State Track And Field Squads Travel To Austin For 78th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays
Texas Relays Notes (PDF)
MSU Athlete Bios (PDF)
STARKVILLE, Miss. ?€“?€“ Coming off a weekend where a combined 12 regionalqualifying marks were set, the Mississippi State University track and fieldsquads travel to Austin, Texas, for the 78th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays atMike A. Myers Stadium. University division events begin Wednesday, April 6, andcontinue through Saturday, April 9, on the University of Texas campus.
"We're excited about going to such a prestigious event," said MSU head coach AlSchmidt. "The past few years, we've brought back one or two trophies. Thisyear, we have the same goal. We want to bring back some hardware."
Over 5000 athletes are scheduled to compete in 125 events at this year's event.According to the university, collegiate teams scheduled for competition includeseven of the top-10 finishers from the 2005 NCAA Men's Indoor Championship, andsix of the top-10 finishers from the 2005 NCAA Women's Indoor Championship.
In the 78-year history of the event, Mississippi State has captured 14 meettitles and holds one Texas Relays record (women's distance medley relay). TheBulldogs own titles in the 4x100-meter relay (2003,2004), 4x200-meter relay(2003,2004), 4x400-meter relay (1976), 100-meter dash (Pierre Browne, 2001;Marquis Davis, 2003), Triple Jump (Festus Igbinohene, 1989), and Shot Put(Garry Frank, 1987). On the women's side, the Lady Bulldogs have won theDistance medley relay (2003, 2004), 1500-meter run (Tina Bridgeman, 1996;Tiffany McWilliams, 2003) and Long Jump (Elisha Williams, 2001).
The Texas Relays began in 1925, under the direction of former Texas men's trackand field coach Clyde Littlefield. Live results from the event will beavailable via a link on MSU's athletics Web site, www.MstateAthletics.com.
On April 2 at the MSU-hosted Bulldog Invitational, MSU seniors Crystal Averittand Lacey Johnson broke school records in their respective events. Averittfinished second in the hammer with a throw of 178-11,while Johnson won the polevault with a clearing of 11-6. Junior Lauren Johnson leaped 19-7 in the longjump to qualify for next month's Mideast Regional in Bloomington, Ind.
On the men's side, junior Steve Mullings won the 100-meter dash in 10.06, thefastest time posted in the NCAA this season and third fastest in schoolhistory. The mark is also tied for the W.O. Spencer Stadium/Carl Maddox Trackrecord. Mullings won the 200-meter dash in 20.68, one of four Bulldogs to postregional marks in the event. Senior LaChristopher Lewis (20.80), senior JamelAshley (20.89) and sophomore Arthur Davis (20.89) qualified in the event, aswell. Davis won the 400-meter dash in a regional time of 46.98. State's4x100-meter relay team (Davis, Ashley, Mullings, Lewis) won in 39.72, also aregional qualifying mark. In the long jump, Lewis and junior Kendall Pyant IIqualified with leaps of 25-5 1/2 and 24-4 1/4, respectively. Matt Whalen wonthe hammer with a regional mark of 185-3.