University of Houston
Conference USA Championships
Cougars Capture Third Consecutive Conference USA Title
5/16/2011 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
May 16, 2011
Results | PDF | Houston Results from Sunday|
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HOUSTON - The University of Houston men's track and field team won their third consecutive Conference USA Outdoor Championship Sunday night. Errol Nolan led the Cougars in points as the sophomore sprinter captured the Performance of the Meet award.
The women finished third and set a school record in the 4x100m. Tai'shea Reese, Whitney Harris, Kalyn Floyd and Grecia Bolton lowered the program's time in the event from last year's mark to 43.54.
"These guys are an amazing group of people," said head coach Leroy Burrell. "We're very fortunate and blessed to have these student-athletes here that have set such a high standard. We have to keep fighting, keep pushing each other. I'm very proud."
Burrell was named the Men's Outdoor Coach of the Year for the sixth time.
MEN
Nolan took first in the 200m (20.86) and defended his 400m title, setting a new personal best time of 45.54. Nolan was trailing by several meters as he began the final curve but he closed the gap and pulled away from the competition with a strong final 100m.
Nolan ran the lead leg on the 4x400m that finished fourth to contribute over 20 points to the Cougars efforts.
"Carter is Mr. Cougar (University of Houston Male Athlete of the Year) as we have been calling him around the team," said Nolan. "I wanted to beat him in points this time. I asked Coach Burrell if I could do the 4x4 so I could get him. We're a real competitive team but we all love each other."
Carter won his third consecutive outdoor triple jump with his 15.85m/52-0 leap. With his win in the long jump on Saturday, and his sweep of the same two events during C-USA Indoor season, he becomes just the third jumper in the history of conference to take all four horizontal jumping titles in a single year (Darius Pemberton, Houston 1997; Michael Hanay, UTEP 2006).
Houston finished 1-3-4-6 in the triple jump as Thomas Lang (15.55m/51-0.25*), Lamar Delaney (15.52m/5011*) and Malcolm Howard (14.25m/46-9*) all PRed on their way to score 24 points for the Cougars.
Lang scored 19 points alone for the Cougars. The junior set personal bests in all three events as he finished as the runner up in the 110m hurdles (14.29*). third in triple jump (15.55m/51-0.25*) and fourth in the long jump (7.35m/24-1.5*).
Tyron Carrier (10.63) ran his best race of the year to finish second in the 100m, just 0.01 away from a personal best. Jeffery Thomas (10.76*) did set a career top mark as he scored points in seventh place.
Carrier (20.86) also took third in the 200m.
Leon Bullock (14.33*) and Kevin Johnson (14.78*) all set personal bests in the 110m hurdles as they combined with Lang 2-3-and-7th place.
Jason Perez was unable to capture his fourth-consecutive 400m hurdle title but did finish as the runner up in the event. Emmanuel Osadebey (54.64) and Leon Bullock (54.64) also placed 7th and 8th scoring points for Houston.
WOMEN
The women took third place, scoring 87 points. It was the women's best finish since 2007 where they also finished third at Rice University. UCF took the team title.
Along with being on the school record setting and second place finishing 4x100m team, Whitney Harris took second in the 200m (23.44), third in the 100m (11.43*) , and was a member on the 4x400m relay team who placed second. She contributed 19 points to the Cougars efforts.
The other 4x400m (3:38.68) relay members were Brittany Wallace, Ciera Johnson and Clarissa Payton.
Johnson took third in the 800m (2:09.57).
Karley King (3.90m/12-9.5) was the runner up in the high jump and Sage Hintnaus (3.45m/11-3.5) took fifth.
UP NEXT
Qualified student-athletes will head to Eugene, Ore. for NCAA Western Regional May 27-28. A full release will announce the field as it becomes available.
NOTES
-This is the third year in a row Houston has won the C-USA Outdoor Championships.
-Houston swept the C-USA Championships for the third year in a row, and the 7th time in conference history (2011, 2010, 2009, 2005, 2000, 1999, 1998)
-Errol Nolan was the first Cougar to be named Performance of the Meet since the award was started in 2007.
-Coach Burrell was named Men's Outdoor Coach of the Year sixth time. He has also been named the Men's Indoor (11), Women's Outdoor (4), Women's Indoor (3) titles.
-This was the fourth C-USA title for the Cougars this year (Men's Indoor Track, Women's Basketball, Softball). The most for Houston since 2005.
Players Mentioned
