Texas Tech University Athletics
1999 Texas Tech Track Preview
June 21, 1999 | Outdoor Track
January 8, 1999
1999 Men's Preview
In Greg Sholar's fourth year with the men's program there is much to be excited about. Texas Tech returns a trio of All-America athletes, as well, as some solid veteran performers and exciting freshman athletes. Also, the addition of two excellent coaches in cross country/distance coach Dave Smith and field events coach Chris Beene will aid the team significantly.
Last season, the Red Raider had five individuals and one relay team provisionally qualify for the NCAA indoor and outdoor championships. In 1999, the men will look to put together a team effort and climb in the standings in one of the toughest track conferences in the nation; the Big 12
Sprints
One of the signature marks of Greg Sholar's track and field teams at Texas Tech have been excellent sprinters. Since his arrival, Sholars has had six sprinters achieve All-America status. Returning to the team are last year's two All-Americas Desmond Johnson and Rohan McDonald. With a 46.69 in the 400-meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, Johnson earned honors for the fourth time in his career and second time in the outdoor 400. Mc Donald, who redshirted during the outdoor season, was an All-America in the 400-meters indoor after finishing seventh at NCAA Indoor Championships with a time of 46.94.. The duo should be two of the fastest in the 400-meter of any team in the country.
Another sprinter to watch is 1997 indoor and outdoor 200-meter All-America Josephus "Pap" Howard. Last season he battled a hamstring pull throughout the season, but still managed to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships in the 200 after posting a 20.5 at the Rocky Mountain Cup. The time was one of the fastest ever in the world. Hamstring injuries hampered him throughout the spring, but he returns healthy and rested for the 1999 season.
An exciting newcomer for the Red Raiders will be freshman Michael Franklin. Last year at O.D. Wyatt High School in Fort Worth, Texas, Franklin recorded some of the top times in nation for a high school athlete. He recorded times of 20.8 in the 200-meters and 47.5 in the 400-meters. Franklin was a member of the state and national champion 4X100-meter relay team.
Sophomore Shameron Turner also returns to Texas Tech. Last year, he was second fastest on the team in the outdoor 200-meters with a time of 21.08. Turner was member of relay teams in the indoor 4X400 relay and outdoor 4X100 relays that both provisionally qualified for the NCAA championships. With a year of experience and training, he should make further strides in his second campaign.
The veteran of this group will be senior Jesko. Last year Jesko was a member of 4X400 indoor relay team and was in the top three runners on the team in the 400-meters.
Others to watch will be Rodney Downey and William Figueroa. Both are talented young runners that will improve throughout the season.
Middle Distance
Middle distance will be lead by Samson Ngetich. The former transfer from Kenya will look to improve on his first year at Texas Tech when he clocked a team best time of 1:52.78 in the outdoor 800-meters. He was second on the team behind Michael Njenga in the 1,500-meters. He was also first on the team in the 1,000-meters and second on the team in the 800 during the indoor season. This fall he was the top runner on the cross country team at several races and got the opportunity to work with Smith in improving various aspects of his race performance. This should help when he returns to the middle distance where he is best suited.
Also returning for the team is Gregory Martin and Brandon Clemmons. The duo were solid performers in the middle distance last spring.
Clemmons had the team's best time in the indoor 800-meters with a mark of 1:57.61 at the Red Raider Invitational. In the outdoor season, Clemmons was third on the team in the 800 and also competed in the 3,000 meters.
Martin was second on the team in the outdoor 800-meters last season and competed in the 400, 600 and 800-meter indoor races as a freshman.
Distance
The distance team will be hurt by the loss of last year's NCAA provisional qualifier Michael Njenga. However, David Leigh is coming off a cross country season where he recorded a personal best of 25:41 in the 5K at the Big 12 championships. After the fall season, he continued his workouts with Dave Smith and is poised to continue his improvement this spring. In 1998, he had the team's best time in the indoor mile and 3,000-meter steeplechase. This year's success in distance will depend largely upon his performance
The remainder of the distance runners will consist of a group of cross country and distance veterans including Gary Bodomy, Adrian Dodds, Chris Thomas, Charles Villareal, Jesse Williams and Thomas Williams.
Hurdles
Brandon May enters the 1999 season as the team's primary hurdler. Last year he was top in the indoor 55- and 60-meter and outdoor 110-meter hurdles. He finished just off the mark for provisionally qualifying in all three. The Lubbock native reached the semifinals of the 55-meter hurdles of the Big 12 championships. His best time in the event came at the Rocky Mountain Cup with a mark of 7.48.
Jumps
Texas Tech returns the two top jumpers from last year in Tsepo Williams and Zelvis Applin.
In 1998, Williams was the team leader in both the indoor and outdoor long jumps. He recorded his longest jump of the year at the Angelo Relays when he posted a jump of 23-2.25 to earn fourth place.
Applin competed only during the outdoor season. He was second on the team in the event with a jump of 23-0.75 at the Rocky Mountain Cup.
Throws
This year's throwers should benefit from working under Chris Beene who has developed several All-America throwers in his career. Leading the way for Texas Tech will be seniors Brandon Pshigoda and Rusty Purser. Both are proven veterans and should give Texas Tech a presence in most meets.
Purser finished 12th in the discus last year at the Big 12 championships with a throw of 159-8. He will look to move up in the standings this year.
Andrew Schoppe, who competed with the team early in the season last year, will look to continue improvement in his throws.
1999 Women's Preview
After a 1998 season that saw the merging of the men's and women's programs, the Texas Tech women's team returns focused on being one of the best track teams in the Big 12 Conference. Texas Tech will benefit from the return of some talented veterans, as well as, the addition of new coaches and first-year athletes. While the competition will be tough, Director of track Greg Sholars feels that this will benefit the team by preparing them for tough championship-level competition."The Big 12 Conference, along with the SEC, are the two toughest conferences in the realm of track and field," Sholars said. "Across the board, this conference is one of the most competitive. There are national qualifiers competing in each event from the Big 12. The Big 12 conference meet provides a preview of the national meet."
Distance
Distance will undoubtedly be the strongest aspect of this year's team. The team returns three talented veterans in Evette Turner, Leigh Daniel and Kristen Koppes. The trio all come with a multitude of experience and success at the collegiate level. Turner competed in the NCAA indoor national championships and took 10th place in the mile and provisionally qualified in the1500 meters for the NCAA outdoor championship. The transfer from Jere Technical College, decided to redshirt for the 1998 cross country season. During this time, Turner has been training with new distance coach Dave Smith and looks to be in top form to make an immediate mark in both the outdoor and indoor this year.
Daniel also took a redshirt for cross country this fall to train with Smith. She will look to continue her winning ways after posting the top team times in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters last year.
Kristen Koppes will also have a chance to compete at the highest levels this year. The junior was the top finisher at every race this fall for the Red Raider women's cross country team. She finished 31st at the Big 12 Championship and raced at the NCAA Mountain Regional in Provo, Utah.
Other distance runners to watch will be Courtney Nolen and Tara Hangge. Both veterans improved on last year's performances with several strong individual performances during the cross country season and raced with Koppes at the NCAA regional. Under Smith's direction the duo should continue their improvement in the indoor and outdoor seasons.
Marissa Beck, Paige Bradberry, Candice Cole, Whitney Goodroe and Jodi Jones round out the team's distance runners.
Middle Distance
Middle distance will be another strong area for the women, thanks to senior Amber Affeldt. A former provisional qualifier in the 800 meters and Big 12 champion, Affeldt only ran indoor events and redshirted for outdoor last year. She returned to the running circuit this year when she ran in four races with the cross country team. She can be expected to have another strong season and compete for the conference championship.
Another runner to watch in middle distance will be Ngozi Iwu. As a freshman last year, Iwu established herself as the team's top runner in the 400 meters
She recorded the fastest women's time in the event for the year at the Angelo realys when she ran 55.0 to capture first place.
A threat in the middle distance as well as the longer distances, is Evette Turner. Last year she barely missed being an NCAA provisional qualifier while running a 2:10 at the ACU Track and Field Classic.
Others to watch will be Nina Roberts, a talented freshman from O.D. Wyatt high school who was one of the top runners in the state last year, and Melonie Barrow who impressed coaches with her continual improvement throughout the season.
Sprints
The sprints should be helped tremendously by the arrival of junior Sherri Coleman. Coleman, a two-time NJCAA All-America, will enter Texas Tech having recorded a time of 11.56 in the 100-meters. She is considered two of the top newcomers in the Big 12. Last season's top sprinters Tami Zachery returns for her sophomore year. A provisional qualifier in the indoor 55 meters she also recorded the top non-wind aided time in the 100-meters of 11.83 at the finals of the Big 12 championship. With a year of experience and training, she should be primed to improve on that time. Kaneshia Polk has been one of the top sprinters for three years and should be a top competitor again this year.
Hurdles
It will be difficult to replace last year's leader in the hurdles and Texas Tech record holder Ami Peters. Filling the void will be Nicole Mitchell and Bobbi Crill. Mitchell was the top runner in the 400-meter outdoor hurdles last year and finished behind Peters in several other hurdle events. Crill is a senior who will compete in the hurdles and the javelin. Both will be called on to help pick up points in this event.
Jumps
Triple jump NCAA provisional qualifier Kaneshia Polk returns to the team for her senior season. Last year she recorded the top team mark for the season in indoor and outdoor triple and long jump. She will be joined by freshman Monique Wright-Cruse a top recruit from Philadelphia. Jodi Jones and Kori Crampton will also return to competition in the event for Texas Tech.
Throws
With the addition of Chris Beene, throws should see a new level of success very quickly. Sipa Finau returns to the Red Raiders for her junior year. She was the top thrower in the shot put, discus and weight throw on the roster last year. She has shown progress each year, and with addition of Beene and and an excellent fall, Sholars feels that she is prepared to step up and reach the NCAA qualifying levels
Tracey Anderson will be another to watch in the throws. Last season she was second on the team in several throwing events and competed in many meets.
Katy Godeke and Brandy Welborn are both on their second year on the team and may make and impact this season.