March 23, 2005
The TCU Flyin' Frogs open the 2005 outdoor track & field season on Saturday, March 26, when they travel to Waco to take part in the Baylor Dr Pepper Invitational. The field events are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m., while the first running event, the women's steeplechase, is slated for noon. The meet will be run on a rolling time schedule. In addition to the Frogs and the homestanding Baylor Bears, teams expected to compete include Drake, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Tarleton State, UNT, Northwood, Angelo State, Abilene Christian, Paul Quinn College, Texas A&M-Commerce, Wayland Baptist and the Oklahoma State women's team.
"We're a better team now than we were when we last competed (at the Conference USA Indoor Championships in late February)," said TCU head coach Darryl Anderson. "Both the men's and women's teams are mentally and physically ready to compete. We've had a window since the indoor season ended where we were able to really train and get ourselves ready. We are more equipped to start racing now than we were during the indoor season.
"Having said that," continued Anderson, "this weekend's meet is just a starting point. We are excited to get the season started and want to see some success. As a whole, the team is eager to get back on the track and feel good about the work they've put in."
The Frogs are slated to take 29 men and 17 women to Waco on Saturday. Freshman Jacob Hernandez, a prep standout last year at Magnolia (Texas) High School, will compete for the first time as a collegian after sitting out the indoor season as a redshirt. He is penciled in to compete in the 800 and on the Frogs' 4x400 meter relay squad. Junior Kip Kangogo, the C-USA Athlete of the Meet at the indoor championships is set to run both the 1500 and the 3000 meters.
On the women's side, all-American Donita Harmon, who sat out the indoor season with a foot injury, will not compete this weekend. Quartermiler Marquita Davis and distance runner Katrina Zielinski will also be sidelined this weekend.
In the sprint relay, the TCU men will feature Delwayne Delaney on the leadoff leg, Jay Cooper on the backstretch, Bradley Reed on the third leg and Cleavon Dillon bringing it home. The women's 4x1 will have Kandis Bell handing to Deborah Jones. Jamee Jones will run the curve while Nathandra John gets the anchor leg.
