May 9, 2007

WACO, Texas -

Big 12 Outdoor Notes in PDF Format
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The Baylor track & field team travels to the 2007 Big 12 Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships hosted by Nebraska on Friday through Sunday, May 11-13, at Ed Weir Stadium.

Several Bears rank among the top five in the conference in their respective events and will be looking to claim an outdoor title.

Senior Reggie Witherspoon, the two-time defending Big 12 Indoor champion in both the 200 and 400 meters as well as the 2006 and 2007 High Point Performer and Big 12 Indoor Male Athlete of the Year, leads the Baylor relay teams that rank first (4x400-meter) and second (4x100-meter) in the conference. The 2006 Big 12 Outdoor champion in the 400 meters will look to defend his title, though he has not competed in an open quartermile this season. Redshirt freshman Courtney Thomas ranks first in the 200 meters and second in the 100 meters in the Big 12. He also runs third-leg on the Baylor sprint relay. Sophomore Quentin Iglehart-Summers and freshman LeJerald Betters rank first and second, respectively, in the league over the open 400 meters. Both runners are also featured on Baylor's nation-leading 4x400-meter relay.

The women boast a strong corps with junior Lyndsy Bedell leading the way with the top time in the Big 12 in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase. Freshman Nichole Jones ranks third in the 800 meters and third in the 1,500 meters. During the indoor season, Jones, who graduated a year early from high school, became the youngest Big 12 Champion in conference history, as she took the title in the women's 1,000 meters setting a new Big 12 meet and Baylor all-time record in the event. Junior Brittany Devereaux will look to add much needed field event points, as she ranks second in the league in the discus throw. Junior Lauren Hagans is second in the conference in the women's 800 meters, and the Lady Bears' 4x100-meter and 4x400-meter relays both rank in the top four.

Baylor has 12 women in 14 events (34 total marks) qualified for regional competition as well as the 4x100- and 4x400-meter relays. There are nine men in 12 events (39 total marks) regionally qualified, along with the 4x100- and 4x400-meter relays. The NCAA Midwest Regional will be held Saturday and Sunday, May 25-26, at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa. The NCAA Championships return to Sacramento, Calif., for the third straight year June 6-9.