Although the NCAA Track and Field Championships will take place in Austin this June, the Texas track & field team still has a few remaining trips this season in order to get there.
Over the weekend, the Longhorns traveled to two separate meets in California and one meet in Waco. As indicated by some of the athletes’ strong performances, Texas is continuing to build momentum as the regular season closes and the NCAAs draw near.
Mt. SAC Relays
One Longhorn who added some fuel to Texas’ outdoor campaign was Teahna Daniels, who had a strong performance at the Mt. SAC Relays in Torrance, California. Daniels, who placed second in the 60-meter run at the NCAA Indoor Championships in March, was one of two Longhorns at the meet to take home a first-place finish after winning the 100m dash.
The other Texas victory at the Mt. SAC Relays belonged to Steffin McCarter, who had a personal best performance in the long jump. Freshman phenom Kynnedy Flannel also made the trip to Torrance. Her third-place, personal-best finish in the 200-meter run was another notable performance for the Longhorns.
Michael Johnson Invitational
Though not much action happened for the Longhorns at the Michael Johnson Invitational, Olivia Thompson provided a standout performance for Texas.
Thompson won first place in the 5,000-meter run, highlighting Texas’ appearance in Waco.
Bryan Clay Invitational
A 30-year-old school record was broken in Azusa, California, in the 5,000-meter by Alex Rogers, who ran a 13:43.97 at the Bryan Clay Invitational. But Rogers wasn’t the only one breaking school records. In a field of 100-plus runners, Sam Worley ran his way to fifth place in the 1,500-meter run and fifth place in the all-time Texas rankings. His speedy time of 3:38.64 was also enough for a personal record.
At the same meet, three personal records were set by Anna McDonald and Abby Guidry in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, while Destiny Collins and Alex Cruz each recorded personal bests in the 5,000-meter race.
When Edrick Floréal took over as the Texas head coach, he placed championship expectations on the team. Now that the outdoor track season is beginning to heat up, Floréal said the team is looking to polish up its performances as they prepare for the postseason.
“We’re progressing as a team and had a lot of very good marks throughout the entire week,” Floréal said. “We have some pieces that still need to come together as we approach the championships season, but we’re looking to close out the regular season strong at Arkansas.”
When the Longhorns head to Fayetteville, Arkansas, for the National Relay Championships next weekend, they will be one step closer on their journey back home to Austin for the biggest meet of the year.