TF Travels to Tyson Invitational

2/11/2010 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field

Feb. 11, 2010

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Baylor's track and field team will make its second trip of the season to Fayetteville, Ark., for the Tyson Invitational on Feb. 12-13 at the Randal Tyson Track Complex. With just two weeks until the Big 12 Conference Championships, this will be the final tune-up for the Bears.

The Tyson Invitational will feature the top teams in the NCAA, as well as some of the best competition from the professional level. Eight of the top 10 ranked teams on the men's side will be in action, including No. 2 Florida State, No. 3 Florida, No. 4 Oregon, No. 5 LSU, and No. 6 Nebraska. Nine other top 25 teams will also be competing, making 17 of the top 25. On the women's side, the competition will be an equal test with six of the top 10 teams, and 14 of the top 25. The field includes No. 3 LSU, No. 4 Oregon, No. 5 Florida State, and No. 7 Clemson.

Baylor will be looking to add to its already lengthy list of NCAA automatic and provisional qualifiers. The Bears currently boast two automatic qualifiers, Whitney Prevost in the 200 and the 4x400-meter relay combination of Trey Harts, Marcus Boyd, Michael Liggins, and Zwede Hewitt.

Baylor also has athletes provisionally qualified in 11 other events. Junior All-American Tiffany Townsend leads the way for the women, provisionally qualifying in the 60 and 200 meters. Two jumpers, DeAna Carson (long jump) and Jessica Ubanyionwu (triple jump) are each qualified, along with tracksters Diamond Richardson (400 meters) and Stephanie Morgan (800 meters). Richardson and Morgan also made up half of the provisionally qualified distance medley relay team with Cate Westenhover and Erin Bedell.

For the men, the Baylor sprinters have qualified two more in the 200 to go along with Prevost's automatic time. Defending indoor national champion Trey Harts and speedster Courtney Thomas are also provisionally qualified. Also on the track, All-Americans Chris Gowell (800 meters) and Marcus Boyd (400 meters) have met provisional standards.

The meet is scheduled to begin at noon on Friday with the women's 400 meters on the track and the women's pole vault in the field. On Saturday, the women's shot put will get rolling at noon, while events on the track will start at 12:40 p.m. with the men's 5,000 meters. All throwing events during the weekend will take place at Arkansas' Walker Pavilion.