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For
Immediate Release: February 4, 2001 Ben
Leads UT Pan American at Texas Tech Open Track and Field Meet Sunday LUBBOCK,
TEXAS – Rashaad Ben was one of two Broncs to set school records and
a total of eight Broncs placed in the top five in their respective
events as the University of Texas-Pan American had it’s strongest
performance of the season at the Texas Tech Open Indoor Track and Field
Meet on Sunday. Ben, a
freshman from Austin, smashed the school record in the 55-meter hurdles
with a time of 7.57. The
time earned him first place in the meet by just two one-hundredths of a
second over 2000 Olympic Trials competitor Trafton Rodgers.
Ben was running in just his second ever indoor hurdles meet.
Both Melvin Brook and Nick Montanez held the old UTPA record of
7.84. The time was just 1.8
tenths of a second off the NCAA Provisional Qualifying Standard. “This is
only the second time that Rashaad Ben has ever run the hurdles
indoors,” said Head Coach Dan Laufer.
“Getting so close to qualifying for nationals would be amazing
for anyone except Rashaad. He
is truly a rarity. He is as
physically gifted as anyone I have ever seen.
He also works as hard or harder than anyone on the team.
He will play a big in making us competitive at the national
level.” Robert
Lopez crushed the previous school record for the indoor weight throw
with a toss of 48-4 to place fifth.
The previous record of 41-9 was set by Gonzalo Gonzalez during
the 1998 season. Isaac Ybarra took eighth in the weight throw with a 40-9 ¾,
while J.C. Crosby took 11th with a 35-3 ¼. Martin Longoria finished fifth in the 600-yard dash in
1:15.37. Valerie
Summa, a freshman from Smithville, Mo., took second in the high jump
with a height of 5-5 ¼, just off her school record of 5-5 ¾ she set
last week. Freshman
Christian Cabello took fifth in the high jump with a height of 4-11.
Freshman Amy Moses, throwing in her first meet as a Bronc, had a
distance of 43-3 in the weight throw, good for fourth place.
April Hipolito took fifth in the women’s 800 meter with a time
of 2:28.43. Rachel Drury took fifth in the pole vault with a height of
8-6 ¼. In the women’s
triple jump the Broncs had three athletes place with Lovie Mathis taking
fifth with a 34-5 ½, Valerie Summa taking sixth with a 34-3 ½ and
Christian Cabello taking seventh with a 33-6 ¾. “I am
very proud of the team,” said Laufer.
“I am fortunate to be surrounded by some very special people.
As well as we are doing, I cannot sense any satisfaction.
As long as we can continue to maintain our intensity and focus,
the best is still yet to come.” The Broncs and Lady Broncs will return to action in one week at the Run-Sport Open in Houston on February 10th. |