Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Invitational Set for Friday Start
January 17, 2007 | Track and Field
Jan. 17, 2007
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LUBBOCK, Texas - After weather brought an abrupt halt to the Texas Tech track and field opener, the Red Raiders will get their start this Friday at the Texas Tech Invitational. The two-day event gets underway with a tentative start at 3:30 p.m. January 19th from the Athletic Training Center.
The Red Raiders were set to host the Texas Tech All-Comers and Masters on January 13th, but were forced to cancel due to ice in much of the South Plains.
As many track and field squads have already begun competition, the Red Raiders are eager to start their 2007 campaign.
Eighth-year head coach Wes Kittley returns after leading the men's and women's squads to their top indoor conference finishes in school history. The men finished in fourth place with 72 points, anchored by 17 all-conference performers. The women took third place, totalling 68 points on the efforts of 17 All-Big 12 accolades.
During the coming events, the Tech squads will look to better their indoor conference standings with 10 All-Americans returning, six men and four women.
The Invitational event gets started at 3:30 on Friday with the men's long jump, while running events get underway at 4 p.m. with the preliminary heats of the women's 60M hurdles.
The second day of competition will start with the men's triple jump event to be followed by the women's. Track events begin with the women's 60M hurdles at 11:30 a.m.
For a complete tentative schedule, please see page 3 of the track and field notes.
Complete results on the Texas Tech Invitational can be found on www.texastech.com following each day's completion.
RED RAIDER RANKINGS
Although the Texas Tech squads are getting a late start on the season, the teams have not been forgotten. The first polls have been released by the Trackwire Top 25 and both the men and women's squads have found a spot.
The Red Raider men debut in a tie for 18th, while the women enter in at 25th. Florida State leads the pack for the men as the Stanford women are ranked No. 1.
Seven conference men's squads are featured in the polls: No. 4 Texas, No. 6 Baylor, No. 9 Nebraska, No. 13 Texas A&M (tie), No. 18 Oklahoma (tied with Tech), and No. 22 Kansas.
On the women's side, the Big 12 lists six teams in the rankings: No. 5 Texas, No. 9 Texas A&M and Kansas State (tied), No. 14 Nebraska (tied), No. 21 Colorado (tied), and No. 25 Texas Tech.
In last year's final indoor poll, the Red Raider men finished in a tie for 24th with Minnesota, Alabama and Auburn. The women did not finish the indoor season ranked.
TAKING OVER
In the first Dandy Dozen release of the indoor season, it appears that the Red Raiders have nearly taken over in the 60M hurdles. Twenty-five percent of the athletes listed are Texas Tech's own.
Seniors Marlon Odom, Shawon Harris and Daryl Burgess constitute three of the 12 listed athletes.
Odom leads the pack of three by entering in at fourth. Harris currently sits at eighth with Burgess taking up 10th.
Harris is the current school record holder in the 60M hurdles with a time of 7.76. The Abilene, Texas, native set the record last season at the NCAA Championships.
Burgess holds the school record in the 55M hurdles with a clocking of 7.29.
Players Mentioned
