The Colonels men’s outdoor track and field team hopes to capture the Texas Relays this weekend in Austin, Texas.
The Colonels are excited to take part in the nationally known Texas Relays, which will feature more than 100 schools. They also said the experience will be beneficial to the team.
“The best thing is our guys will get to see the people who are literally the best in the country. Maybe they won’t run exactly against them in the same heat, but they will see them run if they are in the next heat,” Matt Pantusa, head track coach, said.
“But they will be on the same track and warming up at the same time. If they do want to talk to them, they could see how their teams work.”
The events the Colonels will compete in are the 4X400-meter run and 400-meter hurdles this weekend.
The 4X400 meter relay team consisting of senior Troy Alvarado and sophomores Tyson Brown, Cruz Adderley and Corey Chaisson hope to leave the Texas Relays with the school record in the event. The school record for the 4X400 is three minutes and 14 seconds.
“The Texas Relays is one of the biggest races in the south. I believe that we have to stick to the workout we have been doing, and I believe the school record will be gone after this week,” Brown said.
After being disqualified in the UNO Invitational for handing off in the wrong zone, the 4X400 meter team plans not to make the same mistake.
“Getting disqualified was more of a mental thing. We just have to prepare and be more focused,” Chaisson said.
According to Brown, there are more strategies the 4X400 meter team needs to work on.
“The main thing we need to work on is finishing up the last hundred meters, coming up the curve real strong and finishing up real strong,” Brown said.
Pantusa said he hopes the 4X400 team will qualify for the NCAA regional meet in Columbus, Ohio May 30 and 31.
“Time wise, I am looking for something around three minutes and 10 seconds or three minutes and 12 seconds. In order to qualify for the NCAA regionals, they will have to finish with 3 minutes and 10 seconds,” Pantusa said.
In the men’s 400-meter hurdles, Pantusa is hoping Alvarado accomplishes his personal best.
Alvarado’s personal best this season was a 56.13 at the UNO Invitational March 15.
“I am hoping Troy gets down to 53 seconds because that will be his personal best,” Pantusa said.
Despite not competing in the Texas Relays, senior Farren Clark and junior Milton Cayette hope to train themselves for their individual events at the Pelican Relays April 11-12.
Clark, whose 1:53.98 time at the UNO Invitational is the third best in the conference, hopes to qualify for the NCAA regional.
“Basically, I want to take it step-by-step so I can qualify for regionals. The qualifying time is 1:51.15, and that is my goal so far,” Clark said.
Cayette, whose personal best in the discus is 141 feet, hopes to break the school record. Cayette’s toss of 141 feet currently is the seventh best in the Southland Conference.
“I hope to beat that and soon break the school record, which is 154 feet. Hopefully, I will break that before the end of the year in the discus,” Cayette said.
Although shot put is not his favorite event, Cayette still hopes to place in the event.
“I just hope to place and score some points for the team so we can do better than last years team,” Cayette said.
The Colonels will be without senior decathlete Andras Farkas due to an injury to his hamstring. Pantusa said he hopes Farkas will be ready for the University of Southern Mississippi Invitational April 19.
“He is still getting treatment, and hopefully he will be able to compete at USM. It was pretty bad as far as the pull on his leg,” Pantusa said.
“It moved its way down to the insertion of the muscle, which is in the back of the knee. So it is more like the back of his knee is hurting. The sooner we get him back, the better it is.”