During the doldrums before the bowl game, thought I might whet your appetite for the spring with a little track talk. The 2010 Red Raider track teams have the potential of being the best teams in Tech history - both men and women. With just a bit of good luck (and Tech used up ALL of its bad luck quota for the decade in 2009), these teams are capable of winning the Big 12 and particularly the men’s team looks capable of a top 5 finish at nationals.
This is how it breaks down:
MEN - this first group of kids should definitely qualify for the regional meet and have a legit shot at scoring at conference:
Lamont Adams - 400; Rashad Hawk - 100; Marcus Henderson - 100, 200; Jansen Hyde - 110H, 400H; freshman Bryce Lamb - LJ, TJ; Bill Lawhorn - 100, 200, 400; Lyle Leong - HJ; Gilbert Limo - Steeple, 1500; Jamele Mason - 110H, 400H; Brett McDaniel ?- DT; Omo Osaghae ?- 110H, 200; Zach Plinario - 400H; Brian Porter ?- PV; Gil Roberts - 400; Darrell Roddick - LJ, TJ, HJ; Brandon Washington - 400; Latoy Williams - 400; freshman Julian Wruck - DT; plus, possible midterm transfer Bryce Brown (110H, 400H), if he gets into Tech . Also, both the 4X100 and 4X400 relays should be serious conference and even national contenders. That totals 19 men and both relays.
These are some additional kids who have a longer shot at qualifying for the regional meet and even, in some cases, an outside chance to score at conference. This group includes: freshman Thomas Cattin-Masson - 800, 1500; Zach Dawson - 1500; freshman Casey Felton - decathlon; Tim Foster - 400; Cory Higgins - 1500; Silas Kemboi - 800, 1500; freshman Ryan McDowell - 110H; Tyler Menges - SP; Waylon Randolph - LJ; freshman Boston Spiva - PV; Brandon Tucker - 110H, 400H; Justin Tucker - HJ; Julius Walker - 100; and decathlete Chuck Zavala. This represents an additional 15 kids.
So, Tech has 34 men who have some chance to score at conference! Pretty dadgum solid!! Of this group, I think that 11 make it to the national meet (Brown, Hyde, Lamb, Limo, Mason, Osaghae, Porter, Roberts, Roddick, Williams, and Wruck), representing somewhere around 30-35 points, which would put Tech squarely in the national title race. That definitely gets me pumped up about this track season! In fact, I am so pumped up that I put five exclamation points in one paragraph!
WOMEN - this team placed 2nd to national champ TAMU at the Big 12 meet and I actually believe they are better suited to displacing the Maggies in 2010 than in 2009. Here are the Tech women who have strong chances to qualify for the regional meet and place at conference:
Transfer Erica Alexander - 100, 200, 400; Amanda Alley - PV; Lillian Badaru - 5K, 10K; transfer Purity Biwott - 800, 1500; Trudy Clarke - 400; Amanda Dowdy - HJ: transfer Taylor Evans - 200, 400; Terra Evans - 200, 400; transfer Meshawn Graham - 200, 400; Sandra Iwunze - 100H, 400H; freshman Candace Jackson - 200; transfer Caroline Karunde - 5K, 10K; transfer Winrose Karunde - steeple, 10K; Gladys Kipsang - 800, 1500; Kelsey Lloyd - HJ, 400H, Heptathlon; Ozie Okolie - HT; Tori Smith - 100H; freshman Shade Weygandt - PV; plus, both the 4X100 and 4X400 will be greatly improved and will be national contenders.
Additional women who have a longer shot at qualifying for the regional meet and also scoring at conference include Jonisha Boleware - 200, 40; Christina Graham - 1500; freshman Katie Grimes - heptathlon; Michelle Guzman - 5K, 10K; Shannon Jackson - 800; Kearci Jobe - 800; freshman Alanna Wise - PV.
That totals 25 women who should be conference contenders. As many as 16 of them have a shot at making it to nationals (Alexander, Alley, Badaru, Biwott, Clarke, both Evans twins, M. Graham, Iwunze, both Karunde twins, Kipsang, Lloyd, Okolie, Smith and Weygandt). These kids probably represent 15-20 points at nationals, which will vie for a top 10 spot at nationals.
This could truly be a banner year for Tech track and field!!
This post was edited on 12/16 8:15 AM by RRTracklover
This is how it breaks down:
MEN - this first group of kids should definitely qualify for the regional meet and have a legit shot at scoring at conference:
Lamont Adams - 400; Rashad Hawk - 100; Marcus Henderson - 100, 200; Jansen Hyde - 110H, 400H; freshman Bryce Lamb - LJ, TJ; Bill Lawhorn - 100, 200, 400; Lyle Leong - HJ; Gilbert Limo - Steeple, 1500; Jamele Mason - 110H, 400H; Brett McDaniel ?- DT; Omo Osaghae ?- 110H, 200; Zach Plinario - 400H; Brian Porter ?- PV; Gil Roberts - 400; Darrell Roddick - LJ, TJ, HJ; Brandon Washington - 400; Latoy Williams - 400; freshman Julian Wruck - DT; plus, possible midterm transfer Bryce Brown (110H, 400H), if he gets into Tech . Also, both the 4X100 and 4X400 relays should be serious conference and even national contenders. That totals 19 men and both relays.
These are some additional kids who have a longer shot at qualifying for the regional meet and even, in some cases, an outside chance to score at conference. This group includes: freshman Thomas Cattin-Masson - 800, 1500; Zach Dawson - 1500; freshman Casey Felton - decathlon; Tim Foster - 400; Cory Higgins - 1500; Silas Kemboi - 800, 1500; freshman Ryan McDowell - 110H; Tyler Menges - SP; Waylon Randolph - LJ; freshman Boston Spiva - PV; Brandon Tucker - 110H, 400H; Justin Tucker - HJ; Julius Walker - 100; and decathlete Chuck Zavala. This represents an additional 15 kids.
So, Tech has 34 men who have some chance to score at conference! Pretty dadgum solid!! Of this group, I think that 11 make it to the national meet (Brown, Hyde, Lamb, Limo, Mason, Osaghae, Porter, Roberts, Roddick, Williams, and Wruck), representing somewhere around 30-35 points, which would put Tech squarely in the national title race. That definitely gets me pumped up about this track season! In fact, I am so pumped up that I put five exclamation points in one paragraph!
WOMEN - this team placed 2nd to national champ TAMU at the Big 12 meet and I actually believe they are better suited to displacing the Maggies in 2010 than in 2009. Here are the Tech women who have strong chances to qualify for the regional meet and place at conference:
Transfer Erica Alexander - 100, 200, 400; Amanda Alley - PV; Lillian Badaru - 5K, 10K; transfer Purity Biwott - 800, 1500; Trudy Clarke - 400; Amanda Dowdy - HJ: transfer Taylor Evans - 200, 400; Terra Evans - 200, 400; transfer Meshawn Graham - 200, 400; Sandra Iwunze - 100H, 400H; freshman Candace Jackson - 200; transfer Caroline Karunde - 5K, 10K; transfer Winrose Karunde - steeple, 10K; Gladys Kipsang - 800, 1500; Kelsey Lloyd - HJ, 400H, Heptathlon; Ozie Okolie - HT; Tori Smith - 100H; freshman Shade Weygandt - PV; plus, both the 4X100 and 4X400 will be greatly improved and will be national contenders.
Additional women who have a longer shot at qualifying for the regional meet and also scoring at conference include Jonisha Boleware - 200, 40; Christina Graham - 1500; freshman Katie Grimes - heptathlon; Michelle Guzman - 5K, 10K; Shannon Jackson - 800; Kearci Jobe - 800; freshman Alanna Wise - PV.
That totals 25 women who should be conference contenders. As many as 16 of them have a shot at making it to nationals (Alexander, Alley, Badaru, Biwott, Clarke, both Evans twins, M. Graham, Iwunze, both Karunde twins, Kipsang, Lloyd, Okolie, Smith and Weygandt). These kids probably represent 15-20 points at nationals, which will vie for a top 10 spot at nationals.
This could truly be a banner year for Tech track and field!!
This post was edited on 12/16 8:15 AM by RRTracklover
