June 11, 2008
Photo Gallery 
DES MOINES, Iowa -
The Baylor track and field teams qualified five to the next rounds of action on the first day of competition at the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Drake Stadium.
Both of Baylor's sprint relays qualified for Saturday's finals, though the methods were polar opposites. The Lady Bears easily won their heat in 44.15, more than one half-second faster than the second place team, to claim an automatic berth in the event finals.
The men's relay, running a new combination of legs for the first time this season, clocked 39.77 to finish fourth in their heat. Marcus Boyd, Trey Harts, Courtney Thomas and Jacob Norman ran a time that was the eighth-fastest of the preliminaries and earned Baylor the final spot in Saturday's finals.
Baylor also qualified a pair of 400-meter hurdlers as Justin Boyd and Robert Griffin both advanced to Thursday's semifinal round. Boyd ran 50.73 to finish second in his heat and eighth overall, while Griffin took second in his heat in 50.78, the 10th-fastest time of the first round.
LeJerald Betters finished third in his heat with a time of 45.87 to advance to the semifinals of the 400 meters with the third-fastest overall time. M. Boyd ran 47.12 to take third in his heat, just missing the semifinals with an 18th-place overall finish.
DeAna Carson finished 16th overall in qualifying for the women's long jump, just four spots of out of making the finals. Brittany Devereaux placed 20th overall in the women's discus.
The Bears return to action on Thursday for the second day of competition at the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Live results can be found at www.GoDrakeBulldogs.com.
WEDNESDAY RESULTS
Women's Events
4x100-Meter Relay
1. Texas A&M - 43.19
4. Baylor - 44.15
Long Jump - Qualifying
1. Blessing Okagbare (UTEP) - 6.65m (21-10)
16. DeAna Carson (Baylor) - 6.27m (20-07)
Discus - Qualifying
1. McKenzie Garberg (Washington State) - 54.04m (177-03)
20. Brittany Devereaux (Baylor) - 47.98m (157-05)
Men's Events
100 Meters - First Round
1. Terrell Wilks (Florida) - 10.49
-- Jacob Norman (Baylor) - DNF
400 Meters - First Round
1. O'Neal Wilder (Mississippi State) - 45.56
11. LeJerald Betters (Baylor) - 45.87
18. Marcus Boyd (Baylor) - 47.12
400-Meter Hurdles - First Round
1. Jeshua Anderson (Washington State) - 49.90
8. Justin Boyd (Baylor) - 50.73
10. Robert Griffin (Baylor) - 50.78
4x100-Meter Relay
1. LSU - 39.11
8. Baylor - 39.77
