Tracking Success
Release: 02/25/2010
by Big12Sports.com
Courtesy: Big12Sports.com
By Wendell Barnhouse | wendell@big12sports.com
Big12Sports.com Correspondent
The Big 12 Indoor Championships, hosted by Iowa State, will take place Friday and Saturday. The Conference has become a national power in track and field and this weekend's indoor event features competitors who figure to make their marks in the NCAA championships in two weeks.
A total of 22 men, in nine different events, have already automatically qualified for NCAA Indoors while on the women's side, 10 athletes, in seven different events, have already automatically qualified.
Five Big 12 men's teams are ranked nationally and Texas A&M have been No. 1 four consecutive weeks. The Aggies will be trying to win their first indoor title. Texas has won the last three championships and five overall. Nebraska is the only other men's team to win the indoor crown with a total of nine.
Texas A&M's women are ranked second nationally and the Aggies have won the last three Big 12 indoor titles. Nebraska and Texas have each won five indoor titles. Nebraska (No. 14) and Oklahoma (No. 15) are the other women's teams ranked nationally.
Iowa State's Lied Recreation Center is hosting the event for the fourth time. It previously took place there in 1998, 2000 and 2007.
Here are updates for each team's top competitors.
Baylor women
Junior Tiffany Townsend is ranked in the Top 15 in the NCAA in both the 60 meters and 200 meters. Sophomore triple jumper Jessica Ubanyionwu holds the Big 12's top spot with a leap of 43-1 3/4, ranking 10th in the NCAA. Erin Bedell in the 3,000 meters, DeAna Carson in the long jump and Diamond Richardson in the 400 meters are all top competitors for the Lady Bears.
Colorado women
Allie McLaughlin, Laura Tremblay and Laura Thweatt are top-ranked in the 3,000 meters. Tremblay and Thweatt also are outstanding competitors in the 5,000 meters. Emma Coburn figures to be in strong contention in the mile while Alyssa Frank will challenge for a top spot in the high jump.
Iowa State women
Senior Lisa Koll is a seven-time All-American is one of the top performers in the 3,000- and 5,000-meter runs. Sophomore Kianna Elahi will be a threat in the 400 meters. Senior Jenna Caffrey is outstanding in the 60 meters and the 60-meter hurdles.
Kansas women
Senior Lauren Bonds leads the Jayhawks. She currently holds the second-best mile time in the conference at 4:42.11. She has met NCAA qualifying standards in the mile and the 3,000 meters. Alena Krechyk will vie for a medal in the women's weight throw, as she enters the event with a conference-leading mark of 19.37 meters (63-6 3/4 feet). Junior Amanda Miller is ranked fourth in the Big 12 in the 5,000 meters.
Kansas State women
The Wildcats are young but have experience in a number of events. Tiara Walpool has scored points for the Wildcats the last two years at the Big 12 Indoor Championships in the triple jump; she was third last year. Kansas State has won seven of 13 conference titles in the weight throw. Chelsie Bonds, Ali Pistora and Amanda Boor all could score points. Beverly Ramos leads the way in the 5,000 meters.
Missouri women
Senior Shannon Leinert claimed both the Big 12 indoor and outdoor 800 meter titles during the 2009 season and she enters this year's Big 12 Indoor Championships as the favorite. Leinert owns the fastest time in the conference and the nation's second-fastest time so far this season after clocking in at 2:04.32. Lana Mims in the 400 meters and Leslie Farmer in the 600-yard run should be near the top of those events.
Nebraska women
The Cornhuskers are ranked 14th and will be seeking their first indoor title since 2005. High jumper Epley Bullock, a three-time All-American in the event, is one of three Huskers who excel in the high jump. Audrey Svane and Lorena Menghia have both reached NCAA qualifying standards. Pole vaulter Natalie Willer and Megan Wheatley (pentathlon) are defending Big 12 champions in their events.
Oklahoma women
Ti'Anca Mock is the defending Big 12 champion in the indoor and outdoor long jump. She has the fourth-best jump in the Big 12 this season. Junior-college transfer Jasmine Simmons is second in the Big 12 in the triple jump and 11th nationally. Scottesha Miller ranks second in the 200-meter dash and third in the 60-meter dash. Latoya Greaves will compete for a top finish in the 60-meter and 100-meter hurdles. Karen Shump, Tia Brooks and Amy Backel give the Sooners a trio of top shot put competitors.
Oklahoma State women
The Cowgirls' Felicity Milton, a junior from England, is a versatile middle distance and distance runner. She competes in the 800, 5,000 and 10,000 meters. Mihaela Susa of Romania is also a top-notch distance runner. The junior is the school record holder in the 1,500 meters and also competes in the 3,000 and 5,000 meters.
Texas women
The Longhorns will try to win their sixth Big 12 indoor title. Angele Cooper (Wilson HS, Long Beach) has earned NCAA provisional marks in the 200 and 400 meters while Chantel Malone has qualified in the long jump, triple jump and 400 meters. Senior Jordyn Brown is an NCAA qualifier in the shot put. Pole vaulter Natasha Malone and Betzy Jiminez (3,000 meters) and mile are also top competitors for Texas.
Texas A&M women
The Aggies are ranked second nationally and are seeking their fourth consecutive Big 12 Indoor title. Gabby Mayo will try to defend her indoor titles in the 60-meter dash and 60-meter hurdles; she scored 23 points in last year's meet. Porscha Lucas (200 meters), Jessica Beard (400 meters) and Sandy Wooten (600 yards) won their events last year. A&M's 4x400 meter relay team has won the last three Big 12 indoor titles.
Texas Tech women
The Red Raiders' distance medley relay team (Purity Biwott, Gladys Kipsang, Trudeann Clarke and Caroline Karunde) have the top time in the Big 12 and the sixth-fasted nationally. Shade Weygandt is the top freshman pole vaulter in the nation and ranks ninth nationally. Kelsey Lloyd is a newcomer to the pentathlon but has the fifth-best performance nationally and has qualified for the NCAAs.
Baylor men
Senior Chris Gowell has broken three Baylor records this season (800, 1,000, and DMR) and he has the top time in the 800 in the Big 12 this season. Sophomore Trey Harris is the defending NCAA Indoor champion. Sophomore Whitney Prevost has the fourth-best time in the NCAA in the 200. Junior Marcus Boyd is a threat in the 400 meters while the 4x400 meter relay team has the second-best time in the NCAA this season.
Colorado men
Steve Kasica has recorded the sixth-best time in school history in the 800 meters. is sixth in CU history with a time of 1:50.50 in the 800 and ranks 11th in the league. Richard Median, Aldo Vega, Christian Thompson, Matt Tebo and Jordan Kyle give the Buffs a deep group of competitors in the 3,000 and 5,000 meters. Alex Von Hagen, Adam Salzmann and Eddie Taylor are top-notch competitors in the heptathlon.
Iowa State men
Senior Guor Marial, an All-American in cross country, will be a threat to win the 3,000- and 5,000-meter runs. Junior Hillary Box joins Marial in the 3,000-meter run and also competes in the 800 meters. Redshirt freshman Ian Warner has had a strong indoor season competing in the 60-meter dash.
Kansas men
Senior Jordan Scott in the pole vault and freshman Mason Finley in the shot put have the best performances in the Big 12 so far this season. sophomores Keith Hayes in the 60-meter hurdles and Corey Fuller in the triple jump, as both athletes have met NCAA provisional qualifying standards this season.
Kansas State men
Freshman Erik Kynard, Jr., has taken over for three-time NCAA champion Scott Sellers in the high jump. Kynard has the ninth-highest jump in the nation this season. Moritz Cleve will try to defend his 2009 Big 12 Indoor heptathlon title. Some of his stiffest competition could come from his teammates - Rok Derzanic and Mantas Silkauskas.
Missouri men
Senior Nick Adcock is one of the favorites to take home the heptathlon title. Adcock sits atop the Big 12's rankings and is also second in the nation after posting an NCAA automatic qualifying point total of 5,758 points at the Bill Bergan Invitational. Balek Irwin, Aaron Dixon and Rick Scheff have all provisionally qualified in the 800 meters. Irwin and Dixon rank second and third, respectively, at 800m in the Big 12 this season.
Nebraska men
Ranked eighth nationally, the Cornhuskers are seeking their first Big 12 indoor title since 2007. Nicholas Gordon is the defending champion in the long jump. High jumper Paul Hamilton has the best effort in the Big 12 in his event. Lehann Fourie and Tyrell Ross give Nebraska a potent one-two punch in the 60-meter hurdles. David Adams, a junior, will battle a competitive field in the 5,000 meters. Brett Suckstorf is an NCAA provisional qualifier in weight throw.
Oklahoma men
Will Claye, the 2009 NCAA and Big 12 outdoor triple jump champion, has only competed once this season, but he'll be competing at the Big 12 indoor meet. Ronnie Ash is a transfer from Bethune-Cookman where he was the 2009 NCAA 60-meter and 110-meter hurdles champion. He has the top time in the Big 12 in the 60-meter hurdles. Malcolm Anderson also competes in the 60-meter hurdles. K.P. Singh (Clovis HS) in the weight throw, Jacob Boone and Eric Harasyn in the mile plus Rob Sorrell and Kevin Williams in the mile are also top competitors for the Sooners.
Oklahoma State men
The Cowboys will enter the Big 12 Championships led by German Fernandez (Riverbank HS) in the 3,000 meters and Colby Lowe in the 3,000 and 5,000 meters. Lowe holds the second-best time in the 5,000 meters for the 2010 indoor season. Freshman Tom Farrell has twice achieved times needed to qualify for the NCAAs. Sophomore Raul Botezan is a stand out in the mile.
Texas men
The Longhorns are seeking their fifth Big 12 Indoor Championship. Sophomore Patrick Todd is the defending champion in the 1,000 meters. Tevas Everett (600 yards) and junior Logan Gonzales (1,000 meters) finished second in those events in last year's Big 12 event. Maston Wallace has twice won the pole vault. In the shot put, junior Brandon Drenon, sophomore Jacob Thormaehlen and freshman Hayden Baillio have three of the top four efforts in the Big 12 this season.
Texas A&M men
The Aggies are ranked No. 1 nationally. Conference event leaders include Gerald Phiri (60-meter dash), Curtis Mitchell (200 meters), Tabarie Henry (400 meters) and Zuheir Sharif Franklin HS, Elk Grove (triple jump). Sharif won the triple jump last year. A&M's 4 x 400 meter relay team has the nation's best time this year.
Texas Tech men
The Red Raiders are No. 9 in the nation. Freshman Bryce Lamb has made an immediate impact as he ranks fifth nationally both the long jump and triple jump. Senior Darrell Roddick is also a top-notch triple jumper; he ranks fourth nationally. Senior Omo Osaghae is the defending Big 12 champ in the 60-meter hurdles.
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