Texas Women's Track and Field wins Texas A&M Dual Meet, 80.5-78.5

Women's Track and Field wins Texas A&M Dual Meet, 80.5-78.5
With the meet tied heading into last event of the night, the 4x400m, UT runs 3:35.39 to beat No. 1 Texas A&M.

Jan. 23, 2010

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The No. 15 University of Texas Women's Track and Field team won the Texas A&M Dual Meet Saturday afternoon, 80.5-78.5, at Gilliam Indoor Stadium. The meet was decided by the last event of the night, the 4x400m relay, where the Longhorns edged the top-ranked Aggies 3:35.39 to 3:35.60 for the win.

Both teams were knotted at 75.50 heading into the mile relay. Sophomore Judy Nwosu took the first 400m before handing off to Stacey-Ann Smith who put the Longhorns in front. Junior Chantel Malone extended UT's lead heading into the final 400m where sophomore Angele Cooper [SO Sprints Signal Hill, Calif. (Long Beach Wilson)] was going up against A&M's Jessica Beard. The two were neck in neck during the final 200m with Cooper crossing the line three-tenths of a second faster than Beard. UT also picked up an NCAA provisional mark in the event.

Freshman Natasha Masterson tied the Texas indoor pole vault school record as she cleared an NCAA provisional height of 13-6.25 (4.12m). Masterson's mark matched Ashley Laughlin's height set on March 3, 2007 and is tied for the third highest height in the nation this season. The freshman outdid her previous personal-best by almost a full foot. (12-7.5).

Masterson's provisional mark was one of six earned by the Longhorns on Saturday and her victory was one of eight individual events won by UT. The Horns also won the distance medley relay (Mia Behm, Kennetra Jones, Julie Amthor and Betzy Jimenez), setting up the tied score heading into the 4x400m relay.

Earlier in the night, Cooper also picked up two NCAA provisional times of the season with a personal-best 53.23 in the 400m and a personal-best 23.88 in the 200m. Malone also collected two provisional marks in the triple jump (41-10.5, 12.76m) and the long jump (20-4.25, 6.20m).

Texas earned two victories from redshirt junior Betzy Jimenez who crossed the line first in the 800m in a personal-best 2:13.58 and then completed the 5,000m in 16:55.56 for first. Senior Jordyn Brown also won two events taking the shot put with a mark of 47-9.50 (16.01m) and the weight throw with a toss of 60-5.75 (18.43m). Sophomore Victoria Lucas also chipped in a first place finish with her height of 5-7 (1.70m) in the high jump.

Sophomore Mia Behm won the mile for the second time in as many meets with a time of 5:03.02. Sophomore Laleh Mojtabaeezamani crossed the line just after Behm in a personal-best 5:05.10 for second taking nine seconds off her previous PR.

The Longhorns return to College Station Saturday, January 29-30 for the Big 12/Pac-10/SEC Challenge.

POST MEET QUOTES
Head Coach Beverly Kearney
On the win: For us, more than beating anyone else, it's us coming together as a team. A&M is ranked No. 1 in the nation and anytime you can go to A&M when they're ranked No. 1 in the nation and come out with a hard fought victory in that manner with two of the best mile relays in the country, I don't think you could have scripted a better finish.We are just blessed. We came into this season with a relatively young team and a few upper classmen, we're just blessed.

On the 4x400m: The bottom line is what we're about this year is don't quit, don't back down don't quit. No matter what the odds or obstacles that stand in front of you, fight. We're about when they scream `Texas Fight' we're about Texas and we're about fight. If we're about those two things then we're what Texas is about and that's what we did today.

On Natasha Masterson and tying the indoor pole vault school record: She was unbelievable today. Earlier this season, I told her that she was going to score at the conference meets this year, and she said to me "No Coach, I'm going to score at nationals." That shows the kind of heart she has. She is about team, that's what this is about.

Sophomore Angele Cooper
On running the anchor lap on the 4x400m: I'm speechless, this feels so surreal. Heading into that last race, I just listened to Coach Bev and Coach Michelle and they said that this was going to take heart. So I just thought about last year's finish and how we didn't win nationals and they won the outdoor. It felt really great to get that win. TEXAS RESULTS (#-NCAA Provisional mark; !-personal best, sr-school record)
4x400m relay
1. Texas (Judy Nwosu, Stacey-Ann Smith, Chantel Malone, Angele Cooper), 3:35.39#


Distance Medley Relay
1. Texas (Mia Behm, Kennetra Jones, Julie Amthor, Betzy Jimenez), 12:13.68


Pole Vault
1. Natasha Masterson, 13-6.25 (4.12m)#!sr
3. Jessica Doyle, 12-2 (3.71m)


Mile
1. Mia Behm, 5:03.02
2. Laleh Mojtabaeezamani, 5:05.10!
4. Anne Jones, 5:18.58


60m Hurdles
4. Ashley Starks, 8.91
5. Natasha Masterson, 9.19
6. Victoria Lucas, 9.53


200m
3. Angele Cooper, 23.88#!9. Kennetra Jones, 25.32
10. Ashley Starks, 25.45


400m
2. Angele Cooper, 53.23#!
3. Stacey-Ann Smith, 54.99
4. Judy Nwosu, 55.60
7. Kennetra Jones, 58.03
8. Kim Ikegbunam, 58.04


60m
6. Chalonda Goodman, 7.63
8. Ashley Starks, 8.05


800m
1. Betzy Jimenez, 2:13.58!
2. Julie Amthor, 2:14.65!
5. Katie Hoaldridge, 2:19.64!


5,000m
1. Betzy Jimenez, 16:55.56
3. Asia Myrland, 17:06.00
4. Mia Behm, 17:10.73
7. Laleh Mojtabaeezamani, 17:30.68!
8. Ginny Simon, 18:23.86


Shot Put
1. Jordyn Brown, 47-9.50 (16.01m)
4. Helen Ubabuike, 45-6.25 (13.87m)!
5. Okwukwe Okolie, 40-9.50 (12.43m)
6. Akua Senchery, 38-10.50 (11.85m)!


Triple Jump
2. Chantel Malone, 41-10.50 (12.76m)#
5. Aisha White, 38-2 (11.63m)


Long Jump
2. Chantel Malone, 20-5.75 (6.20m)#
5. Beverly Owoyele, 18-4.50 (5.60m)


High Jump
1. Victoria Lucas, 5-7 (1.70m)
T3. Beverly Owoyele, 5-3.75 (1.62m)


Weight Throw
1. Jordyn Brown, 60-5.75 (18.43m)
4. Kayla Marsh, 40-2.25 (12.25m)
5. Okwukwe Okolie, 29-5.25 (8.97m)