March 31, 2010
AUSTIN, Texas - Baylor's track and field team will head to the familiar territory of the 83rd Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, which start Wednesday night and continue through Saturday at the Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas.
Over the past two seasons, the Bears have had two of their most successful track meets of the year at the Texas Relays. In 2009, Baylor set a school record by winning four relay titles, including both the men's and women's distance medley relays, the men's sprint medley relay, and the men's 4x400-meter relay. Baylor's sprint medley relay team held on all season as the fastest time in the NCAA in the event. The previous season, 2008, the Bears tied a then-school record with three relays titles.
At this season's event, Baylor will put 10 relays on the track, as well as individual track and field event participants. The men's side will have seven teams competing in separate relay races, including the 4x100, sprint medley, 4x200, 4x400, 4x800, 4x1,500, and distance medley relays. The Baylor women will put three relays on the track with the 4x400, 4x800, and distance medley teams.
After having the season-opening Baylor/Dr Pepper Invitational rained out, the Bears kicked off the outdoor season in two separate meets, Rice's Victor Lopez Classic and the Stanford Invitational. At Rice, freshman Skylar White continued her spectacular season that started with the indoor shot put record, by breaking the outdoor shot put record as well. White placed second in the shot put with her new BU record of 48-11.5, while also taking first in the discus by 12 feet with a throw of 165-3.
White's fellow freshman Christina Holland also opened outdoor with a great meet, taking the title in the 400-meter hurdles (59.89) and placing fourth in the 100-meter hurdles. Junior javelin thrower Nick Lyons also picked up a victory, winning the men's javelin by nearly 27 feet with his toss of 211-5.
At Stanford, Erin Bedell led the BU crew of distance runners with the nation's fastest 3,000-meter steeplechase time of 10:03.81 to place second behind one unattached runner.
The Texas Relays, one of the largest track meets in the world, will bring together more than 5,000 world class high school, collegiate, and professional athletes. Former Texas coach Clyde Littlefield and UT athletics director Theo Bellmont started a men's-only meet in 1925. Women's events were added in 1963, and the event has continued to grow into the second-largest track meet in the United States. Links to live results can be found at www.BaylorBears.com.
