TCU
Texas Tech Invitational
Flyin' Frogs Strong At Texas Tech Invitational
4/10/2009 12:00:00 AM
April 10, 2009
LUBBOCK, Texas - TCU battled extreme wind conditions on Thursday night to collect nine NCAA regional qualifying marks at the Texas Tech Invitational.Earning NCAA regional qualifying marks on the women's side were the 4x100, Kishelle Paul (100-meter hurdles), Jessica Young (400 meters), Jessica Clarke (400 meters), Candis Kelley (shot put) and Stormy Harrison (shot put). On the men's side, Mychal Dungey (200 meters), Sean Zurko (800 meters) and the men's 4x100 all posted regional qualifying marks at R.P. Fuller Stadium.
"We started off the day with the meet getting delayed because of the wind, but we got it in," said head coach Darryl Anderson. "The wind finally calmed down and I thought we competed well. We had some good things happen today and it was very positive for us."
Dungey dominated the men's 200-meter dash, clocking a seasonal-best and NCAA regional qualifying time of 20.78 seconds to capture the event-title on Thursday night. The Austin native's time is currently the top-time in the Midwest Region and the sixth-fastest time in the NCAA. Andon Mitchell, who just missed an NCAA regional qualifying time in the event, recorded a seasonal-best time of 21.36 seconds to finish sixth overall.
"Mychal Dungey had a good day today. He got a seasonal-best and I thought competed well," said Anderson.
Zurko, a Las Vegas native, recorded an NCAA regional qualifying mark of 1:49.95 to win the men's 800-meter run. The sophomore ran past former Olympian Jonathan Johnson, the 2004 NCAA and Olympic Trials Champion, down the backstretch to win the event.
In the relays, the women's 4x100 clocked a seasonal-best and NCAA regional qualifying time of 44.40 seconds to finish first overall at R.P. Fuller Stadium. The quartet, which consisted of Whitney Gipson, Clarke, Paul and Young crossed the finish line with the ninth-fastest time in the NCAA and the top-time in the MWC.
The Flyin' Frog men of Mitchell, Otis McDaniel, Dungey and Dell Guy were also victorious in the 4x100, recording an NCAA regional qualifying time of 40.35 seconds.
Young came back later in the night to win the women's 400 meters with an NCAA regional qualifying and seasonal-best time of 53.07 seconds. Young's time is currently the fourth-fastest time in the NCAA and program history. Clarke followed in second-place with an NCAA regional qualifying time of 53.59 seconds. The senior's seasonal-best time is currently the No. 6 ranked time in the nation.
"I thought both Jessica Young and Jessica Clarke did a good job today. I was pleased with their performance and the fact that they both were able to get regional qualifying marks out of the way," said Anderson.
On the men's side, Guy finished in fourth-place, while Matthew Love posted sixth-place honors on Thursday night.
In the 100-meter hurdles, Paul, a senior from Georgia, recorded an NCAA regional qualifying time of 13.69 seconds to earn runner-up honors in the event.
In the men's discus, Tommy Killen battled strong wind conditions to capture first-place honors with a throw of 166 feet, 9 inches. Marcus Cannon and Nic Richmond followed in third and fifth-place, respectively.
Kelley led the Purple and White in the women's shot put, tossing the shot 50 feet, 9 ¼ inches to place third overall. Harrison followed in fourth-place with a seasonal-best toss of 50 feet, 1 ¼ inches. Both throws were NCAA regional qualifying marks.
In the women's long jump, sophomore Amber Anderson soared 19 feet, 7 ½ inches to place third overall with a personal-best leap. Anderson just missed an NCAA regional qualifying mark on Thursday night. Fellow sophomore La'Quinta Ross followed in fourth-place.
"I thought Amber Anderson did some good things for us in the long jump tonight. She had a good day today," said Anderson.
TCU will next be in action at the TCU Invitational in Fort Worth.
