In every season since 2013, at least one of Texas’ track and field teams have won the conference championship. This year, it was the men’s turn.
The men came away with their third Big 12 title in five years, while the women fell to Baylor, taking second place.
The men’s multi-team set the tone early for the Longhorns. Redshirt junior Wolf Mahler knew the importance of his event to the outcome of the competition.
“My goal is to go 1-2-3 in the heptathlon and really assert our dominance as a multi-group,” Mahler said. “And for everyone to get (their personal records).”
The Longhorns managed to do just that as junior Steele Wasik, Mahler and freshman George Patrick finished first, second and third in the heptathlon, respectively, each of them running a personal best in the 60 meter hurdles.
During the last events of the meet, the men’s team wanted to do everything it could to avoid repeating last season’s dramatic ending.
“On the men’s side last year we were 1.5 points short,” head coach Mario Sategna said. “We knew going into the final day, you can’t feel like you have it in the bag because our conference is so deep across the board in every event."
In the final event of the meet—the men’s 4×400 meter relay—Texas only needed to take fifth place to secure the conference title. The team, made up of seniors Byron Robinson, Senoj-Jay Givans, Chris Irvin and Aldrich Bailey Jr., clocked in at 3:06.08 to win the event outright.
“It’s not like you go to a group of senior veterans of the 4×4 and tell them you only have to be fifth or higher,” Sategna said. “They’re going in with one thing in mind and that’s to win it, and they achieved that.”
Though the women’s team was not able to defend its title for the fourth-straight season, the Longhorns still had strong performances across the board.
Sophomore Teahna Daniels gave Texas its fourth consecutive conference victory in the 60 meters, crossing the finish line in 7.30 seconds.
In the 400 meter race, senior Chrisann Gordon took first place with a time of 51.79 seconds. Sophomore Zola Golden trailed just behind, finishing in 52.11 seconds. Golden’s time shattered her previous personal best and now ranks in the top 10 in the NCAA this season.
“Teahna and Chrisann did what they were supposed to do as leaders,” associate head coach Tonja Buford-Bailey said. “What’s exciting about watching Zola is how much she has improved from last season and how I feel like she still has more in her for the indoor season.”
The Longhorns head back home to prepare for the NCAA Indoor Championships on March 10.
