Texas Tech University Athletics
Tech Track & Field Maintains Hold In Top 25
January 26, 2015 | Track and Field
Shanice Stewart currently holds top-15 national rankings in the 60 meter hurdles and the long jump.
NEW ORLEANS, La. -- The Texas Tech men's and women's track & field teams remained ranked in the U.S Track & Field And Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) preseason computer rankings this week, checking in at No. 13 and No. 19, respectively.
This marks the fourth time since the inception of the USTFCCCA rankings in 2008 that Tech has had both the men's and women's teams start the indoor slate by being ranked in back-to-back weeks.
On the men's side the Red Raiders are nationally ranked (top-50) in 11 events. The trio of NCAA-leader JaCorian Duffield, Bradley Adkins and Trey Culver is ranked No. 1, No. 7 and No. 33, respectively, in the high jump. Joseph Richards III is ranked seventh in the 400 meters, after running a 46.80 in College Station last weekend, and Chris Caldwell debuts at No. 23 in the 60m hurdles (7.92).
Jerome Wilson, behind an event-winning season-best 7.27m/23-10.25 on Saturday, is ranked No. 42 in the long jump, and Kyle Thompson is ranked No. 42 as well, but in the pole vault (5.15m/16-10.75).
Kole Weldon returned to the indoor circuit with a bang, winning both the weight throw and shot put on Saturday. His school-record 20.25m/66-5.25 toss in the weight throw ranks No. 27 in the nation, and his launch of 18.69m/61-4 ranks 17th in the shot put.
Tech's 4 x 400m relay quartet of Steven Champlin, Joseph Richards III, Kyle Collins and Charles Jones ranks sixth in the nation (3:08.55), and Tech's distance medley relay, comprising of Nick Rivera, Kemonie Briggs, Todd Mickey and Evans Tuitoek sits at No. 21, with a time of 10:02.64.
A couple of Lady Raiders who are ranked in multiple events lead the way on the women's side. Cierra White is ranked 23rd in the 60m dash (7.40), and second in not only the nation, but in the world as well in the 200 meter dash, after running a 23.18 on Saturday.
Shanice Stewart holds the No. 14 spot in the 60m hurdles (8.31), and 12th in the long jump (6.22m/20-5.00), and Le'Tristan Pledger joins her in the 60m hurdles rankings, checking in at No. 7 (8.20).
Montenae Speight got her season started the right way, running a 54.26 in the 400 meters, ranking 20th in the country. Gionna Jackson (12.46m/40-10.5) occupies the No. 31 spot in the triple jump, and Hannah Carson ranks 41st in the shot put, with a mark of 15.31m/50-2.75
The women's 4 x 400m relay (Lygia Forman, Cierra White, Le'Tristan Pledger and Montenae Speight) rank 20th in the nation after their run of 3:40.48 at the Texas Tech Open.
The Red Raiders host the annual Masked Rider Open this weekend, Jan. 29-31, in the Athletic Training Center.
Players Mentioned
