Feb. 28, 1998

AMES, Iowa ~ The Texas Tech track and field teams concluded competition Saturday at the 1998 Big 12 Indoor Championships at Iowa State Univ. in Ames, Iowa. Held at the Lied Recreational Facility, Nebraska claimed the men's team title and Texas earned the women's championship at the two-day meet. The Red Raiders return with an 11th place women's performance and tied for ninth with Kansas on the men's side.

Junior transfer Evette Turner returns as Tech's lone Big 12 conference champion. Turner clocked a time of 4:45.72 in the mile for first place, setting a new Big 12 meet record and qualifying provisionally for the NCAA championships in March. Her time also moves her into second on the Tech all-time list.

In the triple jump, junior Kaneshia Polk advanced to the final round Saturday, placing 6th at the meet. Her leap of 40 feet, five inches marked a new season best and career best. Teammate Crystal Harlan also put forth a strong performance, leaping 5-7 in the high jump to tie at fifth. Harlan has already qualified provisionally for the national meet. Also on the women's side, sophomore Dawn Charlier crossed the line in fifth place in the 1000 meters, with a time of 2:52.93, and the distance medley relay team took fourth.

The men's 4x400 relay team had a strong finish at the meet, with a third place finish in an NCAA provisional time of 3:07.53. Composed of Scott Jesko, Desmond Johnson, Shameron Turner and Rohan McDonald, the squad recorded the fastest time of the season, and less than two seconds shy of the Tech record. The unit was also just three seconds behind champion Baylor. Junior Michael Njenga, who took second Friday in the 5,000 meters, also earned a second place showing in the 3,000. Njenga qualified provisionally for the NCAA meet with a time of 8:06.16 in the event. In the men's 400 meters, Tech took two of the top five spots. Rohan McDonald placed third with a time of 46.49, a new season best and a new Texas Tech record as well as an NCAA provisional mark. Desmond Johnson also qualified provisionally with a time of 46.87 in the 400 final. The NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships will run March 13-14 at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Red Raiders will compete in a last chance meet next weekend, either at LSU or Arkansas, to make one final attempt at earning a bid to the national meet.