Feb. 7, 2007

Complete Notes

LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech track team is scheduled to take part in one of the premier indoor events of the year, the Tyson Invitational, from Fayetteville, Ark. The 2007 edition of the meet will begin on Friday, February 9th, with the conclusion to take place on Saturday. The Red Raiders will also be hosting their final indoor meet of the year, the Texas Tech Open, set to begin on Friday with the pentathlon. The remaining events will take place on Saturday.

With a field of 38 teams scheduled to compete at the Tyson Invite, 19 men's and 13 women's squads ranked in Trackwire's top 20 are participating. On the men's side, the top three teams, Auburn, Florida State and host Arkansas, will compete for points in the polls. More impressively, the top six teams, including Tech, are scheduled to compete on the women's side. Arizona State, Michigan, LSU, Stanford, South Carolina and Tech are ranked No. 1 through 6, respectively.

The Red Raiders will also get a feel for many of the conference competitors, as seven Big 12 schools are entered for the Tyson. Baylor, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Texas will all be facing various Texas Tech members. Three men's teams and four women's are rated in the conference.

This weekend's home event will feature nine schools, including Texas Tech. The Red Raiders will face familiar competition in Abilene Christian, McMurry, South Plains, Southwest (NM) and Wayland Baptist. Each of the schools has competed in one of Tech's previous home indoor meets.

Action begins from Arkansas on Friday at 10 a.m. with the men's pole vault. Running events start with the women's 60M hurdles at 12 p.m. On Saturday, the women's high jump and women's 3000M are tentatively scheduled for 10 a.m.

From Lubbock, events begin on Friday with the Texas Tech Pentathlon at 2 p.m. The first event scheduled is the men's 60M hurdles, followed by the women's 60M hurdles. Each event has a 30 minute break afterward.

Saturday's field events are set to get underway with the men's and women's long jump from two pits at 10 a.m., as well as the women's weight throw. Track events will begin at 11 a.m. with the women's 60M hurdles followed by the men's.

A complete schedule of both events can be found on page 7 on the Texas Tech track and field notes.

Coverage of both events will be posted online at www.texastech.com as soon as results are available and each day is complete. For live results, please use the following links for each competition: Tyson: www.flashresults.com; TTU Open: www.spato.us/ttu.

Where to Find Them
With the team split for the second time this season, athletes entries have already been submitted for the Tyson Invitational. The following is a list of the women and men that are scheduled to appear in Fayetteville and their events.

Women: Amanda Alley (pole vault); Janell Appelhans (60M, long jump); Jonisha Boleware (60M, 200M); Violet Chemakwila (5000M); Asia Diaz (800M, Mile); Sandra Iwunze (60M hurdles); Irene Kimaiyo (5000M); Gladys Kipsang (Mile, 3000M); Sally Kipyego (5000M); Kelley Schulz (pole vault); Lindsey Walesheck (pole vault); Lacy Wilson (high jump).

Men: Chris Ashcraft (pole vault); Daryl Burgess (60M hurdles); Kevin Chelimo (3000M, 5000M); Bobby Evers (long jump, triple jump); Anthony Flemons (long jump, triple jump); Zach Glavash (800M); Seth Harris (pole vault); Shawon Harris (60M hurdles); Lyle Leong (high jump, long jump); Rodney Mims (400M); Marlon Odom (200M, 60M hurdles); Omo Osaghae (200M, 60M hurdles); Brian Porter (pole vault); Edwin Sang (800M, mile); Bryan Scott (400M, 60M hurdles); Jamar Wall (long jump); Brandon Washington (400M).

Count `Em Up
After three weeks, the Red Raiders have had NCAA qualifying marks at all of their meets. The first week produced one automatic and three provisional marks for the Red Raider women. In the second week, as the teams split between Albuquerque, N.M., and Seattle, Wash., the men earned four provisional marks while the women added two automatic and one provisional. Last week, Marlon Odom and Patience Knight each had their second provisional mark in their respective events, the 60M hurdles and shot put. Lacy Wilson also earned her first provisional mark of the indoor season in the women's high jump. She cleared the bar at the height needed, 5'10".

To date, the men have qualifications in four different events: pole vault, triple jump, 60M hurdles and 3000M. The women have earned eight provisional marks, including two from each Irene Kimaiyo and Sally Kipyego. Three marks are automatics and all are in distance events. Provisional marks have been met in pole vault (from two Red Raiders), high jump, shot put and mile.

Freshman Phenom
Being the 2006 2A triple jump champion and the long jump runner-up might set up high expections, but for Tech freshman Anthony Flemons it set goals. A goal was achieved at the Dan DeHart Invitational on Saturday, January 27th, when the Childress, Texas, native competed in the triple jump for the first time in his Red Raider career.

After already having the competition wrapped up with a distance of 51'-9.25", the only provisional mark met in the event, Flemons amazed on his sixth and final leap. He finished with a mark of 52'-8.25", which sits atop the nation's collegiate jumps. Flemons missed the NCAA automatic mark of 16.10m by 1.75".

Up, Up and Away
One area of apparent strength on the Red Raider team is pole vault. Three Tech vaulters have achieved NCAA provisional marks in the event and five have set personal bests.

On the men's side, senior Chris Ashcraft put his best foot forward while competing in his hometown of Albuquerque, N.M., at the Dan DeHart Invitational. He vaulted to a height of 17'-0.75" to qualify and mark a personal best, beating his previous of 16'-7.25".

Newcomer Brian Porter did well in his first performance for the Red Raiders, as he finished with a height of 15'-7". He bested the effort by a foot in his second meet, clearing 16'-7.5" at the Dan DeHart.

For the women, Amanda Alley started the season strong as she placed first at the Texas Tech Invitational. The sophomore Red Raider earned a provisional mark with a personal best height of 12'-11.5". At the same meet, junior Kelley Schulz had a personal best of 12'-5.5".

At the Dan DeHart, senior Lindsey Walesheck finished nine inches short of an automatic mark with a height of 13'-0.25". The Cedar Park, Texas, native best her previous personal mark of 12'-7.5"

Right For Knight
Tech sophomore thrower Patience Knight started out strong in her first indoor meet of the season. Not only did she throw an NCAA provisional distance in the shot put, but she exceeded her personal bests in both the shot and weight throw.

The San Antonio native threw for 50'-8.25" in the shot on January 20th, shattering her previous best of 46'-10.75" from the Big 12 Championships last season. Her provisional mark is her first for indoor track and field.

In the weight throw, Knight finished in third, but overthrew her best mark from her freshman year by a foot. Her previous best of 50'-10.25", also recorded at the conference meet last season, was out-done by her toss of 51'-11.75" at the invitational on Jan. 19th.

In the season's second meet, Knight continued to better herself by again resetting her weight throw best. She threw for a distance of 53'-1" at the Dan DeHart, finishing 10th in the event loaded with strong competitors.

In the third week, Knight met her second provisional mark in the women's shot put. She threw for a distance of 50'-1.25" to mark her second best throw of her Tech career.