By MATT DEARMAN

mwd004@latech.edu

 

Coming off a pair of strong early season performances at the Louisiana State University Relays in Baton Rouge and the Bulldog Invitational in Starkville, Miss., Tech’s track team will to turn more heads at the Texas Relays in Austin, beginning this afternoon and continuing through Saturday.

The Texas Relays is the second largest spring track meet in the country and will feature some of the top teams in the nation.

“This is a huge meet,” Tech head coach Gary Stanley said.“Schools from all over the country will be there. It’s a tough meet, but we hope to do well and send people to the finals.”

The Texas Relays began with high school competition yesterday, with the collegiate action kicking off this afternoon.

Tech enters the meet coming off a performance at the Mississippi State Bulldog Invitational that saw nine Bulldogs and Techsters claim number one finishes.

Senior Techster Donesha Spivey, who has won her events at the past two meets and was named the WAC track athlete of the week following her top performance at the LSU relays two weeks ago, is currently ranked 10th in the country in 100M dash and runs the second leg of the 10th ranked Woman’s 4x100 relay team.

Joining Spivey at the top of the national rankings is junior Latonia Wilson, who also runs on the 4x100 team in addition to the second-ranked 4x400 team. Wilson is also ranked eight in the country in the 400M dash.

In the field for the woman, senior Brenda-Grace Hunt won the javelin with a regional qualifying throw of 44.98 meters, while junior Shaterika Allen finished second in the shot put.

For the men, senior Jason Morgan enters the meet coming off a stellar performance at Mississippi State where he set regional qualifying marks in both the discus and shot put, finishing first and second in the events, respectively.

“Jason [Morgan] is having a great year,” Stanley said, “His regional qualifying marks show he’s one of the best in the country.”

Senior Nolan Jackson turned in a first place finish, recording a time of 14.45 in the 110M hurdles.