Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Big 12 Indoor Championships
Lady Raiders Place Program-Best Second at Big 12 Championships
February 28, 2009 | Track and Field
Feb. 28, 2009
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Texas Tech No 17 women's track team finished a program-best second place at the Big 12 Indoor Championships with 103.5 and the No. 10 Red Raiders placed sixth overall with 62 points as both squads collected six titles over the two day meet.
Tech's most decorated athlete in school history, Sally Kipyego became the all-time leader in Big 12 Championships in any sport with 12 individual titles by winning the 3,000M. She set a Big 12 meet record with a NCAA automatic time of 9:09.83. It is her third-straight Big 12 3,000M title. Lillian Badaru collected her second all-conference honors running a NCAA provisional time of 9:30.74 placing fourth.
"I just wanted to run and, hopefully, get a title and help our team out," Kipyego said. "I wanted to run a consistence pace and that's what I was able to do. I am grateful I could get out there and win."
Tech's Gil Roberts broke Baylor's five-year streak on the 400M championship. Roberts ran the third-fastest time in the world and the fastest collegiately running a 46.08. The time is a NCAA automatic mark and breaks Roberts' school record he set two weeks ago.
"It just goes to show you listening to your coach and working hard pays off. I feel good about the time and I had a pretty good race, Roberts said. "I went out there and executed just like my coaches told me everyday. I am really excited about winning."
Thrower Patience Knight won her second-straight Big 12 indoor shot put title and third-straight shot put title overall. Her throw of 56'-2" is an NCAA automatic mark. D'Andra Carter threw 49'-7" to place fifth and collect All-Big 12 honors.
"I feel great and really blessed because it has been a rough indoors struggling with technique," Knight said. "We finally got things figured out and I think it is a good stepping point for nationals. I feel really blessed and I couldn't (have won) without God, the people around me, my teammates and my family."
For the third-straight year, Texas Tech won the men's 60M hurdle championship. Omo Osaghae ran a NCAA provisional time of 7.75 to win the race. Freshman Jamele Mason earned his first all-conference honor by placing seventh with a time of 7.97.
"I am blessed. I got to give it up to Shawon (Harris) and all the great hurdlers before me," Osaghae said after his win. "It is a good feeling to have and I have been waiting for my turn to win it."
Tech's other winners in the 60M hurdles were Marlon Odom in 2007 and Shawon Harris in 2008.
Kipyego's first race of the day was a rare occurrence. Kipyego ran the mile in a school-record, a NCAA automatic time and the second-fastest collegiate time of 4:27.19. The rare thing about the race is that she finished second. Colorado's Jenny Barringer set a NCAA collegiate record winning the race with a time of 4:25.91. It is Kipyego's first defeat in a Big 12 race.
The Lady Raiders picked up points form Tori Smith and Sandra Iwunze in the women's 60M hurdles. Smith placed sixth with an 8.57 and earned her second all-conference honor of her career.
Kelsey Lloyd and Amanda Dowdy earned all-conference honors in the high jump. Lloyd placed fourth clearing 5'-8" and Dowdy tied for fifth with a mark of 5'-6".
Rodney Mims collected all-conference honors for his fifth-place finish running a time of 1:10.58.
Gilbert Limo ran a 4:05.89 in the men's mile to earn third place and All-Big 12 honors.
Trudeann Clarke earned her first all-conference honors for running a 54.95 in the 400M placing seventh.
Freshman Zach Dawson ran a 2:27.28 in the 1000M to place sixth and his first All-Big 12 honor. Asia Diaz placed third in the women's 1000M with a time of 2:51.46 and All-Big 12 honors.
Gladys Kipsang ran a NCAA provisional time of 2:08.62 placing second in the women's 800M being named all-conference along the way.
Anthony Flemons picked up his second all-conference honor of the weekend in the triple jump. He finished sixth with a NCAA provisional mark of 52'-5.50". Darrell Roddick earned his first All-Big 12 honor as he jumped 51'-9.25" to place eighth.
Roddick collected his second All-Big 12 honor of the day with his fifth place finish in the high jump. He cleared 6'-10.75".
Harrison Benjamin placed sixth earning his fourth all-conference honor by throwing 56'-4.75". Tyler Menges threw 56'-4" to place seventh and his third all-conference honor.
The women's 4x400M ran its first NCAA provisional time on its way to a third place finish. Jonisha Boleware, Clarke, Lloyd and Iwunze earned all-conference honors with a time of 3:39.74.
The men's 4x400M squad of Markus Henderson, Tim Foster, Mims and Roberts ran its fastest time of the season. The group placed second with a NCAA provisional time of 3:08.48.
The women scored 103.5 points finishing behind Texas A&M who scored 130 points. The men tallied 62 points to place sixth. Texas won the men's side with 115 points.
"It was a tremendous effort out of our women scoring over 100 points," head coach Wes Kittley exclaimed. "It is the best we have ever done and we were in it until the very end. I am really proud of our women."
Tech's next meet will be the Last Chance meets at a site to be determined. Two weeks from this weekend Tech will compete at the NCAA Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas.
Players Mentioned
