Texas Tech University Athletics
Saturday, February 29
Ames, Iowa
Texas Tech Athletics
at
Big 12 Indoor Championships
Men Primed for Title Defense, Women Seeking First Championship
February 26, 2020 | Track and Field
Men shooting for three-peat, women seeking first title
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech track and field will depart for Ames, Iowa, Wednesday for the Big 12 Indoor Championships. Tech's men's team will be searching for its third-straight indoor championship and fifth-straight overall Big 12 title. To achieve this, Tech will turn to several of the returning scorers from last year's Big 12-winning group, which put together the most dominant title win in conference history.
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Derrius Rodgers will return as a two-time All-Big 12 sprinter in both the 60m and 200m. Jacolby Shelton, who is tied with Rodgers for the best time in the conference at 6.62, will flank him in the 60m. Keion Sutton will also be a strong contender for points, currently ranking ninth with his 6.68. Flanking Rodgers in the 200m will be Iowa transfer Karayme Bartley, who last weekend ran 20.61 for the third-fastest time in the NCAA this year. Ashton O'Conner will also run the 200m, currently owning a season-best 20.77 in his debut campaign.
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In the field, Tech's outdoor and, as of last weekend, indoor pole vault school record-holder Brandon Bray will contend for his first career Big 12 title. Gabe Oladipo, another school record holder, will contend for the Big 12 title in the weight throw. Since throwing his record-worthy 71'-0.75" (21.66m), Oladipo has thrown four other program top-10 distances. The conference's top long jumper, Justin Hall, will also go after his first title.
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The women's side will be boosted towards contention for its first-ever Big 12 title in the horizontal jumps, where they have three each in the top-10 in both the triple and long jump. Ruth Usoro, the school record-holder in both events, will lead this effort. She currently ranks third in the NCAA in the long and fourth in the triple. Also in the long jump will be All-American multis athlete Kaylee Hinton, competing in her first Big 12 meet since 2018. Hinton will compete in the pentathlon and long jump, and likely the open 60m hurdles and high jump as well.
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Chinne Okoronkwo is the lone defending Big 12 champion on either the men's or women's side, and she will return to seek her second-straight title in the pole vault. Joining her will be Chloe Wall, whose season-best 14'-2.75" (4.34m) has her ranked second in the Big 12 and 11th in the nation.
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On the track, the conference's top hurdler will take the track in Gabrielle McDonald. McDonald downed the school record in her Tech debut, running 8.02 at the Corky Classic. D'Jenne Egharevba will lead the Lady Raiders in both the 60m and 200m, in which she both ranks top-four in the conference. Â
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The Big 12 Indoor Championships will begin for Tech at with the pentathlon Thursday. The meet will be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
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Derrius Rodgers will return as a two-time All-Big 12 sprinter in both the 60m and 200m. Jacolby Shelton, who is tied with Rodgers for the best time in the conference at 6.62, will flank him in the 60m. Keion Sutton will also be a strong contender for points, currently ranking ninth with his 6.68. Flanking Rodgers in the 200m will be Iowa transfer Karayme Bartley, who last weekend ran 20.61 for the third-fastest time in the NCAA this year. Ashton O'Conner will also run the 200m, currently owning a season-best 20.77 in his debut campaign.
Â
In the field, Tech's outdoor and, as of last weekend, indoor pole vault school record-holder Brandon Bray will contend for his first career Big 12 title. Gabe Oladipo, another school record holder, will contend for the Big 12 title in the weight throw. Since throwing his record-worthy 71'-0.75" (21.66m), Oladipo has thrown four other program top-10 distances. The conference's top long jumper, Justin Hall, will also go after his first title.
Â
The women's side will be boosted towards contention for its first-ever Big 12 title in the horizontal jumps, where they have three each in the top-10 in both the triple and long jump. Ruth Usoro, the school record-holder in both events, will lead this effort. She currently ranks third in the NCAA in the long and fourth in the triple. Also in the long jump will be All-American multis athlete Kaylee Hinton, competing in her first Big 12 meet since 2018. Hinton will compete in the pentathlon and long jump, and likely the open 60m hurdles and high jump as well.
Â
Chinne Okoronkwo is the lone defending Big 12 champion on either the men's or women's side, and she will return to seek her second-straight title in the pole vault. Joining her will be Chloe Wall, whose season-best 14'-2.75" (4.34m) has her ranked second in the Big 12 and 11th in the nation.
Â
On the track, the conference's top hurdler will take the track in Gabrielle McDonald. McDonald downed the school record in her Tech debut, running 8.02 at the Corky Classic. D'Jenne Egharevba will lead the Lady Raiders in both the 60m and 200m, in which she both ranks top-four in the conference. Â
Â
The Big 12 Indoor Championships will begin for Tech at with the pentathlon Thursday. The meet will be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
Players Mentioned
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Combined Events
/ Track and Field
Sprints/Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Jumps/Pole Vault
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Pole Vault
/ Track and Field2026 Texas Relays Recap
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