Texas Tech University Athletics
1998 Season Outlook
June 21, 1999 | Outdoor Track
LUBBOCK - As head of the men's and women's track programs Greg Sholars is not as much a coach as he is an architect. Sholars is constantly talking about establishing a foundation, building on strengths and constructing what he sees as the future of Texas Tech track and field.
Need proof? How about Sholars response to inheriting the women's cross country and track and field teams?
"I feel like I'm broadening my base," Sholars said. "The goal for my program is to put out a strong image of Texas Tech and this new position gives me more to work with."
In two year's at the helm of the men's track team, Sholar's crew has put up the framework for a nationally competitive track program. Last season the men's track team scored 11 points at the NCAA championships to tie a school record for best finishes at the event. Josephus "Pap" Howard, who finished third in the 200 meters at the NCAA meet, as well as every member of the 4 X 100 meter team which finished fourth at the NCAA meet return. Sholars believes that his team will improve on its accomplishments at the national level this season.
According to Sholars the team will use the indoor season as a time for his athletes to train and he points to the outdoor season as the climax of the track calendar. Highlighting the outdoor schedule are the Texas Relays, the Penn Relays, and the Mt. Sac Relays.
But the most important will be the Big 12 Championships in May. Because of the depth in every event Sholars says that his goal is to break into the top half of the team standings.
"Our conference is among the nation's best in every event," Sholars said. "There is nowhere to hide. The good thing about being in such a competitive conference is that if you can compete for a conference title, you will be among the nation's best in your event.
When Sholars arrived at Tech in 1995, the events his stressed first and foremost were the sprints. The team's success at the NCAA meet in 1997 were evidence of that and the sprinters that made it happen return for more in the upcoming season.
Howard was named the Big 12 Freshman Athlete of the Year after winning conference championships in both the indoor and outdoor 200 meters and taking second place in the 100 meter dash at the Big 12 Outdoor Track Championships. At the NCAA Championships, Howard was a major contributor to Tech's school record setting performance.
Desmond Johnson was another freshman who made great strides for Red Raider track as he finished in fifth place at the Big 12 championships in the 400 meters. Johnson went on to place 13th at the NCAA Outdoor Track Championships and joined Howard and Dion Miller on the 4 X 100 meter relay team that took fourth place at the NCAA meet.
"We're really excited about that group," Sholars said. "We've said all along that we want to make a statement with our sprinters and it is a whole new feeling as they continue to build and take steps forward."
Darrel Robinson is the newest edition to Sholars' coaching staff. Robinson, who comes to Tech from San Jacinto College where he was the head men's track and field coach, was hired in October to assist as the field events coach.
Robinson says that he intends to bring the field events along in the same way that Sholars has brought his sprinters to a nationally prominent level. Having a motivating presence around, Robinson feels, already has the field events athletes challenging the ideas about where Texas Tech fits into the collegiate track and field scene.
"Coach Sholars has pushed the sprints, but the field events have kind of been in limbo," Robinson said. "I think anybody could have come in here and gotten the field events guys excited about competing. We're trying to create the same aggressiveness in the field events that we have in sprints."
Robinson has been impressed in the improvement he has seen from the shot put and discus throwers in his short time with the team. Senior Andy Holt and juniors Rusty Purser and Brandon Pshigoda will lead the way in the throwing events.
"In the few months that I've been here they've developed," Robinson said. "If they continue to progress at the same rate they will be able to get in there and score some points for us when we go to the Big 12 championships."
Robinson is also encouraged by the potential of long jumpers Zelvis Applin and Tsepo Williams. He notes that both Applin and Williams failed to surpass their personal best jumps from high school as freshmen a year ago, but has already seen them outperform their previous best marks in training. Freshman Paul McClendon, who came to Tech on a football scholarship and joined the Raider track team after football season, won a Texas state championship in the long jump in class 2A.
The team will look to a pair of Kenyans to improve the distance events. Samson Ngetich, in the middle distances and Michael Njenga, in the long distances will compete for Tech for the first time in the spring. Alex Aldaco and Brandon Clemmons return to add depth to the middle distances and David Leigh will look to improve on an impressive freshman season in the long distances.
