Track Opens Indoor Season at Texas Tech’s Corky Classic

Friday, January 14

Lubbock, Texas

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Texas Tech Corky Classic

Track Opens Indoor Season at Texas Tech’s Corky Classic

1/13/2022 8:13:00 AM | Track & Field

Ford leading experienced squad in 1st meet as head coach

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            For the first time in 60 years, Baylor track & field will open the season without Clyde Hart or Todd Harbour leading the troops.
            Former All-American Michael Ford, selected as the successor in July when Harbour retired, is taking an experienced and highly decorated team with him to the season-opening Corky Classic that begins Friday at Texas Tech's Sports Performance Center in Lubbock.
            "I'm very excited," said Ford, who had spent the previous 20 years as an assistant coach under Hart and Harbour. "The fall training was probably one of our better falls in a while. I think, honestly, the weather helped. We didn't have as many injuries. Now, it's go time. That first meet is to kind of get the rust off. For me as a head coach now, I guess I'm paying attention to everything, but I'm looking forward to it."
            NCAA indoor champions Ackera Nugent (60-meter hurdles) and Aaliyah Miller (800 Meters) and three-time All-American pole vaulter Tuesdi Tidwell lead a women's squad that also returns relay All-Americans Kavia Francis, Arria Minor, Lily Williams, Miller, Sydney Washington and Mariah Ayers.
            Because of a redshirt season and the COVID year, Miller is returning for her sixth year, already holding the school indoor and outdoor records in the 800 meters.
            "Basically, we have everyone back except for (Olympic pole vaulter) KC Lightfoot," Ford said. "On the ladies' side, all of our All-Americans are back. Looking forward to being really high level at the conference and then also at the national championships, because we did well indoor last year on the ladies' side, at least at the national meet."
            Added to already deep pool of relay candidates is freshman Imaobong Uko, who helped Nigeria win a gold medal in the mixed 4x400 relay in the Beijing Olympics.
            "We have all the girls that were All-American indoors in the 4x4, and then we had a really good group that came back outdoors," Ford said. "Sydney Washington and Mariah Ayers didn't run indoors because they were coming off of COVID, but they ran outdoors. With all of them being healthy, the 4x4 should do well."
            The men's team loses Lightfoot, the 2021 indoor champion in the pole vault, but return fifth-year "super seniors" Jayson Baldridge, Isaiah Cunningham and Howard Fields Iii. Matthew Moorer and Dillon Bedell also ran on the 4x400 relay team that made it to the NCAA Outdoor finals.
            "I feel like a Big 12 and national championship is definitely possible," said Fields, who suffered a hamstring injury that hampered him late in the year. "At Texas Relays, we had one of the top three times in the United States (3:02.19), and we kind of let that get ahead of us. Everybody just has to keep their head on straight, stay focused and don't get distracted by the outside things trying to come in. Just go ahead and go get it."
            Because of a lack of numbers across the board, Ford said the men are "more projected toward the national meet" with the 4x400 relay, Fields in the 400, Baldridge in the hurdles and Ben Conacher in the pole vault.
            "And then, we've got some good freshmen with Johnny Brackins in the long jump/triple jump and De'montray Callis in the sprints," Ford said. "I think our team is going to do really well."
            Fields said his goal this weekend is to win and pop a good time, "but whatever God has planned for me. I'm going to take it step by step, not really rush anything."
            "In the 400, I had an injury at regionals, a hamstring injury that prevented me from winning the national championship, in my opinion," said Fields, who won the Big 12 400-meter title with a time of 45.72. "I definitely want to come back, stay healthy and win that."
            Even without Lightfoot, who turned pro early last spring and finished fourth at the Olympics, Baylor remains strong in the pole vault.
            Tidwell, who finished sixth at the NCAA Indoor Championships and tied for third outdoors, broke Annie Rhodes-Johnigan's indoor school record with a mark of 14-9. She's joined by sophomore Alex Kubicek, who finished third at the Big 12 Outdoor meet and has an indoor personal best of 13-8 ½, and freshman Kierstyn Ballard.
            On the men's side, Ben Conacher earned All-Big 12 honors indoors and outdoors last year with top-six finishes and is joined by 2021 Nebraska state champion Nick Butler.
            "I think we can carry it on," Tidwell said. "We have a couple freshmen that came in, and all around it's just a great atmosphere within our event group. And it's a lot of fun for us."
            Rather than just making it to the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships, Tidwell said her goal is "more so placing top three indoors and outdoors as a goal."
            "My goals for this meet are just to focus on myself, focus on my form and hopefully PR," she said. "Just focus on getting my height better rather than comparing myself to anyone else."
            The two-day meet begins with the women's weight throw at 3:30 p.m. Friday, with running events starting at 5 p.m. On Saturday, the meet resumes with the women's shot put and mile both starting at 11 a.m.
            Among the teams joining Baylor and host Texas Tech are Abilene Christian, Angelo State, Arizona, New Mexico State, Northern Colorado, Tarleton, Texas State, West Texas A&M and several of the top junior college programs.
            "(At our team meeting), we talked about having fun, being focused for what their events are and just having faith in themselves," Ford said. "I think our No. 1 thing is staying injury-free going into this meet. And then, especially for the freshmen and newcomers we have, just seeing how they act on a new stage in front of other teams that they probably won't see (again)."


Live results and a meet schedule will both be available online.

For the latest news on the Baylor track and field team all season long, follow its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BaylorTrack.

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