March 1, 2003

LINCOLN, Neb. - Baylor's men's 4x400 relay won the event for the sixth consecutive year to propel the team to a sixth-place finish (57 points) at the Big 12 Conference Championships at Nebraska's Bob Devaney Sports Center Saturday. Seth Billy, Robbie Quiroga, Brian McDonald and Jeremy Wariner battled with Texas for the lead throughout the race, but a strong kick by Wariner at the end led the Bears to the relay title with a provisional time of 3:08.56. The women's 4x400 team of Elizabeth Wilson, Danielle Myricks, Jasmine Opusunju and Barbara Petrahn finished third (3:42.61) scoring the final points for the Baylor women, who finished fifth with a total of 56 points.

Host Nebraska edged out Texas in the men's standings scoring 132 points to the Longhorns' 131.5. Kansas State took third (86) followed by Missouri in fourth (81) and Texas A&M in fifth (57.83). The Texas women compiled a total of 167 points to outdistance Nebraska (142), Kansas State (87) and Kansas (57.50).

"I think both the men and women scored more points and finished higher than expected," head coach Clyde Hart said. "It's always great to finish on a good note, winning the final event. With Darold [Williamson] out, everyone knew it would be a close competition. Jeremy [Wariner] had an outstanding meet. After being edged out in the 400, he ran an outstanding anchor leg."

After taking eighth in the long jump on Friday, sophomore Lakadron Ivery started today's competition with a third-place finish in the 60-meter dash with a 7.41, just shy of her provisional and school-record setting mark of 7.37 on Friday. She went on to win her heat in the 200-meter dash and take fourth overall with her second school record of the meet and a provisional time of 23.69. Both records were previously set by She She Crawford in 1992 (7.41; 23.75).

"Lakadron has been getting better every meet," said Hart. "She was a major factor for us, and she should continue to improve outdoors."

"I did good, but I know I can do better," Ivery said. "I can run faster than that, and Coach Ford and I will work on it. I am proud of my accomplishments though."

The top individual race for the men was the 600-yard run. Running in separate heats, newcomers Wil Fitts and Brian McDonald finished 1-2 in the event. Fitts, a freshman from DeSoto, Texas, clocked a 1:10.12 to take his first Big 12 title. McDonald, a transfer from Kansas City College (Kan.) also won his heat, recording a time of 1:10.39. Sophomore Korey Wright also scored points for the Bears in the event, taking seventh with a time of 1:11.02.

In his first conference title race, freshman Jeremy Wariner was edged out of the title, taking second with a provisional qualifying time of 46.33, just shy of Ashton Collins of Texas (46.22). Seth Billy finished seventh in the event, clocking a 49.25.

Running in her final Big 12 meet, senior Barbara Petrahn took second in the 600-yard race with a time of 1:21.55. Also competing in her final Big 12 Indoor Championships, senior Debbie Thornhill, who took second in the 5,000 on Friday, finished fifth in the 3,000-meter race with a 9:35.70 clocking.

All-American Danielle Myricks took fourth in the individual 400-meter race, winning her heat with a time of 54.70. In her first Big 12 Championship event, freshman Janelle Mulkey took seventh in the 60-meter hurdles, improving her time to 8.65.

For the men, another top performance came from Nick Devenport. He ran the second-fastest indoor 1,000-meter time in school history, clocking a 2:25.25 to take fifth place. After anchoring the men's DMR team to a conference title on Friday, junior Kyle King took sixth in the 5,000 with a time of 8:18.68.

Baylor Second-Day Results:
MEN:
Name	Event	Mark	Place
Wil Fitts	600 yards	1:10.12	1st
Brian McDonald	600 yards	1:10.39	2nd
Korey Wright	600 yards	1:11.02	7th
Jeremy Wariner	400 meters	46.33	2nd
Seth Billy	400 meters	49.25	7th
Nick Devenport	1,000 meters	2:25.25	5th
Kyle King	3,000 meters	8:18.68	6th
Billy, Quiroga,
McDonald, Wariner	4x400	3:08.56	1st


WOMEN:
Name	Event	Mark	Place
Barbara Petrahn	600 yards		1:21.55	2nd
Lakadron Ivery	60 meters	7.41	3rd
	200 meters	23.69	4th
Danielle Myricks	400 meters	54.70	4th
Debbie Thornhill	3,000 meters	9:35.70	5th
Janelle Mulkey	60 hurdles		8.65	7th
Wilson, Myricks,
Opusunju, Petrahn	4x400	3:42.61	3rd