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HOUSTON -- The No. 18 Texas men’s track and field team used two NCAA provisional qualifiers, four individual champions and two relay titles to start the 2008 season at the Houston Indoor Opener at Yeoman Field House on Saturday, Jan. 12.

The Longhorns won the team title scoring 140.50 points in 16 scored events. Host school Houston totaled 123 points for second ahead of third-place Prairie View A&M (102 points), fourth-place UT-San Antonio (93.50) and fifth-place Lamar (39).

Two Texas high jumpers met the NCAA provisional mark as senior Joel Hargett (Conroe, Texas) and junior Raymond Harris (Nacogdoches, Texas) cleared 7-0.25 (2.14m) in placing second and third.

Returning to his hometown of Houston for his first collegiate event, freshman Maston Wallace put on a show for the crowd in winning the pole vault. He captured the event championship with a height of 16-6.5 (5.05m), besting the field that including NCAA combined event champions Trey Hardee and Donovan Kilmartin.

One of the most exciting races of the evening came in the first heat of the 4x400-meter relay. Leadoff leg and Texas freshman Logan Gonzales (Boone, Iowa) had the Longhorns in fourth place through the first two laps. Fellow rookie Andre Thomas (St. Peter’s Mo.) passed UTSA during the second leg to move into third place for the exchange. Junior transfer Tevan Everett (Bel-Aire, Kan.) made up the stagger to move within two feet of the lead pack. Junior U.S. Track and Field champion and Longhorns’ freshman Danzell Fortson (Dallas, Texas) used one lap to pull within striking distance of Houston’s anchor leg and then passed him in the final 50 meters to win the race for Texas in 3:19.10.

The distance-medley relay was victorious in the first men’s relay of the afternoon, running 10:28.84. Freshmen Brian Rhodes-Devey (Slingerlands, N.Y.) led off the distance-medley relay. Fortson grabbed the baton in second place and within one lap caught up to race leader  UT-San Antonio. Fortson handed the baton off after the second lap to Gonzales who maintained the lead for anchor Jay Heller (Marietta, Ga.).

Senior John Rouse (Kaufman, Texas) opened the meet and the 2008 season with a win in the weight throw, tossing 58-4.75 (17.80m).

Redshirt freshmen Brandon Birdsong (Lubbock, Texas) and Habben Berhane (Dallas, Texas) led the 5,000-meter race from start to finish, clocking 15:11.91 and 15:19.97, respectively.

All-Americans Jake Morse (Arlington, Texas) and Erik Stanley (Spring, Texas) finished second and fourth, amidst a lap-miscount in the 3,000-meter. Morse stayed with race leader, Lamar's Francis Kasagule, and crossed the line in 8:25.93. Stanley ran 8:30.57.

Junior Elliot O’Hare (Austin, Texas) shattered his personal-best with a 7.96-effort in winning the 60-meter hurdles. O’Hare, who entered the season with a PB of 7.99, had the second fastest qualifying time (8.13) in the preliminary race.

O’Hare returned with senior Joseph Davis (San Antonio, Texas) to finish second and third in the triple jump. O’Hare hit the sand in 48-4.75 (14.75m) while Davis landed in 47-3 (14.40m). Sophomore Chuck Freeman (Arlington, Texas) added a sixth-place finish behind a jump of 44-11 (13.69m).

Earlier in the day, Thomas won his 400-meter heat and finished second overall in 50.18 seconds.

POSTMEET NOTES
Texas ex Trey Hardee and current Longhorn Donovan Kilmartin competed unattached in today’s meet… Redshirt sophomore Nick Baucum (Robstown, Texas) threw a lifetime best 50-5.25 (15.37m) for third in the shot put.  Freshman high jumper Devon Bond cleared 6-8.25 (2.04m) and tied for fourth in his collegiate debut… Newcomer Kenny Greaves (Coppell, Texas) had the 18th fastest time (9.20) in the 60-meter hurdle prelims and placed eighth in the pole vault with a height of 15-1 (4.60m)… Sophomore Shawn Schmidt (Plano, Texas), who normally competes in the combined events, advanced to the 60-meter hurdles finals, running 8.85 in the prelims… Redshirt sophomore Will Schroeder (San Antonio, Texas) took third in running just one second shy of his personal best in the 800, clocking 1:57.07 in the four-lap race... Redshirt junior Luke Hansen (The Woodlands, Texas) ran 2:07.40 for 11th-place in the 800.  

POSTMEET QUOTES
HEAD COACH BUBBA THORNTON
On team’s overall performance: It was a positive meet. I felt like we’ve competed as a team. If we can get some consistency on top of these performances, we will be in good condition. The most important thing is that, with the exception of one or two people, we had a good competitive showing for the first meet. It was nice to have a low-key meet to start the season.

On individual performances: All of a sudden Elliot O’Hare grows up. In the high jump, they came through. They are exceptional performances for the first meet and if we can repeat those kind of performances -- Maston in the pole vault, Fortson in the distance-medley and 1,600-meter relay -- we will be in good shape. We’re going to go back and show the guys what they need to do. If we can get results out of that, we will have a really strong conference team.

JUNIOR ELLIOT O'HARE
On his performances in the triple jump and the hurdles: The hurdles were good. I thought the prelim was pretty ugly. Last year when I fell at conference, I still was faster than that. I stepped it up in the finals and got a good race in with my competitor from UTSA to get the win. The triple jump was alright; I pulled out a decent jump and I feel pretty good about it.

JUNIOR RAYMOND HARRIS
On clearing the NCAA provisional in the high jump: I knew from practice that I could jump seven-feet. I just wanted to come out here and do it. That was part one. I thought I could go a little higher, maybe 7-2. My first attempt at that height was good and my third attempt was good. I want to stay consistent at that mark or maybe a little higher. If I keep training like I am now, it may come a little easier.