Considering Texas Tech sprinter Terrence Jones is a three-time NCAA champion and Texas Tech hurdler Caleb Dean has won one NCAA and three Big 12 titles. , Texas Tech coach Wes Kitley said he's not worried about whether they'll qualify for this year's NCAA postseason.
But both will have one last chance to do so at the Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Waco in two weeks.
Neither Jones nor Dean will compete in Tech's final home meet of the regular season, the Corky vs. Crofoot Shootout, on Friday and Saturday at the Fuller Track Complex. Kitley said that a combination of a minor injury and a long outdoor season will keep him from participating in the Olympics, scheduled for July 26-August 11 in Paris.
“I want to do a lot of quality training over the next three weeks,” Kitley said. “I'm not worried about them at all as long as they're up to their standards. I'd rather not do anything that would set us back and I don't want to have a setback like they didn't run here. No” meeting. “
Dean has not competed since the NCAA Indoor Championships, where he placed first in the 60-meter hurdles, sixth in the 60-meter race and fourth in the 1,600-meter relay at Tech University. Jones won the 60/200 sprint double in NCAA indoor competition, but has only competed in Tech's sprint relays once since then, at Texas Relays in Austin.
Related:Terrence Jones and Caleb Dean lead Texas Tech track and field to NCAA Championship
Related:Texas Tech men's track and field wins Big 12 title in spectacular fashion
Kitley said Dean is suffering from adductor inflammation and Jones is suffering from a mild hamstring strain.
All they need to do to qualify for the NCAA qualifiers is record a time in the top 48 in the West Region.
“Everything was on the line in the last game,” Kitley said. “But I have a lot of confidence in these two guys.”
Also, Adam Dubois, who ranked 35th in NCAA Division I in the javelin throw as a freshman at the University of Rhode Island last year, is not scheduled to transfer until the conference tournament.
Friday's field event start time is noon to 8 p.m., and the running event start time is 7:30 p.m. to 11:15 p.m.Saturday's distance run will be from 7:30 a.m. to 9:50 a.m. for the rest of the field.Event start time will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The technology company plans to honor about 30 seniors Friday at 6:30 p.m. That includes top performers who are qualifying for outdoor but are eligible for indoor in 2025. They include NCAA indoor triple jump champion Ruta Lassman and sprinters Serena Clark and Success Umukoro.
