May 27, 2010
Complete Results | Friday Heat Sheets
AUSTIN, Texas - With the new NCAA Championship format in place, 11 members of the Baylor track and field team earned a spot in the NCAA Quarterfinal round on the first day of action on Thursday at the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas.
The first year of the new regional format allowed the top 48 in each event in two regions to converge in one of two sites, Austin for the West, and Greensboro, N.C., for the East. From there, the NCAA First Rounds started on Friday and will conclude Saturday with the top 24, earning a spot in Saturday and Sunday's NCAA Quarterfinals. The top 12 in each event from each region will then earn a spot in their respective event for the NCAA Semifinal Round held in Eugene, Ore., on June 9-12.
"We had a great day overall of getting qualified for the next round," head coach Todd Harbour said. "Almost everybody we thought had a good shot of qualifying made it. I am very pleased with the way things went today."
The Baylor men qualified eight to the next round, while the women had three qualifiers. Senior All-American Chris Gowell had the performance of the day, running the fastest time in the 800 meters to qualify first with a time of 1:47.81, a season best. In the same event, freshman Gavyn Nero bettered his collegiate-best to qualify 15th overall after placing third in his heat with a time of 1:48.86.
"Chris just looked like his old self again," Harbour said. "He and Gavyn both looked good and ran with confidence in the 800."
Baylor's 400-meter runners each had a great day with all three placing second in their heats to qualify. Sophomore Zwede Hewitt turned in a career-best in his heat with a time of 45.94 to qualify seventh. Hewitt was one spot ahead of Michael Liggins' time of 46.21, and three spots ahead of Marcus Boyd's 10th-place time of 46.46.
In the men's 400-meter hurdles, freshman Chance Casey continued his consistent season, and senior Thaddeus Gordon ran a career-best to put both into the quarterfinals. Casey placed second in his heat and qualified eighth overall with a time of 51.03, while Gordon clocked a 51.22 to place second in his heat also, and qualify 12th. Senior Courtney Thomas also qualified for the quarterfinals of the 100 meters, running a season-best of 10.39 for third in his heat and 13th overall.
"Our 400 runners looked great today," Harbour said. "Zwede had a personal best, and Michael and Marcus both looked really solid. I am really proud of the way they and the hurdlers ran today. Chance and Thaddeus both did a great job in their races."
On the women's side, sophomore Diamond Richardson found an extra gear down the homestretch to chase down the field and win her heat of the 400 meters. Richardson crossed the line in a time of 53.34, qualifying sixth overall.
Teammates Tiffany Townsend and Christina Holland each placed second in the heats of their respective races to qualify. Townsend, the junior 10-time All-American, coasted to a time of 11.50 to qualify seventh in the 100 meters, while the freshman, Holland, ran another solid time of 58.86 in the 400-meter hurdles to qualify 10th overall.
"I thought Tiffany looked really good in her race," Harbour said. "She is coming back really strong from her injury indoors, and Christina continues to run well in the hurdles."
The Bears also had a couple near-misses on the day with senior Brittany Carr coming with .03 seconds of qualifying in the 100 meters with a time of 11.88. In the field events, Nick Lyons' javelin toss of 207 feet, two inches was just over seven feet out of the final qualifying spot. Freshman Skylar White missed the last qualifying spot in the shot put by just under three feet with a toss of 48-10.
"I am really proud of the way they competed today," Harbour said. "Nick has had a great season, and he just came up a little short today. It was a tough javelin, four or five of the top 10 didn't make it out."
Baylor will be back on the track at the University of Texas tomorrow for continuing action in the NCAA First and Quarterfinal Rounds. Field events kick off the day at Noon, while events on the track get rolling at 4:30 p.m.
