Tech Track Prepares for Indoor Nationals
By: Britton Drown - Texas Tech University
Updated: March 5, 2013
LUBBOCK, Texas- The
Texas Tech track and field program officially qualified four
student-athletes and one 4x400 relay team for the 2013 NCAA Indoor Track
and Field Championships
scheduled for March 8-9 at the University of Arkansas.
The top-16 athletes nationally in each event qualified for the championship meet to be held inside the Randal-Tyson Track Center.
The Tech contingent includes seniors Kennedy Kithuka (5,000-meter run & 3,000-meter run), Katie Grimes (60-meter hurdles) and Bryce Lamb (triple jump) along with sophomore Kole Weldon (shot put) and the women's 4x400 relay team.
Kithuka enters the meet with the nation's top time in the 5,000-meter run and the No. 4 time in the 3,000-meter run. The Thika, Kenya native was also named the 2013 Mountain Region Male Track Athlete of the Year this week by the United Stated Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association of America.
Meanwhile, Grimes enters the meet boasting a top-8 time in the hurdles with a season-best and school record time of 8.16 seconds. Grimes recorded the time inside the Randal-Tyson at the Tyson Invitational earlier this year. Last year, she earned All-America Second Team honors in the event at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Boise, Idaho.
The women's 4x400 relay team, comprised of Amoy Blake, Cierra White, Christen Rivers and Candace Jackson, broke a 9-year-old school record at the Alex Wilson Invitational last week to jump to No. 8 on the national qualifying list. The Lady Raiders earned All-America First Team honors in 2012 and return senior Candace Jackson as the anchor of the 2013 squad.
Sophomore Red Raider Kole Weldon qualified with a season-best and school record mark of 18.94-meters (62'-1.75") in the shot put to finish as the runner-up at the Big 12 Championships.
The top-16 athletes nationally in each event qualified for the championship meet to be held inside the Randal-Tyson Track Center.
The Tech contingent includes seniors Kennedy Kithuka (5,000-meter run & 3,000-meter run), Katie Grimes (60-meter hurdles) and Bryce Lamb (triple jump) along with sophomore Kole Weldon (shot put) and the women's 4x400 relay team.
Kithuka enters the meet with the nation's top time in the 5,000-meter run and the No. 4 time in the 3,000-meter run. The Thika, Kenya native was also named the 2013 Mountain Region Male Track Athlete of the Year this week by the United Stated Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association of America.
Meanwhile, Grimes enters the meet boasting a top-8 time in the hurdles with a season-best and school record time of 8.16 seconds. Grimes recorded the time inside the Randal-Tyson at the Tyson Invitational earlier this year. Last year, she earned All-America Second Team honors in the event at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Boise, Idaho.
The women's 4x400 relay team, comprised of Amoy Blake, Cierra White, Christen Rivers and Candace Jackson, broke a 9-year-old school record at the Alex Wilson Invitational last week to jump to No. 8 on the national qualifying list. The Lady Raiders earned All-America First Team honors in 2012 and return senior Candace Jackson as the anchor of the 2013 squad.
Sophomore Red Raider Kole Weldon qualified with a season-best and school record mark of 18.94-meters (62'-1.75") in the shot put to finish as the runner-up at the Big 12 Championships.
