Women's Track and Field preview: Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays presented by State Farm
March 31, 2009 Meet Info AUSTIN, Texas -- 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 2009 82nd Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays from Wednesday-Saturday, April 1-4. The meet takes place over four days at the Mike A. Myers Track Stadium. 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 are 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. Where we stand in the nation ... Senior Alexandria Anderson and freshman Stacey-Ann Smith currently hold the nation's fourth (54.03) and fifth (54.14) fastest 400-meter times, respectively. Smith also owns the nation's eighth-fastest outdoor 200-meter mark (23.70) while junior Jordyn Brown tops the nation in the shot put with her mark of 54-2 (16.51m). Texas' 4x100-meter relay (Alexandria Anderson, Angele Cooper, LaKeidra Stewart, Chantel Malone) holds the eighth-fastest time (44.90) this year. NCAA Regional Qualifiers ... Texas has already collected nine regional qualifying marks this season in just two meets, five of which were reached by freshman. Newcomers Stacey-Ann Smith (200m and 400m), Judy Nwosu (400m), Destiny Lumas (100m Hurdles) and Amanda Van Dyke (shot put) have all earned the opportunity to compete at nationals. Senior Alexandria Anderson (400m), junior Jordyn Brown (shot put) and the Horns 4x100-meter relay have also regionally qualified. Longhorns at the Relays ... The Texas Relays bring good fortune to the women's track and field squad as many of them have either set their personal bests or won multiple events on the Mike Myers Track. Senior Alexandria Anderson ran the fastest 100-meter time of her career (11.10) a year ago at the Texas Relays. Junior Destinee Hooker is a three-time Relays high jump champion after winning as a senior in high school and then claiming the university/college title as a freshman and sophomore. Chantel Malone also PR'd at the Relays a year ago when reached 19-1.25 (5.82m) in the long jump. Last week at the Rice Bayou Classic ... University of Texas freshman Destiny Lumas posted a pair of first-place finishes in the hurdle events to lead the Longhorns to a second-place finish at the 27th annual Victor Lopez Rice Bayou Classic, Saturday afternoon. Texas also picked up three NCAA regional marks at the two-day event. NCAA Indoor Recap ... Texas entered the women's NCAA Indoor Division I Championship with just seven individuals on its roster and each walked away with eight All-America honors and a fourth-place team finish. Senior Alexandria Anderson collected two as she placed second in the 60m (7.24) and fourth in the 200m (23.11). Junior Destinee Hooker made collegiate history as she cleared 6-6 in the high jump to shatter a nine-year old NCAA indoor record en route to winning her first Indoor National Title. Junior thrower Jordyn Brown entered the meet 10th on the shot put descending list, but tossed a lifetime-best 55-3.5 to finish fourth. Anderson and freshmen LaKeidra Stewart, Judy Nwosu, Angele Cooper placed sixth in the 4x400-meter relay to all earn All-America honors. Hooker is back ... After taking a year off to train with USA Volleyball, junior Destinee Hooker is back in action and has made herself the high jumper to beat this year after winning the NCAA Indoor Championship in demanding fashion with an NCAA record clearance of 6-6. Hooker broke a nine-year old collegiate indoor record and tied the outdoor record of 6-6 that has been held since 1999. Hooker also won her third Big 12 Indoor Title, making her the just the second Big 12 athlete to win the event three times joining Texas Ex Erin Aldrich (1998-2000). Anderson making a name for herself ... Texas women's track and field has its fare share of household names in its record books with the latest to join being senior Alexandria Anderson. After earning three All-America honors at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Championships, the senior moved her career total to 17, tying her for the second-most in UT history. Anderson joins Suziann Reid (1996-99) with 17 and sit behind Carlette Guidry who holds the UT record with 23 All-America accolades during her four year career on the Forty Acres (1988-91). Competing this week for the Horns ... (TENATIVE)
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