WACO, Texas — Baylor’s track team has seen unprecedented success throughout its history. Names like Michael Johnson, Jeremy Wariner and Darold Williamson highlight just some of the all-time greats for the Bears.
But despite all of the accomplishments that Baylor track fans have witnessed throughout history, the Bears might have never come together as dominating of a track meet as what they displayed Saturday at the Michael Johnson Classic at the Hart-Patterson Track and Field Complex.
"We had another great day for a track meet," head coach Todd Harbour said. "We thought that we had a great day for the Dr Pepper meet, but today was just as good. This is one of the best days ever in the history of Baylor track and field."
The men’s and women’s track and field teams combined for 30 NCAA Regional Qualifying marks over the weekend, while seven runners eclipsed times that placed them in the top 10 nationally.
Although regional qualifying marks are not kept statistically, Harbour believes the 30 marks were the most for a single meet in Baylor history.
"To get individual performances like that, that’s very important to have a night like we did," Harbour said. "Overall, just judging by the number of regional qualifiers, we did absolutely great."
Lake Charles, La., sophomore Trey Harts won the 100 meters and the 200 meters, but it was his performance in the 200 meters that was the most impressive. Harts sprinted to a time of 20.44, the second-fastest in the NCAA this season to claim the gold at the event.
Meanwhile Robert Griffin, just two weeks removed from Baylor’s spring football practice, clocked a time of 50.14 in the 400-meter hurdles, finishing just behind senior Justin Boyd who won the race with a time of 49.88.
Griffin, who graduated from high school in December to join the football team, had to switch from 300-meter hurdles used in high school track to the 400-meters. But apparently as Harbour said, the transition wasn’t too difficult for the Copperas Cove native.
"Too see him do that was pretty incredible," said Harbour of Griffin, whose time was the fifth-fastest in the nation this season. "He is just an incredible athlete. He was actually pretty upset at the end of it, because I think that’s the first time he has lost in quite a while."
The men’s relay teams continued their storied dominance, as both the 4×100 and the 4×400 placed top-10 national times. The 4×100 clocked 39.77 to record a regional qualifying mark with the ninth-fastest 4×100-meter relay time in the nation this season.
Meanwhile the 4×400 squad, who already owns the nation’s fastest time this year, won its 25th-straight race placing a time of 3:05.47.
"We are just trying to keep that good tradition and maintain the respect that we have," San Antonio junior Quentin Iglehart-Summers said. "You never want to be on the team that didn’t make it to nationals; you just keep striving to get better."
The Lady Bears had just as impressive of a meet. Lauren Hagans won the women’s 800 meters with a regional qualifying mark of 2:06.29.
Hagans, who already owns the second-best time in the nation in the 1,500 meters, recorded the eighth-fastest time in the 800 meters.
Meanwhile Tiffany Townsend, Erin Bedell, DeAna Carson, Stasia Kelly-Taylor, Brittany Devereaux and Kaleigh Teel all won their respective events.
The Bears return to action next weekend as Baylor travels to Des Moines, Iowa for the Drake Relays.