Baylor
Texas A&M Challenge
Track Wins Six Events at A&M Challenge
1/15/2011 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
Jan. 15, 2011
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Sophomore Skylar White set the nation's leading mark and a school record in the shot put as part of six event wins for the Baylor track and field team at the Texas A&M Challenge on Saturday in College Station.
The meet was scored as a conference challenge, pitting the Big 12 against the Southland, SWAC and Sun Belt. Baylor, along with Texas A&M and Oklahoma, helped the Big 12 to combined victories in both the men's and women's team races.
"It was an outstanding day overall for the both the men and women," head coach Todd Harbour said. "The main objective of this first meet is to come in here and see where we're at, but also come out healthy. We did all of that and had some great performances."
White's big mark came on her second throw of the day, shattering her own school record by more than four feet. After taking the lead with her first throw of 50 feet, 6.75 inches, the DeSoto, Texas, native powered one out to 55-8.25, setting the standard in the NCAA this season and winning the event and automatically qualifying her for the NCAA Championships.
"Skylar had an amazing performance in the shot put," Harbour said. "For her to PR by as much as she did is just incredible, and its going to be fun to watch her the rest of the season."
The Baylor women's distance medley relay put together a convincing victory, winning by more than 55 seconds with a time of 12:12.18. The group was comprised of Leigh Ann Ganzar, Lynette Atkinson, Mariah Kelly and Katie Shaw.
The Bears took titles in four other individual events as well, including senior Marcus Boyd running the fastest 400-meter time in the NCAA to win at 46.77. Also for the men, Zac Flowers pulled away from the mile field for a four-second victory with a personal-best time of 4:10.65. For the women, Seton Hall transfer Brittany OgunMokun took the women's 800-meter title with the NCAA's second-best time of 2:10.98, while freshman Robyn Bennett led nearly wire-to-wire in the 3,000 meters to win with a time of 9:47.33.
White was the only Bear to set a school record on Saturday, as freshman speedster Tiffani McReynolds broke the BU 60-meter hurdle record with a time of 8.35 to place third in the finals. Earlier, in the preliminary rounds, McReynolds had tied the school record of 8.43, set by Nzingah Kamani in 1999.
"One of the really great surprises of the day was Tiffani McReynolds in the sprints," Harbour said. "She came out and performed really well, tying the school record in the prelims and then breaking it in the finals."
McReynolds and her namesake, Tiffany Townsend, took two of the top six spots in the 60 meters. Townsend ran the NCAA's third-best time to place second at 7.37, while McReynolds was sixth at 7.49. Also in the women's sprints, junior Diamond Richardson placed second in the 400 meters with a top-five NCAA time of 54.52.
On the men's side, Whitney Prevost and transfer Woodrow Randall had solid days in the 60 and 200 meters. Prevost placed second in the 200 meters (20.88) and fourth in the 60 meters (6.73), while Randall was fourth in the 200 (21.36) and fifth in the 60 (6.78). Prevost's 200-meter time, which is the second fastest time in the world this year, narrowly missed the NCAA automatic qualifying time of 20.83.
"Our sprints crew came out today and looked really good," Harbour said. "Marcus (Boyd) had a great season-opening performance in the 400 meters, and Whitney (Prevost) and Woodrow (Randall) both ran great times today in the sprints."
Baylor's 4x400-meter relay teams placed second and third, respectively. On the men's side, Prevost, Drew Seale, James Gilreath and Boyd battled with Oklahoma for second-place, but Boyd finished off the race for a time of 3:10.26. The time marks the third fastest in the NCAA this season. The Baylor women placed third behind efforts from Alyssa Nichols, OgunMokun, Brittany Bruce and Lizzy Whitney.
In the field events, All-American triple jumper Jessica Ubanyionwu got her season off to a strong start with a second-place finish and the second-best mark in the NCAA this season with a leap of 41-5.75.
Other top finishes for Baylor include Gilreath in the 800 meters with a time of 1:52.22, and a group of runner for both men and women in the 3,000 meters. Behind Bennett winning the women's 3,000, Katie Shaw placed fourth with a time of 9:58.85 and Kristen Hanselka was fifth at 10:08.44. On the men's side, Ben Allen was fourth in the 3,000 meters with a time of 8:50.25.
After a week off next weekend, Baylor will be back in action at the Razorback Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., on Jan. 29-30. The two-day meet will be hosted at the Randal Tyson Track Center.
Baylor Results by Event
Women's 60m Hurdles
3. Tiffani McReynolds, 8.35 (Baylor school record/t-3rd currently in NCAA)
p-16. Jessica Shadley, 9.42
p-21. Vanessa Samuel, 9.81
p-22. Lauren Rover, 9.90
Men's 60m Hurdles
p-15. Hunter Brook, 8.83
p-17. Eric Bostick, 8.91
p-22. Henry Vildosola, 9.25
Women's 60 meters
2. Tiffany Townsend, 7.37 (t-3rd currently in NCAA)
6. Tiffani McReynolds, 7.49
p-14. Brittany Carr, 7.70
Men's 60 meters
4. Whitney Prevost, 6.73 (t-5th currently in NCAA)
5. Woodrow Randall, 6.78
p-12. Marcus Thompson, 7.00
Women's 200 meters
13. Alyssa Nichols, 25.07
16. Idia Omogiate, 25.29
29. Kara Blake, 25.92
Men's 200 meters
2. Whitney Prevost, 20.88
4. Woodrow Randall, 21.36
17. Marcus Thompson, 22.10
Women's 400 meters
2. Diamond Richardson, 54.52 (5th currently in NCAA)
17. Symphony Bagsby, 59.47
22. Midori Starks, 59.93
Men's 400 Meters
1. Marcus Boyd, 46.77 (1st currently in NCAA)
7. Drew Seale, 48.46
16. Gabriel El Hanbli, 49.68
Women's 800 Meters
1. Brittany OgunMokun, 2:10.98 (2nd currently in NCAA)
7. Lizzy Whitney, 2:16.91
8. Ivorie Walker, 2:17.47
Men's 800 Meters
4. James Gilreath, 1:52.22
18. Philip Raaf, 1:57.47
Men's Mile
1. Zac Flowers, 4:10.65 (10th currently in NCAA)
Women's 3,000 Meters
1. Robyn Bennett, 9:47.33 (3rd currently in NCAA)
4. Katie Shaw, 9:58.85
5. Kristen Hanselka, 10:08.44
Men's 3,000 Meters
4. Ben Allen, 8:50.25
9. Blake Niccum, 8:54.24
Women's 4x400-meter Relay
3. Alyssa Nichols, Brittany OgunMokun, Brittany Bruce, Lizzy Whitney, 3:44.41
Men's 4x400-meter Relay
3. Whitney Prevost, Drew Seale, James Gilreath, Marcus Boyd, 3:10.26
Women's Distance Medley Relay
1. Leigh Ann Ganzar, Lynette Atkinson, Mariah Kelly, Katie Shaw, 12:12.18
Women's Long Jump
10. Dess Meek, 17-9.5
17. Jessica Gabler, 17-3.25
20. Jessica Shadley, 17-2
Women's Triple Jump
2. Jessica Ubanyionwu, 41-5.75 (2nd currently in NCAA)
Women's High Jump
4. Dess Meek, 5-5.75
T5. Lauren Rover, 5-3.75
Women's Pole Vault
T9. Jessica Shadley, 10-6.25
Women's Shot Put
1. Skylar White, 55-08.25 (Baylor school record/1st currently in NCAA)
13. Taylor Torres, 37-4
16. Allyson Anderson, 33-5.75
Players Mentioned
