April 27, 2006
DES MOINES, Iowa - The Baylor track and field team returns to action at the 97th Drake Relays Friday and Saturday at Drake Stadium. The Bears begin competition Friday at 9:24 a.m. with the prelims of the women's 4x100-meter relay and will compete in the final event Saturday, the final of the men's 4x400-meter relay at 5:16 p.m.
In addition to the 4x100-meter relay Friday, the women are entered in the distance medley relay (1:01 p.m.), senior Shanta Bibbs (San Antonio, Texas) and junior Lauren Tillman (Lawrenceville, Ga.) in the 400-meter hurdles (1:44 p.m.), the prelims of the 4x400-meter relay (3:25 p.m) and the 4x200-meter relay (6:45 p.m.). The women are the defending Drake Relays champion in the 4x200-meter relay.
On Friday, the men are entered in the 4x100-meter relay (9:40 a.m.), senior Jerome Miller (Houston, Texas) and sophomore Jeremy Jackson (Round Rock, Texas) in the 110-meter hurdles (11:28 a.m.), the 4x1,600-meter relay (12:10 p.m.), senior Chris Gillis (Pennsauken, N.J.) and freshman Queito Teasley (Katy, Texas) in the men's long jump (1:30 p.m.), Miller in the 400-meter hurdles and the prelims of the 4x400-meter relay (3:55 p.m.).
On Saturday, the women are entered in the sprint medley relay (10:01 a.m.) and currently have the nation's fastest time in the event with a school record 3:46.29. They will also compete in the 4x1,600-meter relay (1:17 p.m.), the 4x100-meter final (3:40 p.m.), junior Monique Ortega (El Paso, Texas) in the 1,500 meters (4:13 p.m.) and the 4x400-meter final (5:07 p.m.).
The men begin Saturday with the sprint medley relay (10:21 a.m.), followed by senior Wil Fitts (DeSoto, Texas) running in the special 800 meters (1:03), then the 110-meter hurdle final (1:52 p.m.). The men will also compete in the distance medley relay (2:35 p.m.), the finals of the 4x100-meter relay (3:45 p.m.) and the finals of the 4x400-meter relay (5:16 p.m.).
While the Bears will mostly be competing in relays, Gillis ranks second in the nation in the long jump with a mark of 7.78 meters (25-6 ¼), while Teasley ranks 11th at 7.66 meters (25-1 ¾). Miller, the NCAA Indoor runner-up in the 60-meter hurdles, is currently ninth in the 110-meter hurdles and 22nd in the 400-meter hurdles. The men's and women's 4x400-meter relays both rank sixth nationally.
The Bears return to action when they host the 2006 Big 12 Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships Friday-Sunday, May 12-14, at Hart-Patterson Track & Field Complex.
