When: Saturday, Jan. 12, 2008
Where: Houston, Texas (Yeoman Field House/UH Alumni Center)
Track: Flat, six lane, 200-meter oval with eight-lane straightaway
AUSTIN, Texas -- The No. 11 Texas women's track and field team open the 2008 indoor season at the Houston Indoor Opener at Yeoman Field House in Houston, Texas on Saturday, Jan. 12.
2008 Preview
The Longhorns start the season ranked No. 11 in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) preseason poll. Texas earned points in the ranking from returning NCAA Champions Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) and Alexandria Anderson (Chicago, Ill.). Hooker, entering her third year on the Forty Acres, won the 2007 Big 12 high jump title and finished third at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Anderson, also in her third season in burnt orange, earned indoor All-American honors in the 60 and as a leg of the 4x400-meter relay, and placed 12th in the preliminary round of the 200 at nationals.
Texas earned additional points in the team rankings from two returning NCAA qualifiers senior pole vaulter Ashley Laughlin (Marble Falls, Texas) and senior middle distance runner Temeka Kincy (Indianapolis, Ind.).
The Longhorns bring in a strong group of freshman, led by Track and Field News All-American Bianca Knight. The talented prep sprinter from Ridgeland, Miss., competed for the U.S. junior track and field team during the summer before reporting to campus for the fall semester.
2007-08 Indoor Schedule
Texas travels to Houston twice and Champaign, Ill., during the first month of competition. After the Longhorns suit up for the Houston Indoor Opener, UT splits squads the following weekend with a group traveling to the Leonard Hilton Memorial meet (Jan. 18-19) and the Illinois Women's Invitational (Jan. 18-19).
In February, the Longhorns take their final 170-mile journey to Houston of the 2008 season for the Houston Indoor Invitational from Feb. 1-2. UT ends the regular season with a preview of the NCAA Championships site at the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., from Feb. 15-16.
After the Big 12 Championship in Lincoln, Neb., from Feb. 29-Mar. 1, Texas will decide on a last chance meet (to take place Mar. 7 or Mar. 8) before heading to indoor nationals from Mar. 14-15 in Fayetteville.
2006-07 Season Recap
The 2007 season saw Texas continue its strong tradition as a powerhouse program. The Longhorns finished in the top two at the Big 12 Championship for the 11th time since joining the league in 1997. UT also extended its streak of top-10 NCAA team finishes with an eighth-place performance at the 2007 national championship. The Longhorns scored 22 points behind five individual All-Americans and one All-American relay to finish among the nation's best teams.
2007 Preseason Track and Field Rankings
UT is ranked No. 11 in the preseason poll released on Dec. 20 by the USTFCCCA. The 25-team poll has a new format this year that was voted on by the coaches at the national convention. The USTFCCCA Division I Indoor track and field rankings are compiled solely from the NCAA descending order lists.
The preseason rankings are based on the final descending order list of the previous season. Louisiana State is predicted to win the NCAA Indoor title ahead of defending NCAA Indoor and Outdoor champion Arizona State.
Third-ranked Tennessee, No. 4 Michigan, No. 5 Stanford, and No. 6 South Carolina are the next four teams vying for a chance at a championship. Two Big 12 Conference schools are in the top 10 - No. 7 Texas Tech and No. 8 Texas A&M. Rounding out the top 10 teams are No. 9 Arkansas and No. 10 Virginia Tech.
And let the Olympic Games begin
The 2008 season is a special one for the sports world as the best athletes across all sports are vying for an Olympic gold medal.
In track and field, the qualifying season started on Jan. 1, 2007 and ends July 23, 2008. Athletes must meet the 'A' or 'B' standard in order to make the Olympic roster. The athletics events will take place during the final 10 days of the Olympic Games (Aug. 15-24) at Beijing Stadium.
The U.S. team will hold its Olympic Trials from June 27-July 6 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. The top finishers from each event will represent the U.S. at the 2008 Olympic Games in China.
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