Complete Results (PDF)
Waco, Texas – The Texas State men's and women's track and field teams made the final away meet of the pre-conference season count as several Bobcats posted personal-bests at the Michael Johnson Dr. Pepper Classic in Waco on Saturday.
Seniors Michael Morris and Elena Horn both recorded first-place finishes Saturday as Morris bettered his time in the 5000 meters by more than 24 seconds with 14:50.68 to win the event by 26 seconds. In the pole vault, Horn finished with a height of 3.95 meters (12-11.50) to win the competition by nearly a foot with her second-best vault of the season.
Beginning the day for the Bobcats were Kelsey Titzman, Jalisa Hall, Darian Brown and Chaz Laijas in the hammer throw. Titzman recorded a personal-best in the event to finish second with a distance of 53.92 meters (176-11) for a seven-foot improvement from her previous record. Following Titzman was Hall, who threw 52.19 meters (171-03) to take third. For the men, Brown also collected a personal record in the hammer with 53.02 meters (173-11) to place second in front of Laijas, who finished with 51.60 meters (169-03) to finish third.
Later in the day, Titzman finished with her second personal record on the day as she threw 15.07 meters (49-05.50) in the shot put to finish in third place.
In the hurdles, junior Chante'sean White improved her time in the 400-meter hurdles with 58.35 as she took fourth to move into second in the school record books. In the 100-meter hurdles, sophomore Tina Valenzuela posted a collegiate-best in the event with 14.32 to edge out teammate Danessa Lyssy, who took third with a personal-best 14.42.
“There were some good performances today across the board,” said head coach Dana Boone. “Michael Morris' 24-second PR in the 5000 was a fun race to watch as well as Kelsey Titzman in the shot put and Chante'sean White and Tina Valenzuela in the hurdles.”
In the distance, senior Sandra Venegas recorded a 31-second personal record in the 5000 meters, finishing second with 17:14.46, less than three seconds away from a Texas State record. Also posting a personal-best was freshman Allie Saunders, who leaped 12.11 meters (39-08.75) in the triple jump to take third. In the pole vault, freshman Anicka Newell followed Horn's performance with 3.65 meters (11-11.75) to finish second, just a quarter-inch from tying her personal-best.
In the 800 meters, freshman Charles Grethen improved his personal-best time by more than a second to place third with 1:49.03. Grethen's time moved him to second in the Texas State all-time list, less than a second away from another school record.
The Bobcats will host the Bobcat Classic at the Texas State Track and Field Stadium, April 27-28, before the Southland Conference Outdoor Championships, May 11-13, which will also take place in San Marcos.
“Going into conference and having the last two meets at home definitely gives us an advantage,” Boone said. “I feel they're getting some confidence as we move forward.”
