THREE FOR TIRIAH
6/1/2025 1:56:00 AM | Track & Field
Former Louisville transfer qualifies in 200 meters, 4x100 and 4x400 relays
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Tiriah Kelley knows all too well the pain that Alexis Brown felt in finishing 13th in the 100 meters in Saturday's quarterfinals at the NCAA West Prelims at E.B. Cushing Stadium.
That's exactly what the Louisville transfer did last year, finishing one spot out of qualifying in the 200 meters at the NCAA West Prelims.
"You never want to finish 13th," Baylor head coach Michael Ford said. "I think the only sad part for me was Alexis (not making it in the 100). Her ankle was a little sore from long jumping. But she went for it. And now, she can just focus on the long jump and getting the (4x100) relay around. Overall, I'm really proud of her."
Brown's placing in the 100-meter quarterfinals was one of the few disappointments for Baylor on the final day of the four-day NCAA West Prelims. The women added four more entries, including the 4x100 and 4x400 relays, giving the Bears a total of nine entries for the women and 14 overall for the NCAA Outdoor Championships June 11-14 in Eugene, Ore.
This week was a strong showing for a women's team that took just two individuals and the 4x100 relay to last year's NCAA Championships.
Kelley matched that number of entries, running legs on both the 4x100 and 4x400 relays and finishing second in her heat and seventh overall with a wind-legal PR time of 22.58 seconds in the 200 meters.
"Today has been just an extremely focused and locked-in day," Kelley said. "I knew coming out here, my mindset had to be A-1. I came here to win and prove myself and have faith in God, because last year I didn't make it in the 200. I got bumped out by one place, so I knew this year, I was taking that back and I was going to PR."
Like Brown, Kelley's day started in the 4x100 relay. Joined by freshman Hannah Lowe and senior anchor Michaela Francois, they finished second in their heat and seventh overall with a qualifying time of 43.15.
"The 4x1 is always such a fun race and an amazing way to start off a track meet, for sure," said Kelley, who had a strong opening leg. "I know we can be so much better than what we did today. Today, there were a few mishaps, and we know what to do and how to fix it going to nationals."
Already qualifying in the long jump, where she has the No. 1 mark in the country, Brown had a chance to make it in her third event. But in a near-replay of last year's West Prelims, she came up just short with a 13th-place time of 11.19 seconds, just two-hundredths of a second out of the final qualifying spot claimed by TCU's London Tucker (11.17).
"I know she's hurting, because you never want to finish 13th," Ford said, "but I'm still proud of her."
In three of the last four events on the track, Baylor earned a qualifying spot. Senior Calisha Taylor broke her own school record in the 400-meter hurdles and posted the second-fastest time of 55.94, with Akala Garrett of Texas winning the heat with a facility-record 54.72.
Next up for the Bears, Kelley overcame a slow start in the 200-meter quarterfinals to finish second in her heat, chasing USC's Dajaz Defrand (22.33) to the finish line with a new wind-legal career-best.
"I knew her heat was going to be tough," Ford said. "I wasn't real happy with probably her first 40 meters of the race, but then she started moving."
Kelley said she has "so much more to offer in the 200."
"I do feel like there's so much more I can do," she said. "I know that my season doesn't end after Eugene, because I will be going through the (USA) Trials and hopefully make it to Tokyo (for the World Championships) in September."
In the closing race of the day, Kelley ran the second leg on the 4x400 relay with seniors Summer Sergeant and Mariah Ayers and freshman anchor Aaryona Kinchen to record a qualifying time of 3:33.82. Kinchen had a 52.8 split on the final leg to help the Bears claim one of the three non-automatic qualifying times with a fifth-place finish in heat two.
"We can definitely do a lot better, but it was good enough," Kelley said. "It was a little challenging. I could have done a lot better on the second leg (53.96). I was just really drained from the day. I apologized to my teammates for that, because I think I can do so much better."
Subbing for 400-meter hurdlers Taylor and Jasmine Gryne, four-time All-American Ayers ran a 53.40 third leg and moved up a spot in the heat.
"Normally, (Taylor) is good for about one race a day," Ford said of Taylor. "Going back-to-back wouldn't have been smart on our end. So, we were going with a veteran like Mariah. She didn't run at conference, but having her around for five years, I just trust her enough that I know she'll keep us in the mix."
In Baylor's only other event of the day, freshman Iyanna Webb (42-8 ¾) and sophomore Bella Copeland (40-5 ½) were 27th and 42nd, respectively, in the triple jump.
Besides Saturday's four qualifying entries, the Bears' other NCAA Championship participants will be Igor Olaru (hammer throw), Nathaniel Ezekiel (400 hurdles), Demario Prince (110 hurdles), De'montray Callis (200) and the 4x400 relay on the men's side; and pole vaulters Molly Haywood and Tenly Kuhn, long jumpers Brown and Janae De Gannes and 10,000-meter runner Ruth Kimeli for the women.
"Overall, I think we had a good meet," Ford said. "Now, we've got to get them healthy and get ready for Eugene."
Baylor Bear Insider
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Tiriah Kelley knows all too well the pain that Alexis Brown felt in finishing 13th in the 100 meters in Saturday's quarterfinals at the NCAA West Prelims at E.B. Cushing Stadium.
That's exactly what the Louisville transfer did last year, finishing one spot out of qualifying in the 200 meters at the NCAA West Prelims.
"You never want to finish 13th," Baylor head coach Michael Ford said. "I think the only sad part for me was Alexis (not making it in the 100). Her ankle was a little sore from long jumping. But she went for it. And now, she can just focus on the long jump and getting the (4x100) relay around. Overall, I'm really proud of her."
Brown's placing in the 100-meter quarterfinals was one of the few disappointments for Baylor on the final day of the four-day NCAA West Prelims. The women added four more entries, including the 4x100 and 4x400 relays, giving the Bears a total of nine entries for the women and 14 overall for the NCAA Outdoor Championships June 11-14 in Eugene, Ore.
This week was a strong showing for a women's team that took just two individuals and the 4x100 relay to last year's NCAA Championships.
Kelley matched that number of entries, running legs on both the 4x100 and 4x400 relays and finishing second in her heat and seventh overall with a wind-legal PR time of 22.58 seconds in the 200 meters.
"Today has been just an extremely focused and locked-in day," Kelley said. "I knew coming out here, my mindset had to be A-1. I came here to win and prove myself and have faith in God, because last year I didn't make it in the 200. I got bumped out by one place, so I knew this year, I was taking that back and I was going to PR."
Like Brown, Kelley's day started in the 4x100 relay. Joined by freshman Hannah Lowe and senior anchor Michaela Francois, they finished second in their heat and seventh overall with a qualifying time of 43.15.
"The 4x1 is always such a fun race and an amazing way to start off a track meet, for sure," said Kelley, who had a strong opening leg. "I know we can be so much better than what we did today. Today, there were a few mishaps, and we know what to do and how to fix it going to nationals."
Already qualifying in the long jump, where she has the No. 1 mark in the country, Brown had a chance to make it in her third event. But in a near-replay of last year's West Prelims, she came up just short with a 13th-place time of 11.19 seconds, just two-hundredths of a second out of the final qualifying spot claimed by TCU's London Tucker (11.17).
"I know she's hurting, because you never want to finish 13th," Ford said, "but I'm still proud of her."
In three of the last four events on the track, Baylor earned a qualifying spot. Senior Calisha Taylor broke her own school record in the 400-meter hurdles and posted the second-fastest time of 55.94, with Akala Garrett of Texas winning the heat with a facility-record 54.72.
Next up for the Bears, Kelley overcame a slow start in the 200-meter quarterfinals to finish second in her heat, chasing USC's Dajaz Defrand (22.33) to the finish line with a new wind-legal career-best.
"I knew her heat was going to be tough," Ford said. "I wasn't real happy with probably her first 40 meters of the race, but then she started moving."
Kelley said she has "so much more to offer in the 200."
"I do feel like there's so much more I can do," she said. "I know that my season doesn't end after Eugene, because I will be going through the (USA) Trials and hopefully make it to Tokyo (for the World Championships) in September."
In the closing race of the day, Kelley ran the second leg on the 4x400 relay with seniors Summer Sergeant and Mariah Ayers and freshman anchor Aaryona Kinchen to record a qualifying time of 3:33.82. Kinchen had a 52.8 split on the final leg to help the Bears claim one of the three non-automatic qualifying times with a fifth-place finish in heat two.
"We can definitely do a lot better, but it was good enough," Kelley said. "It was a little challenging. I could have done a lot better on the second leg (53.96). I was just really drained from the day. I apologized to my teammates for that, because I think I can do so much better."
Subbing for 400-meter hurdlers Taylor and Jasmine Gryne, four-time All-American Ayers ran a 53.40 third leg and moved up a spot in the heat.
"Normally, (Taylor) is good for about one race a day," Ford said of Taylor. "Going back-to-back wouldn't have been smart on our end. So, we were going with a veteran like Mariah. She didn't run at conference, but having her around for five years, I just trust her enough that I know she'll keep us in the mix."
In Baylor's only other event of the day, freshman Iyanna Webb (42-8 ¾) and sophomore Bella Copeland (40-5 ½) were 27th and 42nd, respectively, in the triple jump.
Besides Saturday's four qualifying entries, the Bears' other NCAA Championship participants will be Igor Olaru (hammer throw), Nathaniel Ezekiel (400 hurdles), Demario Prince (110 hurdles), De'montray Callis (200) and the 4x400 relay on the men's side; and pole vaulters Molly Haywood and Tenly Kuhn, long jumpers Brown and Janae De Gannes and 10,000-meter runner Ruth Kimeli for the women.
"Overall, I think we had a good meet," Ford said. "Now, we've got to get them healthy and get ready for Eugene."
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