Jan. 15, 2010

WACO, Texas - Along with the yearly goals of vying for a Big 12 championship and a place among the elite at the NCAA Championships, the 2010 Baylor track and field team also features possibly the most experienced team in program history, in both the coaching staff and the squad.

With a school record-tying 15 returning All-Americans and 11 current school record holders, this version of Baylor track and field may have just what it takes. Combine that with 100 years of coaching experience and the formula looks spot on. Head coach Todd Harbour enters his fifth season at the helm of the program, and 10th overall since returning to his alma mater in 2000. Legendary former head coach Clyde Hart, who still serves as the Director of Track and Field and coaches the program's 400-meter runners, is in his 47th season at Baylor. Assistant head coach Danny Brabham enters his 21st year as a coach at his alma mater, while former Baylor standouts Michael Ford (10th season), Stacey Smith (eighth season) and Jon Capron (fourth season) round out the program's 100 years of coaching experience at Baylor.

"We are very unique and we represent different decades," Harbour said. "The bottom line is that it's a tremendous blessing. We are a pretty tight family. We have been through good times together and weathered many storms together, too. It's just a really amazing thing."

For each coach, their Baylor roots all begin with Hart. All five pieces of the coaching staff competed during Hart's 42 years at the head of the program, and all five stamped their place among the Baylor elite. Harbour put his place in the national record books, setting the current collegiate mile record of 3:50.34 in 1981. Brabham, one of the best jumpers in program history, still holds the men's outdoor long jump record of 26 feet, 9.5 inches set in 1973. Ford and Capron each contributed to school-record relay performances with Ford on outdoor 4x400-meter record team from 1995 until it was broken in 1997. Capron, a middle distance runner, contributed to both the current 4x800-meter relay record of 7:17.55, and the current 4x1,500-meter relay record of 15:35.74. Smith, formerly Stacey Bowers, dominated the triple jump breaking both the indoor and outdoor records at Baylor and winning an outdoor national title in the event.

"It gives us a tremendous amount of experience to draw from because we have all competed at a really high level," Harbour said. "The athletes know that they are surrounded by coaches that know what they are going through and what's expected of them."

As is easy to see, the coaching pedigree for the Baylor staff was born out of success competing in a Baylor uniform, then returning to continue the legacy already in place. Led by a spectacular sprint squad, this season's team features enough depth to make some noise on an elite level. Baylor's men begin the season ranked 11th and have six returning All-Americans, while the women return nine All-Americans and are ranked 16th in the season's first ranking by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

"Returning that many All-Americans two years in a row just doesn't happen that often," Harbour said. "It's a very deep, experienced team. We have a little more well-roundedness in event areas. I think our middle distance and distances is in as good of shape as it maybe ever has been. I like this team and I am anxious to see what they are going to bring this year."

For the men, sprinter Trey Harts will look to add on to his impact season in 2009. Indoors, Harts became the first Baylor athlete since Jeremy Wariner in 2004, and fifth overall, to win multiple national titles at one NCAA event when he took the 200-meter title with a time of 20.63 and helped the 4x400-meter relay team to its fifth consecutive national title. Harts teamed with Marcus Boyd, LeJerald Betters and Quentin Iglehart-Summers. Boyd returns for the men, along with 4x400-meter All-Americans J.T. Scheuerman and Zwede Hewitt. The relay crew continued a streak of 42 consecutive races won, which included those five national titles.

""Those guys carried a lot of Baylor pride with it every time they put on the Green and Gold," Harbour said. "They know what has gone in front of them. It became pretty intense there at the end. We ran without our top guys a couple times, and were still able to keep the streak alive. The five national championships (in a row) was so impressive because that's the ultimate goal. When everybody is at the NCAAs and running their best, you want to be right there with them. "

Also in the sprints, veteran All-American Courtney Thomas and Whitney Prevost return to help lead the sprint crew alongside Harts. Harbour knows this group has a lot of depth and loads of experience. Thomas has been a multiple all-Big 12 performer, while Prevost came on strong last season after battling the injury bug his freshman year. In addition, Michael Liggins and Bahamas newcomer Marcus Thompson provide added depth and will look to have a breakout season.

Outside of the sprints, Harbour has built a solid group of middle distance and distance runners, led by All-American Chris Gowell. After earning All-America honors both indoor and outdoor last season, Gowell has taken his training to the next level, and has his sights set on the top of the NCAA. Alongside Gowell, 800-meter newcomer Gavyn Nero enters as one of the most highly-decorated runners in Caribbean history, and returner James Gilreath is primed and ready for 2010. Harbour's distance crew has also seen a changing of guard with juniors Robbie Knorr and Jeff Sadler ready for breakout seasons. Knorr showed he was ready for the season at the early season Texas A&M Invitational with a 14:24 time in the 5,000 meters.

"We are fortunate to get Chris Gowell back for another year," Harbour said. "Chris has been selected a captain this year, which says a lot about him and his character. He is at a totally different level training-wise coming into this season and the sky's the limit as to what he can do. Gavyn Nero is the real deal. He is one of the all-time best from the Caribbean. He will make a big impact, no doubt. Robbie and James are both ready to take this season to the next level."

In the men's field events, school record holders Nick Lyons (javelin) and Eric Bostick (heptathlon) return for the 2010 season, along with 51-foot triple jumper Thaddeus Gordon. Harbour is also confident in veteran pole vaulter Joseph Farley, believing Farley could become one of the best vaulters in the country.

For the women's team, junior 10-time All-American Tiffany Townsend and senior four-time All-American Erin Bedell remain Harbour's biggest weapons. Townsend has shown her sprint range in her first two years, breaking school records at 100 meters and 200 meters, along with helping the women's 4x400-meter relay team to an All-America performance. Townsend's set of sprint teammates have made the women's crew one of the deepest in the country. The group also features All-Americans Diamond Richardson, Brittany Carr, Brittany Bruce, Tiana Hood and DeAna Carson. Newcomers Christina Holland, who enters as one of the fastest high school hurdlers in the nation, and Simone Brinkley, who won the Texas 3A 400 and 800, will add another dimension to the sprints for Baylor.

"DeAna Carson really had a breakout year last year and Diamond was one of the most outstanding freshmen we have had on the 4x400 relay for us," Harbour said. "She stepped right in and did a super job. She is in better shape now than she has ever been. We also have Tiana Hood and Brittany Carr back, and we can run both of them on both relays. Brittany Bruce was our fastest split at the NCAA last year, and she really blossomed at the end of the season. With that momentum into this year, we are excited about what they can do."

Bedell, on the other hand, has done her damage in the middle distance events, along with adding the 3,000-meter steeplechase to her repertoire. Bedell and fellow All-American seniors Nichole Jones and Danielle Bradley helped take the 2009 women's cross country team to the NCAAs for the seventh season in a row. Jones enters the season tied for the most Big 12 titles in Baylor women's history with five, while Bradley and Kathryn Benvegnu will provide experience and depth to a talented group. Harbour has also seen the talents of sophomore Cate Westenhover and freshman Stephanie Morgan, as both came on strong during the cross country season and were key factors in Baylor's second-place finish at the NCAA South Central Regional. Providing added depth to the group are solid veterans Leigh Ann Ganzar and Lauren Simpson, who each are ready for 2010.

In the distances, Katie Shaw and Samantha Patty, who had breakout seasons in 2009, will be joined by talented freshman Katie Barry. Shaw earned all-Big 12 honors in the 10,000-meters and won her first Drake Relays title, while Patty was an all-region performer last season.

"We had a great fall, and these ladies are very excited about the season and ready to get started," Harbour said. "With those three senior All-Americans you have the depth and leadership that you want. And runners like Katie Shaw and Cate Westenhover have really come out in a big way for us."

In the field events for the women, Baylor has a young group with loads of potential. Senior long jump All-American DeAna Carson holds the most experience and success, but sophomore triple jumper Jessica Ubanyionwu and freshman thrower Skylar White have shown they belong on the national scene as well. Ubanyionwu earned all-Big 12 honors last season, while White made her mark early this season, shattering the BU indoor school record in the shot put with a toss of 46-11. Athletic freshman Lizzy Whitney also joins the field crew as a multi-event competitor, while Sam Houston State transfer Dess Meek will help fill the field events with her 6-0 high jump personal best.

With indoor trips to Texas A&M and Arkansas, along with the annual outdoor stops at the Drake and Texas Relays, Harbour has set his talented team up with the top competition in the country. The Bears also host two home outdoor meets, the Dr Pepper Invitational and Michael Johnson Classic at the Hart-Patterson Track and Field Complex.