Texas Tech University Athletics
2015-16 Track and Field Roster
Roster
Joseph Richards III
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Beaumont, Texas
- High School:
- Clifton J. Ozen
Five-Time USTFCCCA All-American
- 2016 Second Team Outdoor 4x400-Meter Relay
- 2016 Honorable Mention Outdoor 4x100-Meter Relay
- 2016 Second Team Indoor 4x400-Meter Relay
- 2015 Honorable Mention Outdoor 4x400-Meter Relay
- 2015 First Team Indoor 4x400-Meter Relay
2016 OUTDOOR
Qualified for the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 4x100 & 4x400-meter relays ... helped the 4x400 relay to second team All-America status after finishing 15th at 3:06.62 ... earned honorable mention All-America honors in the 4x100 relay, although the quartet was unable to finish their heat ... ran the leadoff leg of the 4x400-meter relay team which finished second in their heat to auto-qualify, sixth overall at 3:04.87 ... the time was a season-best ... it is the 10th mile relay to advance to the NCAA Championships in school history and marks back-to-back years he has competed on ... was the second leg of the 4x100 relay that earned the 12th qualifying spot at 40.01 ... it is the fifth sprint relay from Tech to advance and first since 2012 ... also finished 24th in the open 400-meter quarterfinal at 47.25 ... entered the NCAA West Preliminaries with a time of 46.38 in the men's 400 meters, which ranked 16th in the region ... the time came in the finals of the Big 12 Championship on May 15, where he picked up All-Big 12 honors after a fourth-place finish in the event ... he posted a faster time earlier in the season at the Masked Rider Open on May 6 at 46.35, but altitude adjustments altered the time to 46.49 ... that time was his second first-place time, also earning an event win in the 200 meters at the Texas Tech Open behind a PR performance at 20.81 ... has also competed on the 4x100 and 4x400 relays, both of which are entered in the NCAA West Preliminaries ... helped the 4x1 to a sixth-place finish at the conference championships at 40.77 the 4x4 to a bronze medal at 3:09.85 ... ran on the top 4x400-meter relay team for the Red Raiders this season at 3:05.18, coming at the Michael Johnson Invitational on April 23.
2016 INDOOR
Earned Second Team All-America honors at the NCAA Indoor Championships after helping the men's 4x400-meter relay team to a ninth-place finish at 3:07.17 ... the time was the ninth-fastest in school history ... the same quartet also paced to the second-fastest time in school history earlier in the season at the Tyson Invitational with a time of 3:04.98 ... also put together a spectacular season in the open 400 meters, notching two top 10 school record book times ... finished top seven in every 400-meter race during the indoor slate, including a first-place time and personal-best at the New Mexico Team Invitational at 46.39 ... that time ranked as the sixth-fastest in school history ... also at the Tyson Invitational, he'd circle the track to a time of 46.49 for the ninth-fastest in Tech history ... at the conference championships, he earned All-Big 12 honors after a seventh-place finish.
2015 OUTDOOR
Finished in the top three four times during the outdoor campaign, including two first-place finishes ... recorded a mark of 46.24 in the 400 meters at the Texas Tech Open to claim his first win of the outdoor season ... put up the ninth-fastest time in school history in the outdoor 400-meter dash at 45.61 at the Wes Kittley Invite to grab his second first-place finish ... earned All-Big 12 honors after finishing third at the conference meet at 46.08 ... represented Texas Tech at the NCAA West Prelims on the 4x400-meter relay and the open 400, finishing 27th at 47.17 ... helped the relay squad to the seventh-fastest time in school history at the Texas Relays at 3:03.47, which was No. 2 in the nation at the time ... earned Honorable Mention All-America honors for qualifying for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
2015 INDOOR
Recorded three top two finishes during the indoor slate ... opened the season with a second-place finish in the 400 meters at the Texas A&M Quadrangular at 46.80 ... his next three times all ranked inside the the top 10 in the school record books in the 400-meter dash ... put up the 10th-best time at the Tyson Invitational at 46.62 ... recorded the No. 8 mark at the Masked Rider Open behind a time of 46.59 ... earned All-Big 12 performer honors after a runner-up finish at the conference meet, with the sixth-fastest time in school history at 46.49 ... helped the 4x400-meter relay squad to the seventh-best time at Texas Tech at the Arkansas Open at 3:07.00 ... earned First Team All-America honors after a seventh-place finish at 3:07.52 at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
2014 OUTDOOR
Completed the All-Big 12 sweep in the 400 meters, by finishing second at the outdoor championships, running a personal-best 45.80 ... Qualified for the NCAA West Preliminaries in the 400 meters, finishing 14th, with a 46.44, missing out on the NCAA Championships by two spots ... Took third place in the 400 meter dash at the Red Raider Open (45.97).
2014 INDOOR
Took third place in the 400 meters at the Big 12 Championships, running a 47.02 and snagging six team points in the process ... Finished in the top six in each 400 meter race he ran, inculding a season-best 47.01 that earned him fifth place at the prestigious Alex Wilson Invitational.
2013 OUTDOOR
Competed in the sprints...finished sixth overall at the Big 12 Championships in the 400-meter dash with a time of 46.60...also helped guide the Red Raider 4x400-relay team to a third place finish at the Big 12 Championships...clocked a season-best 46.49 to finish second at the Texas Tech Open (4/6) marking the fastest time by a Red Raider in the event in 2013.
2013 INDOOR
Competed in the 400-meter dash and as a member of the 4x400 relay team...helped the 4x400 relay team to a third place finish at the Big 12 Championships with a season-best time of 3:09.55...finished sixth in the 400-meter dash at the Big 12 Championships with a time of 47.84...finished highest in the Big 12 among freshmen...clocked a season-best 47.47 to finish seventh at the Tyson Invitational.
CLIFTON J. OZEN
Lettered in track and field and basketball...competed in the 400-meter dash and as a member of the 4x100 and 4x400 relay...personal-best time of 47.01 in the 400-meter dash...garnered All-State and All-District honors...earned All-District honors as a member of the basketball team as a sophomore.
PERSONAL
Joseph Charles Richards III...has one sibling, Jacob,...plans to major in Exercise and Sports Sciences at Texas Tech.
