Track & Field Off for the Weekend
June 21, 1999 | Indoor Track
Feb. 9, 1998
Tech breaks from action this weekend
After four consecutive weekends in competition, the Red Raiders will remain at home this weekend to prepare for the second half of the indoor seasonSumThe coaching staff will possibly send a selection of distance runners to compete at the Canyon IV Classic, hosted by Butler Unviersity, in Indianapolis, Indiana. The meet would run February 13-14SumThe team will return to action on Saturday, February 11th with a trip to the University of Houston. Just three meets remain for the Red Raiders to set qualifying marks for the NCAA National Championships, held March 13-14 at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Howard named Trackwire "Athlete of the Week"
Texas Tech's standout sprinter Josephus Howard was named Trackwire's "Men's Athlete of the Week" on Friday after his performance at the Rocky Mountain Cup. He earns the honor for the competitive weekend of January 30 - February 1, during which he clocked his personal best time in the indoor 200 meters and qualified for the NCAA Championships. The honored athletes are chosen by the publication's staff in consultation with Division I track and field coaches around the country. Trackwire can be reached online at www.trackwire.com.
Red Raider rewind
The Bill Cosby Invitational, held Saturday in Reno, Nevada, produced several top finishes for the Red Raiders. The Tech relay teams continued their streaks of gold medal performances, as the men's 1600 meter unit cruised to victory with a provisional qualification time of 3:10.5. The women's distance medley team also crossed the line in first place with a time of 12:30.8. Individually, junior Michael Njenga earned first in the 3000 with a time of 8:35.8. Junior Evette Turner climbed on top of the Tech season best list in the mile run at the meet, hosted by the University of Nevada-Reno. Her time of 5:02.0 was good for fourth place. Kaneshia Polk also set a new season best, leaping 38-7 in the triple jump for fourth place as well.
Josephus Howard moves into American record book
Sophomore sprinter Josephus Howard earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Indoor Championships to be held March 13-14 at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Howard recorded a time of 20.51 seconds in the 200 meters at the Rocky Mountain Cup at the US Air Force Academy, breaking the Texas Tech record, the meet record and the track record. His time was the fastest by an American on an oversized indoor track and the third fastest American time on any size indoor track. At the meet, he beat Kevin Little, the 1997 world indoor champion in the 200 who also holds the indoor record in the event and previously held the meet record. His time also places him on top of the Big 12 Conference in the 200.
Countdown to conference
The last weekend in February marks the second Big 12 Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships. This year's meet will be hosted by Iowa State in Ames, Iowa. Last year, Nebraska's men's and women's squads claimed the inaugural crowns. Texas Tech claimed an individual medal from Josephus Howard in the 200 meters, and saw second place performances from Desmond Johnson in the 400 and Amber Affeldt in the women's 600 yards.
The year of the relay
Texas Tech relay team have left the competition in the dust this season. At least one relay unit at each meet this season has claimed first place. At the Red Raider Indoor Open, the women's mile relay team finished first. It was the men's and women's distance medley relay earning the titles at the Red Raider Indoor Invitational. Both mile relay squads took the crown at the Rocky Mountain Cup, and at the Bill Cosby Invitational, the men's 1600 relay and the women's distance medley relay each racked up top honors.
Heightened awareness
Altitude has been everything for the indoor track team this season. Each of the four meets the team has competed so far has been at an elevation of 3,195 feet or greater. Special altitude adjustments are given to the NCAA qualifying marks, accounting for slower times in the distance events (5000, 3000, 1500, mile and distance medley relay). In the past two meets, the Tech runners have competed at elevations of 7,048 feet and 4,620 feet.
New faces on the coaching staff
For the first time, the men's and women's track and field teams are travelling and competing as one unit. The unification has developed under the guidance of joint head coach Greg Sholars, who begins his third season as head of the men,s program and first year in charge of the women. Several new additions have joined the coaching staff. Among them are Trece Hayslett, a sprinter and hurdler at Memphis State who came to Tech from Tulane. Darrel Robinson has also come to the program, helping with field events and strength and conditioning.
Two more individuals have set aside time to act as volunteer coaches. Dr. Paul Johnson, a dentist in Lubbock and long time track athlete, and Juliette Campbell, a standout at Auburn and two-time Olympian, has joined the staff to help with the women,s sprints and middle distance runners.
Texas Tech National QualifiersAutomatic
Josephus Howard, 200 (20.51)
Provisional Men Josephus Howard, 55 (6.22) Rohan McDonald, 400 (46.99) Mile Relay (3:11.32) 1600 Meter Relay (3:10.5) Women Crystal Harlan, High Jump (5-10)