Women's Track and Field preview: 83rd Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays presented by State Farm
March 30, 2010
MEET INFO LONGHORNS HOST TEXAS RELAYS ... The largest home track and field event of the year is here for the Texas Women's Track and Field team. The Longhorns host over 3,000 athletes and nearly 70,000 fans for the 2010 83rd Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays from Wednesday-Saturday, March 31-April 3. The meet takes place over four days at the Mike A. Myers Track Stadium, which seats 20,000 fans. TICKETS FOR THE RELAYS ... Tickets to the Texas Relays can be obtained at the Mike A. Myers Stadium Box Office during the event or can be purchased in advance at TexasBoxOffice.com or by calling the UT Athletics Ticket Office at (800) 982-2386 or (512) 471-3333. Admission on Wednesday and Thursday is free to the public. All-session passes are $30 for reserved seating and $20 for general admission. On Friday and Saturday, general admission is $10 and reserved seating is $15 each day. MALONE LOOKING TO CARRY SUCCESS INTO OUTDOOR SEASON ... Junior Chantel Malone just capped off her most successful indoor season in the long jump since arriving on the Forty Acres in 2008. Malone posted a PR of 21-4.25 (6.51m) to claim the Big 12 Indoor Long Jump Title. Her mark snapped a 13-year old Big 12 meet record and goes down as the second best mark in UT indoor history. Malone carried that success into the NCAA Indoor Championship where she placed seventh with a jump of 21-0 (6.41m) for the first individual All-American honor of her career. She also became just the second Horn in UT history to post two or more marks past 21 feet in a career. COOPER BREAKING OUT ... After a freshman season that included a trip to the NCAA Outdoor Championship semifinals in the 400m hurdles, sophomore Angele Cooper is building off of that experience this season. So far this year, the California native has PR'd in the 400m (53.25), a mark that places her third in the nation. Cooper is also No. 12 in the country in the 400m hurdles with a time of 59.50. Her season-opening 59.50 in the event is over two seconds faster than her 2009 opening time (1:02.24).
WHERE UT RANKS IN THE NATION... Along with Cooper, a handful of Longhorns also rank in the nation's top 15 in their respective events. Senior Jordyn Brown's shot put of 53-10.5 is currently the second best mark in the nation. In the high jump, sophomore Victoria Lucas' 5-10.5 (1.80m) clearance is the fourth highest this year. Junior Chantel Malone and sophomore Stacey-Ann Smith boast the nation's fifth (53.51) and sixth (53.55) fastest 400m marks, respectively, while Smith also holds the 15th best 200m (23.79). Sophomore Mia Behm's 5,000m PR of 16:24.11 is the 10th best time this year. Additionally, freshman Natasha Masterson is tied or the 13th highest pole vault with her mark of 13-3.5 (4.05m). MASTERSON CLIMBING FAST ... After tying the Texas indoor pole vault record of 13-6.25 (4.12m) during the indoor campaign, freshman Natasha Masterson has continued to etch her name in the UT record books this outdoor season. In her second meet of the year, the native Texan cleared 13-3.5 (4.05m) for the third-best outdoor mark in UT history. Her mark currently ties for the 13th highest reached this year nationally and Masterson is one of just two freshman in the nation to clear at least 13-3.5. SMITH JUMPS OUT QUICK ... In just two meets so far this outdoor season, sophomore Stacey-Ann Smith has already posted times of 23.79 in the 200m - which ranks 15th in the nation - and 53.55 in the 400m which ranks sixth so far this year. BROWN CONTINUES TO PROGRESS ... From walk-on to All-American, senior Jordyn Brown has made a name for herself in the shot put across the nation. After earning the first All-American honor of the career in 2009 with a fourth-place finish in the indoor shot put, Brown has continued to impress. This outdoor season, she is currently ranked second in the nation in the event with a throw of 53-10.5, just one foot and a quarter inch shy of her personal best (54-10.75). BEHM SHAVING SECONDS ... Sophomore distance specialist Mia Behm is making the most of her second year on the Forty Acres having qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships and setting PRs in every event she competes in. So far in the outdoor campaign, Behm has PR'd in the 1,500m (4:35.38) and the 5,000m (16:24.11). Her 5K time is the fifth fastest in the nation this year and is 23 seconds faster than her previous PR (16:47.50). TEXAS COMPETITIORS (*Tentative) |
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