looking to become the first woman to win seven Big 12 titles in the event combined indoor and out.
Texas Track & Field Notebook
Longhorns Both in Top 10 Nationally
• Texas is among the favorites to win NCAA Championships in 2016 on both sides. The Longhorns ranked No. 5 for the women and No. 6 for the men 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.
Texas 4x400 Relays Setting Tone
• The Longhorns are the best 4x400 team in the nation in 2016 so far — for the men and women.
• Texas made its statement at the Tyson Invitational when the women's team blazed to victory in 3:27.94 with the team of Chrisann Gordon, Morolake Akinosun, Ariel Jones and Courtney Okolo.
• That time ranks No. 4 all-time in NCAA history. Texas now owns six of the top 11 performances in NCAA history, posting one each of the last three years.
• During that run, Okolo posted a split time of 50.59 seconds. That time improves on her already amazing performance earlier this season at the Power Five Invitational when she ran an anchor leg of 50.77.
• The men's 4x400 team shattered their own school record at the Tyson Invitational with a time of 3:04.41 to win.
• The team of Zack Bilderback, Chris Irvin, Byron Robinson and AJ Bailey have broken the school record twice this season, each with a different running order. This second time was by nearly two full seconds.
• With the time of 3:04.41, the Longhorn men now rank No. 13 in NCAA history.
• The men's team broke the school record first at the Power Five Invitational with a time of 3:06.36.
Crouser Named Big 12 Athlete of the Week, Again
• Senior thrower Ryan Crouser claimed his second Big 12 Athlete of the Week honor for his impressive showing at the Husky Classic with a toss of 21.28 meters (69-9.75).
• The throw moved him back to the top of the NCAA list this season and ranks him as the No. 10 performer in collegiate history. He becomes the first shot putter to crack that top 10 list since 2008 when current collegiate record holder Ryan Whiting and No. 9 Russ Winger did so.
• Crouser earned his first Big 12 Athlete of the Week honor following a win at the Texas A&M 11-Team Invitational. He opened his season with a mark of 20.02 meters (65-8.25) and won by nearly two meters.
Robinson Storms onto National Scene
• Junior Byron Robinson showed that he could be a player at the NCAA Championships individually come March in the 400 meters with a blazing time of 46.26 seconds at the Tyson Invitational.
• Robinson won his heat and finish third overall in the men's invitational section of the 400 meters. That time not only makes him the No. 3 Longhorn all-time, but it puts him at No. 5 on the NCAA list so far this season.
• Robinson is a 400-meter hurdler outdoors and runs the 400 meters and 600 yards during indoor season.
Pair of Sprinters Among National Leaders
• Senior Morolake Akinosun entered 2016 as one of the top returners in the NCAA in the 60 meters. Now she has a teammate that is among the best in the nation as well. Freshman Teahna Daniels joined Akinosun in making the final at the Tyson Invitational and both rank in the top five in the nation.
• Daniels ran 7.23 seconds during the final to finish second and rank No. 4 on the NCAA list this season. She also ran 7.25 in the semifinals.
• Akinosun finished fourth with a time of 7.26 seconds and ran a season-best time 7.24 during the semifinals to rank No. 5 on the NCAA list right behind Daniels.
• The pair stand 1-2 in the Big 12 Conference with the No. 3 time in the league standing at 7.30.
• Texas is joined by Oregon and Tennessee as teams with two runners ranked in the Top 10 in the NCAA in the 60m.
More Texas Quotes
Head Coach Mario Sategna
On the upcoming Big 12 Championships: The championship is really about meeting people head-to-head. That starts on Friday by making the final. We have a great group. The staff has done a phenomenal job across the board in every event area to get them ready.
On the challenge of team points versus individual: That's the great thing about our sport. It is individual but at the end of the day those points are going to add up, and so making the final, whether you score one point or up to 10 points if you are the conference champion, it is going to mean something. It is a fun time. It is a great atmosphere. It is great to have a program that is vying for both titles. This will springboard us obviously into the indoor national championships, and ultimately as we get ready for the outdoor season.
On the performance of Courtney Okolo and Morolake Akinosun: They are centerpieces of our program and not just for the women. They expect greatness, but it is not just by chance. Tonja [Buford-Bailey] has just done a phenomenal job of preparing them. When they step on the track, they are out there for one thing and one thing only, and that is to win. I am excited to watch both because they will be leading the charge on the women's side.
On the outstanding presentation from the men's team: This will the last conference championship for Ryan Crouser in the shot put. Two weeks ago, he sets the school record. I know he is looking to get over that 70-foot barrier, which is a phenomenal feat by any collegiate athlete when you look at the history of shot put. It is going to be exciting to see AJ Bailey [Jr.], Zach Bilderback, Chris Irvin, the local guy from Westlake. But from top to bottom that's the great thing about our program now, it doesn't matter the event from the 60 meters all the way through the distance to the field events, we are going to have a strong representation. We are definitely a force to be reckoned with.
On John Burt: It is exciting any time you get a dual sport athlete out. It is not easy because we have been working all fall getting ready, they were out there on the grid iron. But I love his fight, and I love his determination. He wants to be able to contribute, and he has shown that he can do that in these four meets that he was able to attend. He is going to have to run a seasonal best to make the final but he can definitely do that.
On the preparation of Courtney Okolo: I think that Courtney now being in her senior year, she has phenomenal talent but you can just see her confidence. It was important for us as a staff that we sat down and really pinpointed the competitions that she was going to be competing in. The most important of course is taking care of her, her health is going to be key not just for her in the indoor but also obviously for the outdoor through the NCAA's and very much has a great chance to make the U.S. Olympic team in July at the Olympic Trials.
On the tone set going into this weekend: The goal that we first talk about in our first team meetings is first and foremost the conference championship. We are not looking down to Birmingham two weeks after the conference meet, it is really solidifying and adding to that history and tradition. We want to see has many conference titles as we can on the individual side and ultimately that will help us win that team championship. After this weekend, it will be the top 12 relay teams that advance and the top 16 individuals. The athletes are looking at that descending order list, but if they just go in there, handle their business, beat people, make those finals; those times, those performances will take care of themselves.
Senior Sprinter Morolake Akinosun
On returning to the Big 12 championships as defending champions: Back-to-back-to-back-to-back, or whatever you want to call it. It's really exciting. We've won Big 12's the last two years now, indoors and outdoors. So to go back this year, my senior year, I'm just really looking forward to a great team effort or to pull out another win.
On why she is confident in her team: It's because of the fact that we have so much depth in so many areas. We're not just strong in one event area or one event group but overall, as a whole, we can spread ourselves wide and cover up a multitude of events.
On how the competition changes between a normal meet and a championship: Our previous meets throughout the year, we haven't really been focused on the team aspect of it. It's performing in your individual event and doing the best that you can do for yourself in a way. But at the conference meet the team aspect of track and field really comes out. We get to compete together as a team. You know that your performance not only helps just you but it's for your team. Each performance is going toward a team total, a team score. You win as a team.
On the difficulty of competing as a team in what is largely seen as an individual sport: It is hard, especially since we are in such different event groups and not everyone trains together. We don't spend as much time together as you do with your own particular event group. It takes a lot of really hard work to come together as a team and realize that it's more than just the sprint aspect of it, or the distance, or the field events and everyone really comes together at the conference meet because of that.
On what she wants to accomplish this weekend: This weekend is really just about competing at whatever level it takes to get that championship out. Whether it's breaking a world record or just performing at an OK level for you. Whatever it takes for your team, is what it's about this weekend.
Senior Sprinter Courtney Okolo
On defending another Big 12 Women's Indoor Championship: It's very exciting, this is my last indoor conference (meet) so I'm just looking forward to doing my best for my team and hopefully, we'll come out with the win.
On how dangerous team is compared to past teams: I think every year we're getting better. As for the upperclassmen, we know what it takes. The more experience, the more we can pull the underclassmen along and show them what we need to do to come away with the win.
On changes in training to excel: This year for me personally, I focused more on little things. The little things really make a big difference in the overall performance and outcomes. I'm just trying to focus on staying healthy and being more focused on little aspects that can improve my race.
On team dynamic when going for a championship: It's really exciting when we come together as a team to try to achieve a goal. It's like you have more of a support system because we're all trying to win the same thing which is the conference championship. It's more of a group effort and it's just fun to support your team.
Senior Sprinter Zack Bilderback
On defending the Big 12 title: We know we have the target on our back for sure, but we're taking the pressure well. We're just ready to go out there and defend our title and hopefully we'll have two more trophies.
On if this year's team is better than last year's team: I think so. We're more well-rounded in sprints. As you can see on the national lists, we have the top relay in the nation right now. So there's good things to come.
On sacrificing oneself for competing in so many events: I feel like everyone is willing to do whatever is necessary to win. If they told me to go run the mile or the 800, I would say, 'OK, sure, if it's what I got to do.' I feel like everyone would do the same, just whatever it takes to win the trophy.
On putting Texas Track & Field on the map: Honestly I'm just trying to go out there and compete for the team, and not really caring about individual titles. It's all about the team trophy for me and lighting the tower on Saturday night.
