Texas Tech Men and Women Ready to Compete in Big 12 Indoor Track Championships
The tenth-ranked Texas Tech men’s track and field team and the No. 14 women’s team will compete in the Big 12 Indoor Track & Field Championships Feb. 27-28 at the Lied Recreational Center in Ames, Iowa.
The No. 10 Red Raiders enter the weekend having won the most recent Big 12 title, the 2014 outdoor championship. And now they are hungry for a title of the indoor variety.
"The indoor championships haven't always suited us well in the past," Texas Tech head coach Wes Kittley said. "Because of that, a lot of the time, we would worry more about chasing marks at this meet. However, I believe we have the depth to compete for a title this year. We are going to need some great performances, but this is as good of a stage as any to do so."
On the women's side, the No. 17 Lady Raiders represent one of the Big 12's four nationally ranked teams. In 2014, the Lady Raider 4 x 400 meter relay brought home a Big 12 title, and return Cierra White and Montenae Speight.
The top 16 individuals and top 12 relays in each event qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships, in Fayetteville, Ark.
Texas Tech currently has a combined eight individuals and one relay in position to qualify, with another four athletes and one relay within 12 spots of qualification.
The NCAA National meet will be held in Fayetteville, Ark., March 13-14.
Texas Tech has already had seven individuals combine to break nine different school records this season, with many of those having been broken twice already. Overall, Tech indoor school records have been broken 13 times in 2015. The Red Raiders had seven athletes break school records in the entirety of the 2014 season.
Four different Red Raiders broke school records at last weekend's Red Raider Open: Le'Tristan Pledger (7.55) broke her own 55m hurdles record, Cierra White (6.80) snapped the school's 55 meter dash record, Kole Weldon (20.58m/67-6.25) smashed his own weight throw school record and Chris Caldwell (7.16) etched his name as the school's men's 55m hurdles record holder.
Big12sports.com will host a free live stream of the event, and live results will be available at deltatiming.com.