The Texas Tech track and field teams swept the men's and women's Big 12 outdoor track and field titles Saturday night at Rock Chalk Park. The Tech men claim their sixth outdoor conference title, while the women secure their first.
The two trophies bring the count up to eight conference titles as an athletic department this season. It is the most in a single year since joining the Big 12 in 1996 and most for any school this year.
Top 5 Men Standings
· Texas Tech – 136
· BYU – 100.66
· Houston – 96
· Kansas – 73
· Iowa State – 72
Top 5 Women Standings
· Texas Tech – 127
· BYU – 112.5
· TCU – 86
· Baylor – 84.5
· Kansas – 55.83
Overall, the Red Raiders secured five event titles Saturday night – women's discus, women's high jump, men's 4x100, men's 400m and women's triple jump. During the middle of the meet, the women's team were in a close battle with BYU but collected 26 points in the triple jump, thanks to a 1-2-3 finish, helped the Tech women with some insurance.
Between second and third place finishes in events, the Red Raiders came away with 13 of them to build their lead throughout the meet on both the men's and women's side.
On top of the 26 points from the women's triple jump, they also collected huge chunk of points from the high jump (26) and discus (16), Saturday evening. The men collected key points in the 4x100 (10), 200m (10), 400m (10, first place) and 5000m (12, second and fifth place). Three Red Raiders scored in the 400m hurdles for 14 points and eight points (second place) in the pole vault Saturday.
For head coach Wes Kittley, he now holds 16 overall Big 12 titles – three in women's cross country, two in women's track and field and 11 in men's track and field.
Notables
· The men did not have to run a 4x400 with the win already secured by that time
· The meet went under a 2 hour and eight-minute delay after the women's triple jump
· The Red Raiders completed the indoor/outdoor sweep taking home all four trophies this season
