Big 12 Preview: Men

TEXAS A&M FAREWELL

Disclaimer: This preview and all other future stories will no longer cover every single event. Only events of note.


The Big 12 conference again is losing more members to a different conference after this season. Texas A&M University and the University of Missouri will be moving on to the SEC. Texas A&M has historically been one of the conference's best programs, recently they have been at a phenomenal level winning three straight outdoor titles. The University of Missouri has been a nationally recognized middle distance program. The Big 12 will gain TCU and West Virginia but the lost of Texas A&M is a heavy blow. This season A&M looks to rebuild after the losses of a phenomenal senior class all while winning another national and conference title.


The Big 12 sprints as always looks to be a barn burner. With a solid core of great sprinting programs that develop national champions and All-Americans this is a stiff competition. Senior Woodrow Randall of Baylor made a name of for himself after transferring from Southwest Mississippi Community College. Running the 3rd leg of Baylor's All-American 4x100 relay he was often a standout. Talented sophomore Prezel Hardy of Texas A&M looks to be the top challenger to Randall after having a sensational freshman season.

The 60 meter hurdles is an event were A&M has strongly increased the presence. Larry Wade an NCAA Champion for A&M in the Aggies was the last great hurdler. Vince Anderson sought to change that upon arrival and recruited the high school record holder out of North Carolina in Wayne Davis. Davis had an All-American season last year.

Keiron Stewart of Texas is the defending champion in the event however. Stewart claimed the crown last season clocking in at 7.60. Stewart a talented sprint hurdler from Jamaica cannot solely rely on his speed this season, defeating Davis technique wise is of the utmost importance. Anderson is better coach than any hurdle coach on the University of Texas's staff. He will have Davis ready to compete for a conference and national title.

In the long sprint Texas A&M has taken the 400 meter crown away from Baylor and Texas Tech has also become a threat to become a the top power in the event. There are a lot questions in this event this year with the graduation of A&M's Demetrius Pinder and Tabarie Henry. Baylor has the answer with Zwede Hewitt. Hewitt is the top returning 400 meter runner and has a decent distance between him and the next 400 meter runner.

The jumping events took a universal hit with the loss of Nebraska. The Cornhuskers was the conference most consistent jumping program. The University of Texas has stepped forward to take over the top spot. With returning champion Marquise Goodwin in the long jump and top triple jump returnee in sophomore Mark Jackson.

The High Jump is an area the Cornhuskers scored big last season with 3 athletes in the top 10. However, Eric Kynard of Kansas State was still the best high jumper in the conference and the nation last season. Kynard also has international experience after making Team USA to compete at the IAAF World Championship the past summer. Kynard is future star for Team USA in this event.

In the shot put Junior Mason Finley of Kansas is the main star of note for the throwers. Finley returns at the outdoor conference champion in the shot put as well as All-American. Finley will find a strong challenge from fellow junior Hayden Baillio of Texas.

Oklahoma and Oklahoma State has steadily climbed to the top of the conference in distance running. Colorado's distance dominance had been challenged recently like it never had before. Now the Buffalo's compete for the Pac-12 leaving the distance events to Oklahoma State and Oklahoma to dominate.

The Oklahoma State Cowboys has the most depth in distance racing after having a team of 90% distance runners. The 800 however is not an event that Cowboys have dominated. Texas A&M in recent seasons has stepped to produce some distance runners and have done a even better job with middle distance runners especially in the 800. Returning champion senior Joey Roberts of A&M made some dramatic improvements in the event and will look to defend his title. Roberts has 47 second speed and will look to lower his 1:48 best in thee 800 to possibly 1:47 or 1:46. His teammate Michael Preble took the outdoor 800 and may be the better runner at the end of the season.

In the 1,500 and 3,000 meter races Oklahoma State will look to former NCAA Champion German Fernandez, defending 3,000 meter champion Thomas Farrell, Kuribel Erassa and Shane Moscowitz to lead the way. The Cowboys can go 1-2-3 in either event with their quality core group of runners.

Kevin Schwab and Joe Bosshard of Oklahoma will look to represent for a solid group of Sooner runners in the 5,000. Schwab the defending champion is a heavy favorite to win the event, his teammate Bosshard is the defending champion of the 10,000 outdoors and will be a difficult challenge for Schwab to defeat.


TEAM CHAMPION: TEXAS A&M

Although Texas A&M lost a lot to graduation they did a great job of collecting quality high school recruits and the top Junior College talent. A&M is nationally in a rebuild mode but have enough returning to lead them to victory.