Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Texas A&M Quadrangular
Texas Tech Places Second/Third at A&M Quadrangular
January 23, 2016 | Track and Field
Joseph Richards III ran the fastest second leg of any competitor in the men's 4x400 relay on Saturday.
Jan. 23, 2016
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The Texas Tech men's track and field team finish second, while the women's team placed third, at the Texas A&M Quadrangular on Saturday, Jan. 23, in College Station.
The men's team scored 121.5 points and the women's team recorded 121 points. Texas A&M finished first in both the men's and women's scoring.
Tech's men's 4x400-meter relay team put together the fifth-fastest time in the country this season en route to the event win on Saturday. Steven Champlin led off the heat and handed the baton to Joseph Richards III behind by only 0.27 seconds. Richards quickly moved into the lead after the first curve and held the advantage after running the fastest second split among all competitors when he gave it to C.J. Jones. Another top split by Jones in the third leg set up Kyle Collins to bring home the win and a time of 3:07.40.
It is also the 10th-best indoor time in school history.
Natalie Thompson gave the Red Raiders an event win in the women's high jump. After clearing the first two heights (1.58m and 1.63m) on her first attempt, Thompson found herself in the top three by sailing over 1.68m/5-6 on her second jump of the round. She brought it down to the wire at 1.72m/5-7.75 and 1.76m/5-9.25, using her final attempt to get the mark in both rounds, sealing the win and a new indoor personal-best.
The Red Raiders also picked up wins in both 60-meter hurdles events. Shanice Stewart got the first win after recording a time of 8.53 seconds. About 10 minutes later, Chris Caldwell and Darien Tennon went 1-2 on the men's side, with marks of 8.00 and 8.12, respectively.
Tech turned in a solid day in the pole vault events, claiming second-place finish in both the men's and women's disciplines. Brandon Bray improved upon his mark set from last week of 5.25m/17-2.75, clearing 5.31m/17-5 on his second attempt at the height. By improving from last week, he extends his lead on the Big 12 and now ranks 11th in the NCAA. On the women's side, Haley Cook set a new personal-best after going a perfect 3-for-3 on her first three heights, topping off at 3.97m/13-0.25.
Before he ran the 4x400 relay, Jones paced to a second-place time in the 800 meters at 1:50.02. The mark is a new PR, breaking the previous best of 1:51.20 set at the Tyson Invitational in 2015. His time also leads the conference and is seventh in the NCAA this season.
Also finishing second in their events were Benard Keter in the mile and Andrew Hudson in the 200-meter dash. Competing in his first meet in Scarlet & Black, Keter was the runner-up with a mark of 4:06.88, while Hudson racked up a time of 21.25 in the 200 meters.
In the women's long and triple jump, Kaylee Hinton (long) and Gionna Jackson (triple) each placed second, achieving marks of 5.71m/18-8.75 and 12.33m/40-5.5, respectively.
Up next for the Red Raiders is the first of two trips in back-to-back weeks to Albuquerque, beginning with the New Mexico Team Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 30.
Players Mentioned
