Tech Track Cracks the Top 5
By: Britton Drown
Updated: February 19, 2013
LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech men's track and field team moved up two spots to No. 4 in the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Week 5 computer rankings released Tuesday morning.
The top-five national ranking comes as the program looks towards the 2013 Big 12 Indoor Championships set for this weekend in Ames, Iowa and matches the Red Raiders' highest indoor ranking in school history. The squad climbed to No. 4 during the 2011 indoor season.
"It's exciting to see us move up in the polls," head coach Wes Kittley said. "It's great for our athletes to gain some confidence heading into the conference meet and the national meet. I'm very proud of how our team has progressed through the indoor season."
Texas Tech enters the Big 12 Indoor Championships with seven athletes and two relay squads ranked in the top-20 of the national indoor qualifying list led by senior distance runner Kennedy Kithuka who owns top-three times in two events.
Kithuka has broken three school records during the 2013 indoor season and currently holds the nation's fastest time in the 5,000-meter run. The Thika, Kenya native has also twice been named the Big 12 Male Athlete of the Week and also ranks No. 3 nationally in the 3,000-meter run.
Action at the 2013 Big 12 Indoor Championships begins Friday inside the Lied Recreational Center on the Iowa State campus.
