Track & Field Returns Home to Host Baylor Invitational

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            Coming off a strong showing at the Texas Relays that saw Baylor produce eight top-10 marks nationally, the Bears will host the nine-team Baylor Invitational on Saturday at Clyde Hart Track & Field Stadium.
            "We haven't had a home meet in two years, so we're excited," Baylor coach Todd Harbour said. "It's nice to take a break from traveling. Indoor, we traveled to Lubbock so much, we're actually making (Texas Tech) come down here. We're going to have great weather and just looking for a good home opener for us."
            Joining Baylor in the one-day meet are ACU, Air Force, Louisiana-Monroe, Oklahoma State, SFA, TCU, Texas Southern and Texas Tech. Because of last year's COVID shutdown, this is Baylor's first home meet since the Michael Johnson Invitational on April 19-20, 2019.
            "The way things are going, you never know when your season can be taken from you," said freshman sprinter Kamden Jackson, who ranks 10^th in the 100 meters (10.41) and 14^th in the 200 (20.80) with times ran last week in Austin. "We just want to come out and make a good impression in our first home meet."
            Baylor certainly made an impression at Texas Relays, particularly on the men's side. KC Lightfoot had a world-leading mark of 19-0 ¼ to remain undefeated this year in the pole vault, with other top-10 marks coming from Jackson in the 100, Howard Fields III in the 400 (7^th, 45.79) and both the 4x100 (6^th, 39.11) and 4x400 relays (4^th, 3:02.19).
            "We struggled indoors with injuries and COVID, and we were always just one leg away (in the 4x400)," Harbour said. "To me, that was probably the most dramatic thing of all, to run 3:07 with our second group. And that was with two All-Americans at home – Jayson Baldridge and Matthew Moorer. For that first group to run 3:02, that's huge."
            Fifth-year senior Maxwell Willis ran the leadoff leg on a 4x100 relay that also included Isaiah Cunningham, Ryan Croson and Jackson. And then he anchored the "B" 4x400 relay with Cunningham, Jackson and Elijah Gifford that placed third in the Invitational Relay.
            Baylor's "A" relay team of Hasani Barr, Croson, Bedell and Fields is ranked fourth nationally with that 3:02.19 clocking, behind only North Carolina A&T, LSU and Texas, the three teams that beat the Bears in Austin.
            "I think we're in a good place and just trying to get a few more added to the national list on both sides, men and women," Harbour said. "It was just good to see, I think especially for our men, they needed it. That was a shot in the arm for them. You go 3:02, and finish fourth. That was a little rough, but it just shows that we're going to have to run 3 (minutes) flat. We've won 3-flat a few times and won NCAA titles, but we're going to have to bring it. And I think our guys are OK with that."
            The Baylor men are ranked 11^th and the women 21^st, but NCAA indoor national champions Aaliyah Miller and Ackera Nugent haven't run their signature events yet in the 800 meters and 100-meter hurdles, respectively. Miller is just entered in the open 400 meters this week after winning the 1,500 meters at Texas Relays with a time that ranks in the top 25 nationally (4:23.73).
            "I think all track is exciting, but it's really special when you get to run at your own track," Jackson said. "We practice here, so I feel more comfortable competing on a track where we always practice. I just want to run fast, see my teammates compete and prayerfully we run some quick teams."
            Saturday's meet begins with the men's hammer throw, men's high jump and women's javelin at 10 a.m. The men's 3,000-meter steeplechase kicks off the running events at 2 p.m., with the meet wrapping up with the men's and women's 4x400 relays at 5:25 and 5:35 p.m., respectively.
            Live results for the meet can be found at https://tf.deltatiming.com/baylor/2021-baylor-invitational.

            For continued updates on the Baylor Track & Field team, follow the team's social media accounts all season long: @BaylorTrack.

Track & Field Returns Home to Host Baylor Invitational

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Players Mentioned

Jayson Baldridge

Hasani Barr

Ryan Croson

Isaiah Cunningham

Howard Fields III

Elijah Gifford

Kamden Jackson

KC Lightfoot

Aaliyah Miller

Matthew Moorer

Ackera Nugent

Maxwell Willis

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