Tech Hosts First Meet of the Outdoor Season
March 25, 2010 | Track and Field
March 25, 2010
LUBBOCK, Texas -
Complete Release in PDF Format 
The Texas Tech Red Raiders and Lady Raiders track program will officially open its outdoor season one day earlier than previously planned as the Texas Tech Open will be on Friday at the Terry and Linda Fuller Track Complex.
The season started for a few athletes last week as freshman Julian Wruck and Ozie Okolie had a strong start to the season. Wruck won the men's discus with a throw of 58.04M (190'-05") and is ranked third in the NCAA.
Okolie won the women's hammer throw at the Horned Frog Invitational and also currently is sitting third in the NCAA. Her mark of 60.16M (197'-4") beat the field by 59 feet.
Jamele Mason will run the 110M hurdles and 400M hurdles after impressing in his first outdoor meet. The sophomore ran for Puerto Rico last weekend at the 5th Carolina Spring Break Classic running a 51.32 in the 400M hurdles.
A majority of the track team will open up competition with this weekend's Texas Tech Open. Tech will have a majority of its team competing.
Senior Tori Smith is returning for her last season of eligibility and is the school record and facility record holder in the 100M hurdles.
National qualifiers Lillian Badaru (5000M), Gladys Kipsang (1500M) and Gilbert Limo (3K Steeple) all return for another show at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
The Texas Tech Open will begin at 3 p.m. with field events and 5 p.m. for running events. A full schedule can be found at www.texastech.com.
National Rankings
Early season rankings for the Red Raiders.
3. Julian Wruck, Men's Discus, 58.04/190'-5"
3. Ozie Okolie, Women's Hammer, 60.16/197'-4"
Indoor All-Americans
Tech set a record for All-Americans at the NCAA Indoor Championships with 15. Three relays and three individuals earned the honors. On the women's side Caroline Karunde earned the honor in the mile as well as the women's 4x400M relay (Candace Jackson, Trudeann Clarke, Erica Alexander, Taylor Evans) and women's distance medley relay (Purity Biwott, Clarke, Gladys Kipsang, Caroline Karunde). On the men's side was the Bryce Lamb in the long jump and Omo Osaghae in the 60M hurdles as well as the 4x400M (Bryce Brown, Jamaal Butler, Zach Plinario, Latoy Williams).
Big 12 Postseason Awards
Freshman Bryce Lamb and Shade Weygandt were honored by the Big 12 with postseason honors. Lamb was named the Big 12 Indoor Performer of the Year and Outstanding Freshman while Weygandt was named the women's Big 12 Outstanding Freshman.
Record Breaking Performances
Two freshmen won Big 12 titles with clutch record breaking performances. Shade Weygandt had to set a new personal best and Big 12 meet record of 4.33M (14'-2.50") and had to beat the Big 12 Indoor defending champion to win her first title. Bryce Lamb won the men's triple jump on his final jump with a mark of 16.47M (54'-00.50"). His mark is a school record and Big 12 meet record. Lamb's long jump title was secured when he ran down the runway on his final attempt, but he let people know who won after the jump. His last jump sent him to No. 2 on the NCAA list and No. 7 in the world with a jump of 8.14M (26'-8.50").
High Point Performer
Freshman Bryce Lamb won th
e Big 12 High Point Performer of the Big 12 Indoor Championships with his wins in the long jump and triple jump. He is the first Red Raider to win the award on the men's side and first since Sally Kipyego in 2008.
Seven Titles for Tech
The seven Big 12 titles that Tech won at the Big 12 Indoor Championships is the most at an indoor conference meet since last season when the squad won six. The titles came from Purity Biwott (800M), Caroline Karunde (mile), Bryce Lamb (triple jump and long jump), Shade Weygandt (pole vault), Latoy Williams (600M) and the women's distance medley relay of C. Karunde, Biwott, Gladys Kipsang and Taylor Evans.
New School Records
Tech had two new records set this weekend. The women's distance medley relay of Purity Biwott, Trudeann Clarke, Gladys Kipsang and Caroline Karunde broke a year-old record by running an 11:10.28 at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational. The other school record was set by Latoy Williams in the 600Y at the Texas Tech Open. Williams ran a 1:08.53 to place second. Ironically he finished second to the previous record holder Jonathan Johnson.
Family Connections
Texas Tech has some unique family connections in the track and field family. The Lady Raiders have two sets of twins on the team with Caroline and Winrose Karunde and Terra and Taylor Evans. The Karunde are both transfers to the program with Caroline from Wayland Baptist and Winrose from ACU. Terra has been here from the start of her collegiate career while her sister Taylor transferred from LSU this past summer.
Hurdle All-Americans
The Red Raiders have had an All-American hurdler every year since 2005. The streak began with Marlon Odom in 2005 in the 110M hurdles. Odom earned All-America honors in the 110M hurdles in 2006 and 2007 while also earning the honor in the 60M hurdles in 2007. Other names such as Bryan Scott, All-American in the 400M hurdles in 2006 and 2007, and Shawon Harris, All-American in 2006 in the 60M hurdles and 600M hurdles, have kept the streak alive. Harris was also named an All-American in the 110M hurdles and 60M hurdles in 2008. Omo Osaghae continued the streak for Tech in the 110M hurdles in 2008 and then the 60M hurdles in 2009. Osaghae recently was named All-American in the 60M hurdles making it five years in a row that Tech has had an All-American hurdler.
13 NCAA Individual Champions
Tech has compiled 13 NCAA Individual Champions in its program history. The most recent was from D'Andra Carter as she won the 2009 NCAA Discus title in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It was the first field event national title in program history and the 12th title on the female side.
Facility Honors
The Terry and Linda Fuller track was named the American Sports Builders Association's Facility of the Year Award in December. The facility was renovated and a Super Mondo X track was put down and Tech hosted the 2009 Big 12 Outdoor Championships the past May.
Players Mentioned
