Texas Tech Track and Field Travels to Rocky Mountain Cup
June 21, 1999 | Indoor Track
January 20, 1999
LUBBOCK, Texas -
Meet Breakdown Rocky Mountain Cup Location: Colorado Springs, Colo. - United States Air Force Academy Date: Jan 22-23, 1999 Teams Competing: Air Force, Adams State, Brigham Young University, Colorado State, Northern Colorado and Western State
Texas Tech travels to Colorado Springs, Colo., to compete in the Rocky Mountain Cup. This will be the Red Raiders second year traveling to the indoor meet.
Last season, Texas Tech trio of top sprinters had some of their finest performances of the year. Josephus "Pap" Howard provisionally qualified for the NCAA indoor championships in both the 55-meters and 200-meters. Howard won the 200-meters with a time of 20.90.
In the men's 400 meters the Red Raiders dominated the competition taking two of the top four spots. Rohan McDonald, competing in one of his first indoor meets at Texas Tech won the race with a time of 46.99 and provisionally qualified for the NCAA indoor championships. Desmond Johnson also turned in an excellent performance finishing fourth with a time of 47.77.
The mile relay, which consisted of all three took first place with a time of 3:13.03.
Last year the women had two top finishes. The mile relay team took first with a time of 3:53.53. In the high jump, Crystal Harlan turned in the best performance of the day with a jump of 1.75meters.
Texas Tech will look to build on the momentum established with eight first-place performances on Jan. 16 at the Red Raider Indoor Open.
The trio of sprinters looks to have picked up where they left off last season. At the Open, Rohan McDonald took first-place in the 600-yard dash with a time of 1:10.61, the best in the Big 12 so far this season. Johnson finished just behind McDonald in second with a time of 1:11.46. The two joined with Howard and Shameron Turner to turn in another Big 12 best time in the mile relay while finishing first.
Senior Rusty Purser took first place in the shot put with a throw of 15.06 meters.
The women's team was led by Ngozi Iwu who recorded an Athletic Training Center and Big 12 best time in the 600 yards with a time of 1:22.85. Leigh Daniel had two first place marks in the mile and 3,000 meters. Corey Cramption, running unattached, took first in the 200-meter dash at 25.23. Teammate Tami Zachery finished second at 25.38.
Finally, the women's distance medley relay team of Daniel, Kristen Koppe, Aimee Roberson and Courtney Nolen won their race with a time of 13:08.50.
"Quoting Director of Texas Tech Track and Field Greg Sholars"
"This upcoming meet is going to be the first real opportunity we have to get a good feel about how we stand as far as getting in line for national competition. We are going to go ahead and take our All-America performers Pap Howard, Rohan McDonald and Desmond Johnson and let them open up in their individual events. We are hoping to see them get right in line with what it is going to take to compete at the national level, as well as, be top runners in the Big 12 conference. Last weekend was a dress rehersal at home and this will be the first real performance. We are going up there to expect to see things happen. The intensity will be higher this week; we want to place some marks that will show us where we stand nationally."
"On the women's side we have some young kids like Ngozi Iwu. We are going to turn her loose and let her compete in the 400-meters. It will be a new event for her, but we feel she can be extremely competitive in the Big 12 conference. Sherri Coleman is someone we are excited about in the short sprints. This meet will help to test the waters and see if she can be a national competitor in the 55-meters. Our women's team is a little bit stronger in the distance area. But, due to the higher altitude, we will be leaving Leigh Daniel and Evette Turner, two of our biggest powers, at home."
On last year's sucess at the Rocky Mountain Cup:
"We definitely look forward to coming to this meet every year. In indoor track there are many different sizes and configurations of tracks. This track is one of the oversized tracks that allows our kids the opportunity to get out and run and put up some excellent numbers."
1999 Texas Tech Track & Field Top Performances
Men's Performances
D. Johnson, S. Turner, J. Howard, R. McDonald Mile Relay 3:13.04 1/16/99 Best time in Big 12 as of 1-19-99
Rohan McDonald 600-yard 1:10.61 1/16/99 Red Raider Open Texas Tech Indoor Record Athletic Training Center Record Best Time in Big 12 as of 1-19-99
Rusty Purser Shot Put 15.06m 1/16/99 Red Raider Open
Women's Performances
K. Koppes, A. Roberson, L. Daniel, C. Nolen Distance Medley Relay 13:08.50 1/16/99
Ngozi Iwu 600-yard 1:22.85 1/16/99 Red Raider Open Texas Tech Indoor Record Athletic Training Center Record
Leigh Daniel 3,000-meters 10:26.31 Mile 5:09.54 1/16/99 Red Raider Open
Corey Crampton (UNA) 200-meters 25.23 1/16/99 Red Raider Open