Texas runners laced up their spikes for one last indoor meet in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on Thursday when the track and field program returned to the Randal Tyson Track Center to wrap up the last chapter of their 2021 season at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
What was sought was not found. Both the men’s and women’s programs fell short of a NCAA championship after multiple first-place finishes this season. The Texas women placed 8th overall, while the men’s team finished in 14th place.
The indoor season didn’t end on a perfect note for the Longhorns, but junior Tara Davis finished the season with her best yet. The long jumper and hurdler contributed 10 of 25 team points for the women in Fayetteville. Davis secured the long jump national title Friday with a 6.93m (22-9) long jump, setting a new collegiate record and recording the longest jump in the world this season.
Davis is the epitome of the “comeback kid.” The now-NCAA champion’s journey has not been an easy feat after transferring from Georgia her sophomore year. Davis did not compete in the 2018-2019 indoor and outdoor seasons after joining the Big 12, and when her time finally came, a foot injury plagued her.
On Saturday, Davis proudly proclaimed her NCAA indoor title via Twitter.
“22’9–– World lead. Meet record. Facility record. University of Texas school record. Personal record. Olympic ‘A’ Standard,” Davis said in the tweet.
This was Chanel Brissett’s first time at the NCAA Indoor Championships as a Longhorn. Brissett, a senior and former USC sprinter and hurdler, was the third to cross the white line in the 60-meter hurdles after clocking 8.01. Brissett’s time tied for the fifth-fastest on UT record, where she now holds four of the top five times in Texas history.
Senior sprinter Micaiah Harris also notably shined in Fayetteville. Harris furthered Texas’ efforts by tallying up four of the six points for the men’s team on Saturday. In his first appearance at the NCAA Indoor Championships, Harris recorded the second-fastest time of his career (20.43) during the 200-meter dash.
Texas continued to create noteworthy times with the distance medley relay Friday. The Longhorns finished third at 9:23.73 for a season’s best. The mixed upperclassmen and lowerclassmen relay team consisted of sophomore Cruz Gomez, junior Jonathan Jones, junior Brendan Hebert and sophomore Crayton Carrozza. The four-man team shattered a 15-year-old school record, making it Texas’ highest finish in the relay since 2006.
Davis returns with her team to the Lone Star State with a new NCAA title to her name. Texas looks to its next season-long run as the program races toward a NCAA Outdoor Championships title. The outdoor season resumes March 19-20 at the UTSA Invitational in San Antonio.
