McMichael Breaks School Record Again

Saturday, May 4

Lubbock, Texas

Texas Tech Athletics

Masked Rider Open

May 04, 2019 | Track and Field

Pole vaulter one-ups program record he set last weekend in final meet of regular season.

By: Jeremy O'Brien

LUBBOCK, Texas –Texas Tech concluded its regular season Saturday with the Masked Rider Open. The meet served as a chance to get final looks at some Red Raiders, while fine-tuning others before the focus turns to the Big 12 Championships and NCAA Regionals next week.

"It was a light day, but it's important to stay sharp as well as give people some opportunities," said Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Wes Kittley.

Nobody seemed as sharp as Drew McMichael, who for the second weekend in a row broke his own school record. The senior toppled a mark of 18'-1" (5.51m) that he shared with Brit Pursely from 1989 after clearing 18'-1.75" (5.53m) on his first attempt. This weekend, he cleared 18'-2.5" (5.55m) to jump himself for the new record. The Fort Meyers, Fla., native now owns four of the program's top-10 marks. He sits ninth in the nation in the pole vault.

"This outdoor season has been going great so far," McMichael said after the meet. "My form has been getting a lot better. I've been jumping really high every practice. I just have to relax at meets and trust my jump. I just need to keep executing my jump better in meets to get those really high heights that I know I can clear."

MEN'S PV | McMichael AGAIN!

Make it ?? straight weeks with a school record for @DrewMicMike, who breaks his own program-best mark from last weekend with an 18'-2.5" (5.55m) today!#WreckEm pic.twitter.com/2pPmYrbHJa
— Texas Tech T&F/XC (@TexasTechTF) May 4, 2019

Derrius Rodgers returned to action for the first time since the Big 12 Indoor Championships, a welcome sign for a dominant Tech sprints group always looking for more depth. The junior ran a 10.49 – just seventh-tenths off his collegiate best – to place fifth. Also running his first race of the spring was freshman KeSean Carter, whose first appearance since the end of spring football is yet another good sign for the Red Raider sprinters. He ran a 10.73 alongside Rodgers in his heat.

"It was good to get our two sprinters back," Kittley said of the return of Rodgers and Carter. "I'm real pleased with them and it's great to have them back before conference."

MEN'S 100 | Rodgers is back!

A near-PR 10.49 for @D_Rod31 in his first race of the season ties him for fifth in the finals.

More importantly, the junior is healthy again and has a race under his belt before Big 12s. ??#WreckEm
— Texas Tech T&F/XC (@TexasTechTF) May 4, 2019

Seasons Usual unleashed her second-best throw of 54 meters or farther this season for the win in the discus Saturday. She went for 176'-7" (53.83m) to take the gold for the second time this spring. In the hammer throw, Dorleta Armendariz-Lasa came just seven inches from a personal best after launching a 183'-9" (56.00m) for the win.

WOMEN'S DT | Usual with ??

Seasons with the second-best throw of her season at 176'-7" (53.83m)! It's win #??2?? of the spring for her!#WreckEm pic.twitter.com/3HjJXMYppd
— Texas Tech T&F/XC (@TexasTechTF) May 4, 2019

On the men's side, Duke Kicinski took the gold in both the discus and shot put. He threw a 191'-9" (58.45m) in the discus and a 57'-2.75" (17.44m) in the shot. Braden Darrow, who placed second in the shot behind Kicinski, tossed a lifetime-best 55'-1.5" (16.80m).

"It was a really good day for most of our throwers," Kittley said. "It was good to see them look good right before we go to Big 12s."

Highlighting midddle distance was Jessica Gallardo, whose solid season continued Saturday with a lifetime best in the 800m. She ran a 2:12.14 – over a second-and-a-half ahead of her PR – for the win.

Tech now looks towards the Big 12 Championships, which will be held next weekend, May 14-16, in Norman, Okla.