I have been thinking about this topic for the past week, after reading Langtree say that he was disappointed that Tech qualified fewer athletes for the indoor championships. Then, TTUJayvee, said that they expect Tech to qualify 15 kids for nationals (which I certainly agree with). Then, I started thinking about what makes a good season for the Red Raiders. Here are my thoughts on what goals determine a good season:
Goal metric #1 -- How many points at conference?
Last year, the men had a terrific Big 12 meet, finishing 2nd with 100 points. However, nationals was a big disappointment, finishing in 41st with only 6 points (all 6 points scored by seniors - Marlon Odom and Bryan Scott).
Conversely, the women had a terribly disappointing Big 12 meet, finishing 7th with 53.5 points. They turned around at nationals and finished 10th, with a school record 23 points (all scored by athletes who are returning this season.)
I think that both the men's and women's team have the capacity to finish top 3 at conference. If Sally Kipyego is healthy, the women should finish with 30-35 points at nationals and could even finish top 5. The men are still probably a year away from being at top 10 contenders at nationals, but I think a top 20 finish is very possible.
Goal metric #2 -- How many athletes qualify for the regional meet?
Tech tends toward having very balanced teams. There are some schools who choose to be load up in a particular track or field area, like Baylor (quartermilers on the men's side), TCU (great sprinters on the men's and women's side), etc. An extreme example is Ashland University in Ohio, where ALL of their points at the D-II national meet are always scored in the weight events - their head coach is 3-time hammer throw Olympian Jud Logan. However, Tech has a very balanced team, with qualifiers in virtually every track discipline (spints, hurdles, and distance), plus almost all field events.
In 2007, the Tech men qualified 14 individuals for the regional meet, plus both relays, although the 4X100 relay did come run at the regional meet. The 14 men who qualified consisted of 7 seniors, 2 juniors, 2 sophomores, and 3 freshmen. The 4X400 relay had a senior, sophomore and 2 freshmen (after anchorman Brandon Washington was injured at the conference, senior Zach Glavash took his place at the regional meet, meaning there were 2 seniors running on that relay.) Looking at the men's roster, I see at least 23 men who have legit shots at regional qualifying - 8 freshmen, 7 sophomores, 5 juniors, and 3 seniors. There are another 5 who have a outside shot at qualifying (1 freshman, 3 sophomores, and 1 junior). The sprint relay will be vastly improved, with the addition of Julius Walker and Skye Green. The 4X400 should also be a national contender, led by three freshmen!
Why so many young potential qualifiers? A stunningly successful recruiting year, plus a inordinate number of redshirts in 2007, in preparation for the graduation of many key athletes (Marlon Odom, Bryan Scott, Chris Ashcraft, Seth Harris, etc.) If Tech gets 20-25 men qualified for the regional meet, it will probably be the highest number of any team there and the season would have to be considered a ringing success.
In 2007, on the women's side, Tech also had a large number of regional qualifiers - 15 total, with 4 seniors, 3 juniors, 6 sophomores, and 2 freshmen. Also, the 4X400 qualified. The sprint relay did not qualify, in fact, after injuries to Jonisha Boleware and Janell Appelhans, Tech did not even run a sprint relay at conference. Reviewing the women's roster, it appears that around 15 women have a strong shot at making regional meet - 3 freshmen, 3 sophomores, 5 juniors and 4 seniors. That number is somewhat dependent on good health for quartermiler Louise Cox and vaulters Amanda Alley and Katie Veith, who both redshirted indoors with injuries. There are an additional 8 women with at least some chance of qualifying for regionals - 3 freshmen, 4 juniors, and a senior. Based on last year's success at the regional meet and the subsequent success of the women's team at nationals - it would appear that a successful season for the women would also consist of having 15 or more women qualify for the regional meet.
Goal metric #3 -- how many athletes qualify for nationals?
In 2007, Tech had 9 men qualify for nationals - 6 seniors, 1 junior, 1 sophomore and 1 freshman. Due to outstanding recruiting and some timely redshirting in 2007 (including Shawon Harris, who redshirted due to nagging injuries), the men have 10 men who have legit chances of qualifying for nationals. This group consists of 2 freshmen, 4 sophomores, 1 junior and 3 seniors. There are an additional 7 athletes with longer shots at making it to nationals - 5 freshmen, 1 soph, and 1 junior. It also looks like both relays have the potential of making it to nationals - particularly the 4X400. If Tech gets 10 or more men to the national meet, the season would have to be considered highly successful.
On the women's side, Tech had 9 women go to the national meet last year - 2 seniors, 2 juniors, 4 sophomores, and 1 freshman. Looking at the roster, I see 8 women who have good shots at nationals - 3 seniors, 3 juniors, 1 soph and 1 freshman. There are an additional 4 women with longer shot chances at nationals - 1 freshman, 2 sophs, and 1 junior.
It would appear that this would be a successful season if the women match the 9 qualifiers for nationals from last year. It would also be terrific to see the 4X400 relay make it to nationals, but that is very dependent on a healthy Louise Cox.
Anyway, those are some of my thoughts about what constitutes success for the Tech track team. On all three goal metrics, it appears to me that there is the potential to have a terrifically successful season on both the men's and women's side.
This post was edited on 4/28 6:21 PM by RRTracklover
Goal metric #1 -- How many points at conference?
Last year, the men had a terrific Big 12 meet, finishing 2nd with 100 points. However, nationals was a big disappointment, finishing in 41st with only 6 points (all 6 points scored by seniors - Marlon Odom and Bryan Scott).
Conversely, the women had a terribly disappointing Big 12 meet, finishing 7th with 53.5 points. They turned around at nationals and finished 10th, with a school record 23 points (all scored by athletes who are returning this season.)
I think that both the men's and women's team have the capacity to finish top 3 at conference. If Sally Kipyego is healthy, the women should finish with 30-35 points at nationals and could even finish top 5. The men are still probably a year away from being at top 10 contenders at nationals, but I think a top 20 finish is very possible.
Goal metric #2 -- How many athletes qualify for the regional meet?
Tech tends toward having very balanced teams. There are some schools who choose to be load up in a particular track or field area, like Baylor (quartermilers on the men's side), TCU (great sprinters on the men's and women's side), etc. An extreme example is Ashland University in Ohio, where ALL of their points at the D-II national meet are always scored in the weight events - their head coach is 3-time hammer throw Olympian Jud Logan. However, Tech has a very balanced team, with qualifiers in virtually every track discipline (spints, hurdles, and distance), plus almost all field events.
In 2007, the Tech men qualified 14 individuals for the regional meet, plus both relays, although the 4X100 relay did come run at the regional meet. The 14 men who qualified consisted of 7 seniors, 2 juniors, 2 sophomores, and 3 freshmen. The 4X400 relay had a senior, sophomore and 2 freshmen (after anchorman Brandon Washington was injured at the conference, senior Zach Glavash took his place at the regional meet, meaning there were 2 seniors running on that relay.) Looking at the men's roster, I see at least 23 men who have legit shots at regional qualifying - 8 freshmen, 7 sophomores, 5 juniors, and 3 seniors. There are another 5 who have a outside shot at qualifying (1 freshman, 3 sophomores, and 1 junior). The sprint relay will be vastly improved, with the addition of Julius Walker and Skye Green. The 4X400 should also be a national contender, led by three freshmen!
Why so many young potential qualifiers? A stunningly successful recruiting year, plus a inordinate number of redshirts in 2007, in preparation for the graduation of many key athletes (Marlon Odom, Bryan Scott, Chris Ashcraft, Seth Harris, etc.) If Tech gets 20-25 men qualified for the regional meet, it will probably be the highest number of any team there and the season would have to be considered a ringing success.
In 2007, on the women's side, Tech also had a large number of regional qualifiers - 15 total, with 4 seniors, 3 juniors, 6 sophomores, and 2 freshmen. Also, the 4X400 qualified. The sprint relay did not qualify, in fact, after injuries to Jonisha Boleware and Janell Appelhans, Tech did not even run a sprint relay at conference. Reviewing the women's roster, it appears that around 15 women have a strong shot at making regional meet - 3 freshmen, 3 sophomores, 5 juniors and 4 seniors. That number is somewhat dependent on good health for quartermiler Louise Cox and vaulters Amanda Alley and Katie Veith, who both redshirted indoors with injuries. There are an additional 8 women with at least some chance of qualifying for regionals - 3 freshmen, 4 juniors, and a senior. Based on last year's success at the regional meet and the subsequent success of the women's team at nationals - it would appear that a successful season for the women would also consist of having 15 or more women qualify for the regional meet.
Goal metric #3 -- how many athletes qualify for nationals?
In 2007, Tech had 9 men qualify for nationals - 6 seniors, 1 junior, 1 sophomore and 1 freshman. Due to outstanding recruiting and some timely redshirting in 2007 (including Shawon Harris, who redshirted due to nagging injuries), the men have 10 men who have legit chances of qualifying for nationals. This group consists of 2 freshmen, 4 sophomores, 1 junior and 3 seniors. There are an additional 7 athletes with longer shots at making it to nationals - 5 freshmen, 1 soph, and 1 junior. It also looks like both relays have the potential of making it to nationals - particularly the 4X400. If Tech gets 10 or more men to the national meet, the season would have to be considered highly successful.
On the women's side, Tech had 9 women go to the national meet last year - 2 seniors, 2 juniors, 4 sophomores, and 1 freshman. Looking at the roster, I see 8 women who have good shots at nationals - 3 seniors, 3 juniors, 1 soph and 1 freshman. There are an additional 4 women with longer shot chances at nationals - 1 freshman, 2 sophs, and 1 junior.
It would appear that this would be a successful season if the women match the 9 qualifiers for nationals from last year. It would also be terrific to see the 4X400 relay make it to nationals, but that is very dependent on a healthy Louise Cox.
Anyway, those are some of my thoughts about what constitutes success for the Tech track team. On all three goal metrics, it appears to me that there is the potential to have a terrifically successful season on both the men's and women's side.
This post was edited on 4/28 6:21 PM by RRTracklover
