Southern Passion Propels Texas Relays to the Top

So, uh, any good track meets this week?

For maybe someone new to the sport that’s a new question. For experienced track fans and maybe 40,000 Texas residents, the answer is becoming increasingly obvious as Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays hype builds to a fever pitch.

Texas Relays commands so much attention for many reasons, and several of the most important ones have little to do with track per se.

The 84th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays will kick off Wednesday, but the first high school event is not until Friday.

With all due respect, we don’t need lipping off to know the truth: The southern-based relay event which features high school, college and professional athletes is better than any other meet in the Midwest, West Coast or East Coast parts of the United States.

As a cultural event, Texas Relays has become an informal holiday. A community where friends meet up discussing when they ran at the meet or this years hottest teams. It’s become a right of passage for athletes and a cultural/social event for spectators.

Canny marketers help keep the meet viable even during the worst economic downturn of the last 100 years. The city of Austin is a big winner selling out rooms within a 20 mile radius and restaurant/night clubs are flush with paying clients.

Five reasons Texas Relays Is Tops:

Reason #5: Picking Early Favorites For the 2011 Season
Who are the top 10 early favorites to win at NCAA Outdoor Championships in June? Look no further than performances in Austin from a new legion of young guns to some ripe veterans to find out who will make this a year to remember. Winning at Texas Relays is a good start!

Reason #4: Looking For The Next Superstar

High schools converge on Austin to compete on the same track as Tyson Gay, Marshevet Myers, and Jeremy Wariner. Spectators, coaches, fans, and media -types get a chance to see some of the best talent in the county perform in a highly competitive environment.

Reason #3: Winter Is Over

Texas Relays signifies that the outdoor season is in full force. Temperatures typically hover in the high 80s this time of year in Austin, creating an ideal environment for fast times.

Many top tier West Coast schools such as Washington State led by Jeshua Anderson escape overcast skies to run in the warm weather.

Reason #2: Go Big Or Go Home

It’s where contenders and pretenders are separated.

The presence of the top five U.S. Track & Field and Cross County Coaches Association ranked men’s teams including Florida, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Florida State, and LSU makes the competition unparalleled.

Four of the top five U.S. Track & Field and Cross County Coaches Association women’s ranked teams including Texas A&M, LSU, Oklahoma, and USC will also compete in Austin.

Reason #1: Cultural Event

Texas Relays crosses boundaries into a cultural event with accompanying night life parties attracting celebrities such as former Longhorn Vince Young, concerts, and other related activities.

Where else can track boast this sort of existence? Not Eugene. Not Philadelphia. Not New York. Or Los Angeles.

Two of Incoming Longhorns named Gatorade Female T & F State Athletes of the Year

A’Lexus Brannon (Beaumont, Texas) and Briana Nelson (Greenville, S.C.) pick up national awards and join the Horns in 2010.

AUSTIN, Texas – Incoming freshmen A’Lexus Brannon (Beaumont, Texas) and Briana Nelson (Greenville, S.C.) have been named the Gatorade Female Track and Field Athlete of the Year for their respective states for the 2009-10 season.

Brannon, a triple and long jumper who also runs the 100m hurdles, had a dominant senior year at Beaumont Ozen High School as she swept the two jumping events at the Texas Relays, the Texas Class 4A State Championship and most recently at the New Balance Nationals.  Brannon also currently holds the top high school girls triple jump mark in the nation (42-0.75).

Nelson, a 400m sprinter out of South Carolina, most recently claimed her first national title after winning the quarter mile at the New Balance Nationals in 53.14. At the 2010 South Carolina High School AAA Championships, Nelson swept the 100m, 200m and 400m titles. She also held the top 200m and 400m times in South Carolina throughout the 2010 season.

Both Nelson and Brannon will join the Longhorns squad this coming fall.

Destinee Hooker to forgo final year of track and field eligibility

Press Release Courtesy: University of Texas Athletics

Four-time National Champion will play professional volleyball.

AUSTIN, Texas – University of Texas All-American high jumper Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) has elected to forgo her final season of track and field eligibility to pursue a professional volleyball career.

Hooker, a two-sport All-American on the Forty Acres, leaves Texas as one of the most decorated athletes in Longhorn history. On the track, Hooker claimed four individual national titles, six All-America honors and six individual Big 12 titles. She also set school and NCAA records in the indoor high jump (6-6, 1.98m) and tied the UT outdoor high jump record (6-4.75/1.95m).

“We’re very happy for Destinee and wish her all the best in her career,” University of Texas Women’s Track and Field head coach Beverly Kearney said. “We’re going to miss her, not only for the points she scored, but for the leadership and maturity she brought to the team. We’re so happy for her and all the great performances she has had at Texas, but this is so much more for her.”

Hooker, the 2008-09 Big 12 Female Athlete of the Year, also led the Texas Volleyball team to back-to-back NCAA Championship Semifinals appearances, including a trip to this year’s NCAA Championship match against Penn State. On the court, Hooker was a three-time AVCA All-American, four-time All-Big 12 First Team selection, the 2009 Big 12 Player of the Year and two-time Honda Award finalist.

“We are very excited for Destinee,” University of Texas Volleyball head coach Jerritt Elliott said. “She had a tremendous four years here, learning the game and growing as a player. Now she is able to take the next step in an incredible volleyball community. I know she will continue to improve and I’m excited about the possibility of her competing for a U.S. roster spot for the 2012 Olympics.”