Big 12 Chmpionships Quotes - Final Day
May 15, 2005 | General
Women’s Triple Jump Champion
On winning her first Big 12 title...
“It felt great especially because in the last year I didn’t get the chance to jump as far as I wanted because of a back injury. It feels good to be back with a healthy body and actually compete, so that feels really good. I jumped from the short approach because I am not ready yet to jump from the full approach, so I am even more excited about the full approach and what I can jump from the full approach.”
On scoring points for her team...
“It’s good that your personal success also helps the success of your team. It’s really good.”
Women’s Triple Jump Runner-up
On her second-place finish and fighting through her recent injury....
“Well, I am disappointed of course. I didn’t have a mark in mind, just to win. I tweaked my hamstring two weeks ago and I’m still not 100 percent. I think it (injury) kind of took over my mind, because in prelims I let it bother me and then in the finals, I was trying to put it out of my head, but it didn’t quite get all the way out. I’ll keep rehabbing and just take a day of time and hopefully, I’ll get back to 100 percent by regionals.”
On
“She’s a really good jumper and good competitor, so I knew I wasn’t going to be at the top by myself.”
Women’s 4x100 Meter Relay Champion
LaTashia Kerr, Melaine Walker, Jerrika Chapple, Marshevet Hooker;
On the team’s performance...
“I felt really good coming out here. We try and set up the way we want up a little bit, so we can get prepared for the runs we have to go through today. The main goal for today is that we have a lot of races to run, so it’s kind of like lets go out and get the job done’ without using too much energy.”
On the team’s performance...
“It went really well. My teammates ran really hard. Everybody had good hand-offs and the race could’ve been finished unless everybody worked together and that’s what everybody did.”
Men’s 4x100 Meter Relay Champion
Arturs Abolins, Oliver Williams, Nate Probasco, Dusty
Dusty
On the team’s overall performance...
“All four of us ran good races and three out of the four handoffs were pretty good. But, it was still a great time for us this time of year. That was our goal from the beginning of the season, repeat as Big 12 champions and so, it feels pretty good.”
On looking ahead after winning the Big 12 title...
“It’s a good sign. We are excited for regionals and nationals now. We have the momentum going in there. We’re just starting to peak.”
Nate Probasco,
On team’s second consecutive Big 12 relay title ...
“This is definitely the best relay we’ve had, because we were messing up a lot on our handoffs the last couple of weeks. But, we finally just got them down. They still weren’t perfect, but I think we just got them down better than we had before and it just showed on the track.”
On running his leg of the relay...
“I knew I had some speed to do some damage here in the relays. It helped even better that we were an outside lane, better for a tall guy like me. I just went out there and tried my best and knew that my teammates would be working hard too.”
Women’s 3,000-meter Steeplechase Champion
On her performance...
“I think it wasn’t so bad. However, it was difficult at the end. I don’t like cool weather, but it really wasn’t so bad. It’s a great feeling to win the Big 12 title.”
Women’s 3,000-meter Steeplechase Runner-up
Natalie Florence,
On her performance...
“I got a PR by seven seconds, but I wanted to win. I got second by, I think, one second. She was up by four seconds up with 800 to go and she was only a second ahead up of me at the finish, so it was almost a really good day. I think it was just an alright day competing. I am happy with my time, but I would’ve liked to have won. Eight points for the team is just as good as 10 (the first-place finisher).
Men’s 3,000-meter Steeplechase Champion
Zach Zeller,
On his performance today...
“I didn’t feel very hot, but I was just ready to go out there and lay it down. My plan with a lap and a half to go was, if I felt good, it was time to check for guts and see who had the most guts and no one else hung in thank God.”
On
“That’s huge. We work really hard. We are out on the track everyday for several hours a day working out. To have that work payoff, is very encouraging to all of us. It makes you want to work hard.”
Men’s 3,000-meter Steeplechase Runner-up
Jeff Cutrer,
On the team’s game plan for the race...
“We went one-two here last year and we wanted to repeat that. We didn’t really care who went one-or-two as long as me and Zach (Zeller) were up there and were doing it. I didn’t move until about a 1,000 to go to string everybody out and I was really hurting pretty bad, but then Zach went by me and started giving me some inspiration to keep plugging. I just dug down deep and got past him (
On his performance today...
“I really wanted to win, but I’m not mad at all. I’m glad Zach won, because he’s a repeat champion, he’s a senior and he’s been a good guy to look up to. He’s going to be well missed next year and I know my time to be a Big 12 champion will come. It’s a big confidence boost to do so well in such a tough conference, because we have several guys in our region that are top contenders.”
Women’s Pole Vault Champion
On her performance...
“Today, I really wanted to score the 10 points for the team. I was able to do that, and I was really happy that I could help out the team today.”
On winning today’s event...
“It’s definitely exciting. I wanted to help my team out as much as I could since this is a big team meet. Before regionals start, I just need to go back and retrace my steps, and build off the positive things that happened today.”
Women’s Pole Vault Runner-up
Briana Eveland,
On her preparation before this meet...
“This whole year I’ve been working really hard. All the training and the competition from the previous meet really helped me today.”
On how this meet prepares her for regionals...
“The girls that I jumped against today are really great competitors. They are really great girls. Being able to jump against girls at a very high level like we have in the Big 12 will help me for the regional meet in two weeks.”
Women’s Discus Champion
Dace
On her performance...
“I really expected a little more today. It was not a great result for me, but I am happy with the result. I could have done better. It was a good competition, but I am not satisfied. It makes me want to practice much harder so that I can do the best that I can do. I was expecting to throw about 57 meters, but it’s still a big honor to win a meet like this.”
Women’s Discus Runner-Up
Laura Wortmann,
On her performance...
“Coming in second is pretty exciting for me because I am just a freshman. I have been getting better little by little all season and this is the best I have thrown this year. I just kept in my head what I needed to do as far as pushing the discus and finishing and it worked out well. Being a freshman I never thought I would throw this far and get second at Big 12s. This result gives me a lot of confidence heading into regionals... big-time confidence.”
Women’s 1,500-meter Champion
Anne Shadle,
On her performance...
“I just really wanted to get my team going today. We need all the points we can get. I think the team championship is something that I really want and that I want the girls to be able to have. It keeps them motivated and it keeps them training every month. In my head, I wanted to take it from the gun. I wanted to get my team fired up.”
On winning the Big 12 title...
“I’m just living my dream. I’ve was struggling for so long and I’m finally here and competing and it feels really great. I just wanted every else to know that when you’re struggling you can get better and go out there with confidence.”
Women’s 1,500-meter Runner-up
Amanda Bales,
On her performance today...
“Anne Shadle is awesome. To be in a race with her is a great experience. She really goes out and runs a hard race. Running in the Big 12 Championships is always a fun thing. Not only are you trying to get a good place and time, you also want to get points for your team.”
On placing second and getting eight points for her team...
“It’s an awesome feeling to know that I went out and got those points for our team. The team sport aspect of track is really apparent at a meet like this.”
Men’s 1,500 Meters Champion
On his performance...
“Today I did not really expect to come out and win. What I expected was to come out and have a good race and it went good. It surprised me and a lot of other people. It was a really exciting race and I thank my coaches and my teammates. I really don’t think it would have been possible without them.”
On the race itself...
“It was a very tactical race. I decided to hang back for the first couple of laps and really try to push it in the last lap. I kinda got boxed in a little bit and it was difficult to get back out. But when (Christian Smith of
Men’s 1,500 Meters Runner-Up
Christian Smith,
On his performance...
“I was trying to keep it under control the whole way and feel good. (My strategy) was to be there with at least 700 meters to go. On another day if I felt better I could have won. I ran a smart race. I am happier about losing when I run smart rather than doing something stupid and losing. I gave it a good shot.”
On the race itself...
“On the curve when I got in first I backed off a little bit, trying to leave it for the last 100. I thought I had another gear, but I just couldn’t get to it and I couldn’t respond when (Leo Manzano) when by. Overall it was kind of a slow race. There were a couple of surges in there that you had to react to so it was not as fast as we could run, but that’s what championship races are.”
Women’s 100-meter hurdles Champion
Priscilla Lopes,
On her performance...
“I just came out here and wanted the best that I could do. Hopefully, it was going to be the best time. I just went out and reacted to the gun and ran the fastest I could and hope for the best I could do. It just came out that it was the winning time for me in the hurdles. It was a wonderful and fantastic field and I look forward to regionals and NCAAs.”
On scoring valuable points for the team...
“I am very happy to score 10 points for
Women’s 100-meter hurdles Runner-up
Ashlee Williams,
On her peformance...
“I was pleased even though I am not 100 percent healthy. But I am pleased overall with my performance.”
On scoring points for the team...
“Of course, scoring every point helps. I got eight points for my team and there is nothing I can do about it now the race is over. I congratulate Priscilla on her win.”
Men’s 110-meter hurdles Champion
On her performance...
“It feels good. I have been working hard. It has paid off. Just drills in practice and running fast in practice. Just helped my performance out here on the track. I am really happy and it has been a blessing to run.”
On scoring valuable points for the team...
“We really needed it because
Men’s 110-meter hurdles Runner-up
Courtney Jones,
On his performance...
“I feel pretty good about the performance. I wish I had gone faster. I got stuck on a couple of the hurdles. It kind of got me out of the race I wanted to run, but I am glad that I got some points for my team. I wish I would’ve gotten a higher place for my guys, but we got some points and hopefully we can hold off (
Women’s 400 meter Champion
On her performance...
“It feels really good. I’ve been working hard during season and it has all paid off. It’s a really good feeling.”
Women’s 400 meter Runner-up
On her performance...
“It was an alright race for me. I just got out of the blocks too slow and I waited to make my move too late. I’m not satisfied with how I finished.”
Men’s 400 meter Champion
Darold Williamson, Baylor
On his success at the Big 12 Championship...
“It feels really good. I have been really successful here. Winning all four years is a great accomplishment for myself. This wasn’t really one of my most impressive ones. I wasn’t pushing as much as I wanted to at the end of the race. I won pretty easy. I was hoping for a better time, but I’ll be patient and take these wins.”
Men’s 400 meter Runner-up
On his teams competition...
“We are one of the top contenders and are trying to pull out a men’s championship. We are doing what we have to do score the most points and win.”
On being runner-up...
“I didn’t get out there fast enough. It was too late for me. What are you going to do after that.”
Women’s 100 meter Champion
On her performance...
“I knew I had to get out fast. I had some great competitors in the field. I knew I couldn’t afford to be at the back, so I just had to get out. I didn’t even think of (the record). I just came out to get this over with.”
On the team’s competition...
“I thought I ran a good race. I think this does a lot for us when everybody coming out there and performing well today. It is tough on us all mentally, physically and on our self-esteem.
Women’s 100 meters Runner-Up
LaKadron Ivery, Baylor
On her performance...
“I got out well but stumbled in the middle. I happy, but I am not satisfied at all. I definitely did not run my best. I was very sloppy. I put up a better time yesterday and I could have run a lot cleaner race today. I had a great reaction and got out extra clean. It’s just that the middle of the race I got a little bit sloppy and it caused me to not finish as strong as I would have liked.”
Men’s 100 meters Champion
On winning for the third straight year...
“It’s always good to defend the title. The second day is always tough coming off the first day with all the sprinting, but I won it and now I’ve got to try to do it in the 200-meter dash.”
On if he is satisfied with his time of 10.28...
“I’m just satisfied because I won and I came out healthy, so that is good enough for me.”
Men’s 100 meters Runner-Up
On finishing second...
“It felt pretty good. My goal is to try not peak now and to be ready when nationals come around.”
On if this was his best race...
“This wasn’t my best performance. I’m kind of dealing with some injuries right now and I’m just trying to make it through.”
On finishing ahead of
“My coach wanted me to try and beat
Women’s 800 meters Champion
Ashley Patton,
On runner-up Lysaira Roman-Del Valle of
“She’s been one of the best contenders I have had. We have competed against each other so much. I am just thankful she was in the field, because without her I wouldn’t know where I am since she is a great pacer.”
On her success...
“Going out there and having Trisa (Nickoley) out there with me, lining up on the line, is great. I want to give all of my success to all my training partners and my coach. They had me ready today. I am very excited. To be able to be Big 12 Champ has been a goal of mine.”
Men’s 800 meter Champion
Jonathan
On the race...
“The fast pace is the kind of pace I like. They kept up with me so it was a good race. Coach and I talked down there. I had a lot of momentum. (During the last 100 meters) I saw a shadow. My coach always told me to always keep going. I saw him and I just kept going. I knew I could hold him off.”
Men’s 800 Meters Runner-Up
On the race...
“It’s still early in the season and I am not peaking at all just yet. We are still trying to work hard during the week and then take it a little bit easy before the races. I am really happy with my time and I felt great today. The weather was perfect.”
Women’s 400 meter hurdles Champion
On breaking the record...
“It feel pretty good. I hoped and prayed for it. I wished I would have won it at 54.00 but God helped me come through and that is great. I can’t ask for much more right now. I am going to be satisfied with this win.”
On team performance...
“This can be more support and motivation for us to come out here and do good. We need to do the best that we can. It is only the good performers who push and others to do good because they also want to have this opportunity.”
Women’s 400 meter hurdles Runner-Up
Frances Keating,
On her performance and its effect on the team competition...
“I felt great from the first hurdle. Even if I hit the hurdle with the wrong leg, it didn’t matter. I tried to focus and run hard. This is amazing; this is what this meet is all about. This competition is to just do everything I can for my team. At this point no one is doing an individual game. This is where we come together and hopefully win this championship.”
Men’s Triple Jump Champion
Andrew Gamble,
On winning the event...
“It feels great. For all the adversity I’ve been through in my four years here, it feels great to finally win my senior year.”
On how satisfied he was with his jumps...
“These were the best jumps of the season. The first jump was my best and I just got in a rhythm with the first jump and everything else just flowed from there.”
Men’s 400-Meter Hurdles Champion
On winning for the second straight year...
“It feels really good to win again.
On
“Terry Beard is new this year, and he ran great. We just tried to help the team out and do what we can do to win the team championship.”
On his race strategy...
“My strategy was just to get out good on the first hurdle, stay relaxed on the back stretch and hit the 150-meter mark and just bring it home.”
Men’s 400-Meter Hurdles Runner-Up
Terry Beard,
On second in the event...
“It feels good because I came over from a junior college. Now I’m competing in Division I in the Big 12 and it is real satisfying.”
Women’s 200 Meters Champion
On having a successful meet...
“It’s been a great meet. I put my best forward but (after four events) I’m glad I am through and I am ready to cheer on my teammates.”
On winning the 200 meters...
“I am very happy with how I performed (in the 200 meters). I was able to see everybody from the lane I had today so I felt a lot better.”
On how motivating it is to win four events...
“(Winning four events) motivates me to keep working hard to get ready for (regionals and nationals) because each meet keeps getting bigger and bigger.”
Women’s 200 Meters Runner-Up
LaKadron Ivery, Baylor
On finishing second...
“I’m not really used to running it, so it feels alright. It wasn’t my best time ever, but it feels fine. I’m never satisfied to finish second, but it is alright.”
Men’s 200 Meters Champion
Tyrone
On winning the race...
“I didn’t know if I was going to be able to pull that 200 meter off because I’ve been hurt. I just stayed focused.”
On his race strategy...
“My main focus was to just focus in on lane eight and try to close the gap and then I was just going to stride in.”
On getting runners in the finals for
“That was our goal to try and get as many people in the finals as we can. Since Texas Tech has never won the Big 12, it’s important because we are making history and it is a big step.”
Women’s 5000 Meters Champion
Sara Slattery,
On the race...
“It was definitely difficult coming back from running 10k. I felt great this morning, but you don’t realize it until you get into a race what your legs really feel like. They are almost dead and rubbery during the race. I almost felt like I was running with spaghetti legs. They start to warm up as you go. The combination of the heat and running the 10k before it took a lot more out of me than I thought it would.”
On her victory...
“It is definitely one of the highlights of my career at the Big 12 Championships. I have never doubled. I have never won two races at a meet except for indoors. I cherish outdoors a bit more. It was a breakthrough and a good way to end.”
Men’s 5000 Meters Champion
Brent Vaughn,
On his performance...
“The victory was important because our team has been struggling a bit. Coach just wanted me to go out there and run for the win, not to run too fast of a time but to keep it controlled and fast enough to where it did not come down to a kick. So that is what I did.”
On the team competition...
“This is a boost because we had kind of a tough day today. We just needed a bit of a lift going into the championship season.”
Men’s Discus
On his performance...
“I felt pretty good. I talked with Coach about execution and today I felt pretty solid. It came down to a last throw situation and I just stepped up and did what I had to do. Today was great weather. Wind is always a factor. We did not have a bad wind today, but we didn’t have a great wind. Today was an even-kill day and that is just how it went. There was no advantage for anyone.”
On his recent competitions...
“This has been a big rollercoaster with ups and downs. I finished on a high note and it felt good. I didn’t think my first medal would be in the hammer. I am going to throw at regionals and see what I can do. I know I have the potential.”
Women’s 1600 Meter Relay Champion
Melaine Walker on the win...
“I knew that we had to come out here and get this victory so after the 400 hurdles I just wanted to relax, get my mind ready and run as hard as I can to do this. I went out there and did my best, it was hard but the team pushed me through. I just thank God and I am a happy person. I couldn’t ask for more than how we performed in this race. It was great.”
Men’s 1600 Meter Relay Champion
Baylor
Darold Williamson on the team win...
“It feels great. We won the last seven years and I wasn’t going to let us lose my last year here. I told the boy’s to put it out there and give me a chance to go and I will make sure we win. If I am within ten meters of anybody I will catch them and win, so I told the boy’s to put me in there, put me in the race. That is what they did. Everyone yelling for their team was motivation for me to win. You can support your team but I don’t know how much it will help as long as I am in the race. I felt I had a good race. Everyone pushed me around the track and we came out on top.”
Men’s High Jump Champion
Aaron Plas,
On the competition in the Big 12...
“The Big 12 is where it is at. There are three guys jumping 7-4 on any given day and that’s amazing. You don’t get that kind of competition in any other conference.”
On his performance...
“I felt real good. In the high jump, it always comes down to misses and luckily, I got through clean and that’s the most important part.”
On jumping at regionals...
“You would like to win at regionals and score for your team, but you’ve got to perform there because there’s going to be so many good people. You’ve got to bring it.”
Men’s High Jump Runner-Up
Kyle Lancaster,
On how the event went...
“I felt good. It was really good competition today. I would have liked to have won, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.”
On jumping at home...
“It was a lot of fun. The crowd got into it. Being close to my hometown, I had a couple of people in my fan club today, so it was a lot of fun.”
Men’s Big 12 Champion, Head Coach
Texas Tech Head Coach Wes Kittley
On the team’s first Big 12 title...
“Six hard years. It’s been phenomenal. Today was an unbelievable day for our kids. We just came roaring today. I’m just so happy for
On the team’s contribution to the title...
“Our runners and jumpers, everything today was really good. We scored everywhere and that’s what I told the kids we had to do coming into this meet. I just can’t say more for our kids, they really brought it on today.”
On having athletes who can compete in multiple events...
“Those were huge, we doubled our kids to do this. We knew those were going to be pivotal points, but we got a little bit more than what I was expecting. We were 30 points today.
On the competition in the final relay event...
“Baylor has an unbelievable relay team. We fought them hard today. We had a lot of tired kids and I’d like to run them again when we get the opportunity. They’re the best and we’re glad we were fighting with them for the championship.”
Women’s Big 12 Champion, Head Coach
Nebraska Head Coach Gary Pepin
On the victory...
“It feels really good. It’s always more fun to win both, so it takes a little bit of the edge off of it when you come really close. But, at the same time, it’s a great win for our women. We went into this year with two of our very best athletes redshirted, so we feel like our team is going to be even stronger next year.”
On how special the team is...
“We’ve had a lot of good teams, so I don’t necessarily know that this is a real unusual team. It’s a great group of young women and we are very proud of them.”
On where this season ranks...
“When you have been in it as long as I have been, we’ve fortunately had a lot of really good seasons, so this is a real good one. But, we’ve had some other great teams and we are real proud of them.”
