T&F Set for Big 12 Indoor Championships

Friday, February 24

Lubbock, Texas

All Day

Baylor

Big 12 Indoor Championship

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Simone Ballard in the blocks at Big 12 ITF shakeout

T&F Set for Big 12 Indoor Championships

2/23/2023 11:27:00 AM | Track & Field

Meet Schedule

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            With a final chance to qualify for next month's NCAA Indoor Championships, Baylor is hoping to build some momentum with this weekend's Big 12 Indoor Track & Field Championship that begins Friday at Texas Tech's Sports Performance in Lubbock.
            "Going into that third week in a row, I think we had a little lull," said second-year Baylor head coach Michael Ford, "and I think we got it back when we went to Clemson. . . . I think when you go against a lot of the national-caliber universities, it helps going into the conference championship. We've seen Texas, we've seen Tech, Oklahoma, Kansas. So, to me, it's just another meet."
            Only the top 16 in individual events and top 12 in relays make it to the NCAA Indoor in Albuquerque, N.M., with the men's 4x400 relay being Baylor's only qualifying event at the moment. Although the Bears have posted two of the top-5 times in program history and a mark of 3:04.37 that's 41 hundredths of a second off the school record, they sit in 12^th place nationally.
            At Clemson's Tiger Paw Invitational, the foursome of Matthew Moorer, Hasani Barr, Nathaniel Ezekiel and Dillon Bedell finished sixth in 3:04.40. Two weeks before that, Demar Francis joined Moorer, Barr and Ezekiel in a third-place finish at a loaded Razorback Invitational in a season-best time of 3:04.37.
            "They're actually in a good spot," Ford said. "We've just got to continue to run fast because everybody else is running fast. Even our last meet, I thought our handoffs weren't as crisp as usual. I think if we can clean up our handoffs and we get the right order, we'll be better."
            The women's 4x400 relay of Kavia Francis, Mariah Ayers, Gontse Morake and Imaobong Uko ran a 3:34.22 at the Razorback Invitational and ranks second in the Big 12 and just outside the top 12.
            "We're not where we want to be. We're aiming for 3:28," said Ayers, who qualified in the 4x400 and 200 meters at last year's NCAA Indoor. "We're just looking at it as it's our last chance and opportunity. We can do it, and we all want it, so we're just going to go out there and go get it."
            Baylor has more than a dozen top-10 marks in conference on the men's and women's side and seven on each that scored at last year's Big 12 Indoor Championship.
            In addition to the 4x400 relay, the Bears have four other top-4 conference marks on the men's side with Demar Francis in the 200 (20.84), Nathaniel Ezekiel in the 600-yard run (1:08.75), Ben Conacher in the pole vault (17-7 ¼) and Cole Hardan in the shot put (61 feet, 3 inches).
            "My goal for this meet is definitely to push my (school) record in the indoor shot even further," said Hardan, whose school-record toss of 61-3 came at the Clemson Tiger Paw Invitational. "Which I should, I've got a great throw coming. I can feel it coming. But also to get up there in scoring. I think the best I've ever scored for indoor shot is fifth place. I'm looking to get first or second."
            Hardan would likely have to throw at least 63 feet to finish in the top two. Patrick Larrison of Kansas (64-7 ¾), Patrick Piperi of Texas (63-11 ½) and Oklahoma's Diego Trevino (63-3 ¼) are ranked 1-2-3 in the league.
            It's even more of a stretch for Conacher, going up against a pair of top-8 national performers in Zach Bradford of Texas Tech (19-1 ½) and Clayton Simms of Kansas (18-5 ¼).
            "One of the things I try to have them do is think about the good things they have done this year and then bundle that in when they go to the championship," Ford said. "You get one opportunity to do something really well. For Mariah, can you focus for 22 seconds in a race this weekend? And then for Cole, can you focus in the ring and throw 64 feet? I think locking in, they'll be fine."
            Top-4 conference marks on the women's side are Lilly Williams in the 600 (1:18.19) and 800 (2:06.14), New Mexico transfer Annamaria Kostarellis in the 5,000 meters (15:44.95), Uko in the 400 (53.04) and Koi Johnson in the triple jump (42-10 ¼).
            Friday's schedule starts with the women's weight throw and pole vault at 3 p.m., with the women's pentathlon 800 meters the first track event at the same time. Wrapping up the first day will be finals in the 5,000 meters and distance medley relay.

LUBBOCK, Texas – Baylor track and field will compete at the 2023 Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Championships on Friday and Saturday on the campus of Texas Tech.

"I've actually been pleased," said head coach Michael Ford. "We had a stint where we opened up really fast and we threw far and jumped well. And then, I think going into that third week in a row, I think we had a little lull, and I think we got it back when we went to Clemson. So, I'm looking forward to going into conference. I think pretty much everyone's healthy and ready to go."

The Bears return to a familiar track in the Sports Performance Center after opening the season at the 2023 Corky Classic just six weeks ago.

"I think familiarity is always a good thing," said Ford. "They know how the track feels, they know what the surface is like when they throw and jump. For us, it's almost like a home meet because we've been there so many times over the last few years."

Coming into the meet, the men's squad has five entries with top-4 conference marks so far this season. The men's 4x400-meter relay and their mark of 3:04.37 ran at the Razorback Invitational is highest on the list at No. 2. Demar Francis (200 meters), Nathaniel Ezekiel (600 yards), Ben Conacher (pole vault) and Cole Hardan (shot put) all sit at fourth in their events.

The women's squad boasts six top-four conference marks with Lily Williams in the 600 yards, Annamaria Kostarellis in the 5,000 meters and the women's 4x400-meter relay leading at No. 2. Imaobong Uko is third in the 400 meters, Koi Johnson is fourth in the triple jump and Williams is back in the 800 meters at four.

The men's 4x400 is currently the only NCAA-qualified event for the Bears, sitting in the 12^th and final qualifying spot.

"The 4x4 is actually in a good spot," said Ford. "I think we've just got to continue to run fast because everybody else is running fast. We still haven't put the perfect race together. If we clean up our handoffs and we get the right order, we'll be better."

Johnson is ranked 20^th in the triple jump and Kostarellis 21^st in the 5,000 meters and are the next-closest Bears to qualifying to the NCAA Indoor National Championships in Albuquerque.

Live coverage of the meet will air on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ starting at 10 a.m. CT on both days. Lincoln Rose and Johanna Gretschel will provide commentary.

PrimeTime Timing will be providing live results online.

To stay up to date throughout the season on all things Baylor track and field, follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @BaylorTrack.