Women's Track and Field preview: Penn Relays and Drake Relays
AUSTIN, Texas -- The sixth-ranked Texas women's track and field team will split squads this weekend, beginning with the 113th Penn Relays Carnival in Philadelphia from Thursday, April 26 to Saturday, April 28, and the prestigious Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday and Saturday (April 27-28). Eight Longhorns will travel to Franklin Field for the Penn Relays to compete in two open events and two relays on Thursday, April 26 and Saturday, April 28. On the first day of competition, senior Michelle Carter (Ovilla, Texas) is slated to throw in the championship section of the shot put at 11 a.m. CT. Other open event competitors include senior Landra Stewardson (Detroit, Texas) and freshman Asia Myrland (Verona, Wisc.), who will join the field in the 10,000-meter run at 9 p.m. CT. The distance medley relay will run at 4 p.m. CT. On Saturday, the 2006 Penn Relays champion 4x800-meter relay looks to defend its title at 2:10 p.m. CT. Three legs of the last year's victorious relay return in junior Temeka Kincy (Indianapolis, Ind.), and sophomores Janine Davis (Elizabeth, N.J.) and Katara Rosby (Baton Rouge, La.). A larger group is headed to Jim Duncan Track at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa. Competing at one of the most prestigious and oldest track and field events in the nation are UT's 4x100-meter, 4x200-meter and 4x400-meter relays on Friday and Saturday, April 27-28. Also scheduled to compete are: Alexandria Anderson (100-meter, relays), Chauntae Bayne (100-meter, relays), Jordyn Brown (shot put, discus), Michelle Carter (shot put, discus), Jerrika Chapple (relays), Larkin Geyer (3,000-meter steeplechase), Destinee Hooker (high jump), Ashley Laughlin (pole vault), Jasmine Lee (relays), Kira Robinson (100-meter hurdles), Lauren Salisbury (3,000-meter steeplechase), Mariya Townswick (1,500-meter), Angel Williams (400-meter hurdles). The Longhorns have nine individuals plus both relays on the travel roster for the NCAA Midwest Region Championship taking place Friday and Saturday May 25-26 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines. UT is represented in 12 events (including both relays) and has registered 18 qualifying marks. Anderson (Chicago, Ill.) and Bayne (Saginaw, Texas) are ranked among the best in the region and the nation. They have qualified in three individual events (100m, 200m, 400m) and as legs of the 4x100-meter relay. Additionally, Bayne ran a leg of the 4x400-meter relay that met the NCAA regional standard at the Texas Relays. Anderson is tied for the second fastest time in the nation in the 100, is fourth in the 200 and 19th in the 400. Bayne is tied for fifth in the 100 and is in the top 20 in the 200. A strong field events group is represented on the national level. Carter (Ovilla, Texas) leads the way with regional qualifying throws in the discus and the shot put. Defending national champion Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) has the second highest clearance in the nation in the high jump. Junior Ashley Laughlin (Marble Falls, Texas) equaled the pole vault regional standard, and first-year Longhorn Jordyn Brown (Mesquite, Texas) has registered three NCAA Regional qualifying shot put throws in her first collegiate outdoor season.
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