Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech To Compete In Texas A&M Quadrangular
January 22, 2015 | Track and Field
Jan. 22, 2015
Both the running and field events will begin at noon, inside Gilliam Indoor Stadium, and live results will be available on flashresults.com. Also, the meet will be broadcast on Watch ESPN.
The No. 9 Red Raiders had a solid opening to the season at the Texas Tech Open, combining for a school record (JaCorian Duffield, High Jump), nine top-50 national marks and 17 marks that rank in the Big 12's top eight in that specific event.
Kole Weldon makes his return this week for the Red Raiders, after sitting out at the Texas Tech Open. He is coming off honorable mention All-American performances in both the discus and shot put, in 2014.
The Lady Raiders combined for four top-50 national marks and 10 top-eight Big 12 marks, led by the sprints and hurdles groups, who accounted for three event wins and all four nationally-ranked marks last weekend.
Le'Tristan Pledger led the way for the Lady Raiders, winning the 55m hurdles, placing third in the 55m dash and running a leg on the winning 4 x 400m relay team. Her converted 60m hurdles time ranks No. 4 in the NCAA.
For her exploits, Pledger was named the Big 12 Female Athlete of the Week.
The Red Raiders will face off against the host school, No. 4/2 Texas A&M, Arizona State and Oklahoma, in a meet that will be scored as a triangular.
Out of the Blocks
? No. 9/17 Texas Tech will compete against Arizona State and Oklahoma, along with No. 4/2 Texas A&M at this weekend's quadrangular. At last year's meet, the women took second and the men took third in a close battle against Texas A&M and LSU. Kole Weldon led the way with a meet-record toss in the shot put.
? The Red Raiders are coming off a very successful season opener at the Texas Tech Open. The Red Raiders picked up three top-25 marks in the high jump, led by JaCorian Duffield's school-record leap of 2.24m/7-4.25. Both 4 x 400m relays picked up top-10 national marks--The men currently sit in fourth (3:09.84), and the women are in the No. 9 spot (3:40.48).
? Texas Tech junior Le'Tristan Pledger has been named the Big 12 Female Track & Field Athlete of the Week, after her performance at the Texas Tech Open. Pledger had a busy weekend for Tech. Her 55m hurdles mark of 7.60 was just .01 off her own school and facility record of 7.59, set last year. The time converts to 8.20 in the 60m hurdles, giving her the No. 4 mark in the nation and what would be the No. 10 mark in the world. She also ran the third leg on Tech's 4 x 400m relay, which put up a 3:40.48, the No. 9 time in the country. Her personal collegiate-best 55m dash (6.95) converts to 7.55 for the 60 meter dash and lands her just outside the nation's top 50 in the event.
? The Texas Tech men's and women's track & field teams begin the 2015 indoor season ranked No. 9, and No. 17, respectively, according to the U.S Track & Field And Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) preseason computer rankings. This is the first time since 2011 that both teams are ranked to start the indoor season. That year, the men were ranked seventh, and the women were slotted at No. 15.
? The Red Raiders and Lady Raiders combine to return four former Big 12 Champions, and seven athletes who have earned All-American honors to the fold in 2015.
Who's Got Next?
Texas Tech will return home to host the Masked Rider Open, Jan. 29-31.
Program Notables
? Tech has had nine individual first or second team indoor All-Americans in the past two years.
? The Red Raiders return six athletes who scored at least eight points at the 2014 Big 12 Indoor Championships.
? In 2014, seven Texas Tech track & field athletes were able to break school records.
? In 2015, Texas Tech returns six athletes, who at some points in their careers, have earned first team All-American indoor status.
? The Tech men's 2014 Big 12 outdoor team title was the fifth team title between the track & field and cross country programs since 1999.
Players Mentioned
