Last week when he filled out the entry forms for the Texas Relays, Wayland Baptist track and field coach Brian Whitlock saw that the Men's Distance Medley Race was for university entries only, but he decided to try and enter his foursome anyway. The WBU entry was accepted, and after Saturday's race, Whitlock's Pioneers proved that they absolutely belonged in the race. The foursome of Kirby Dunn, Andre Hamilton, Hildon Boen and Kennedy Kithuka ran a school-record 9:44.51 in the relay, finishing just behind the University of Texas for second place. The Pioneers crossed the finish line in front of UCLA, Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor and LSU to name a few.

"The guys ran a phenomenal race against some big-time competition," said Whitlock. "I thought going in that we might surprise some people, and I think we definitely did that."

One other school record was also established during the prestigious Relays. Kithuka, a freshman, came back from running the anchor leg on the record-breaking DMR to run a 4:09.37 in the Jerry Thompson Invitational One Mile Run. The previous mark of 4:11.24 was set just last year in the same race by Kirby Dunn.

Kithuka wasn't the only WBU individual to turn in an automatic qualifying performance in Austin. Senior Kydia Echols posted a NAIA qualifying standard of 2:15.51 in the 800-meters, and Myrun Roundtree, a freshman, recorded a jump of 14.64 meters (48-00.5) in the triple jump.

The 4x100-meter relay teams for the both the Pioneer men and women reached qualifying standards, although the women's team of Leandria Lee, Kimberly Smith, Bianca Grant and Keliesha Ross ran a better time on Thursday in Abilene at the McMurry Relays. The men's team of Lee Prevost, Caleb McLean, Jerry-Lee Davis, and Roundtree placed third in the college division, running a qualifying time of 41.22.

The other qualifying relay was the women's 4x800 team. Echols, Villegas, Jennifer Secrest and Elva Pedroza finished ninth in the 4x800-meter relay with an automatic time of 9:28.45.

Both the men's and women's Sprint Medley Relays also turned in impressive performances. The men's team of Lee Prevost, Jerry-Lee Davis, Caleb McLean and Dunn finished second in the college division with a time of 3:20.98. Smith, Lee, Ross and Echols ran a 4:00.05 in the university/college division and finished in fifth place. Neither medley relay event is run at the NAIA Championships.

A provisional qualifying time was also turned in at Austin. Villegas, a freshman, met the "B" standard in the 800-meters with a time of 2:17.00.

A portion of the Pioneer teams stopped off in Abilene on their way to Austin to compete at the McMurry Relays on Thursday.

Among that group were the women's sprinters. Smith, Grant and Lee each turned in qualifying times in the 100-meters, while Ross met the standard in the 200. Smith finished the 100-meters in first place with a time of 11.58, Grant was third with a 12.06, and Lee was fourth at 12.14. Ross ran an "A" standard time of 25.12 in the 200-meters to cross the finish line in fourth place. Lee met the provisional standard with a time of 25.22.

Those four young women also won the 4x100-meter relay in an automatic qualifying time of 46.88, and Grant took home the gold in the long jump with a mark of 6.06 meters or 19-10.75.

On the men's side, Davis came in fourth in the 200-meters with a time of 21.53, Roundtree won the long jump with an automatic mark of 7.74 meters (25-4.75), and Brandon Mansfield captured first place honors in the hammer with a throw of 55.27 meters (181-4).

The men's 4x100-meter relay team also reached an automatic qualifying standard with their first place finish, although they bettered their time of 41.47 two day's later in the state capitol.

Texas Relays - Results

Women's 4x8 Relay
  9. Echols, Villegas, Secrest, Pedroza 9:28.45 (automatic standard)

Women's 800 Meters
  9. Kydia Echols     2:15.51 (automatic standard)
12. Milca Villegas     2:17.00 (provisional standard)
17. Jennifer Secrest     2:21.40

Women's 4x100 Relay (prelim)
Lee, Smith, Grant, Ross     47.23 (automatic standard)

Women's 100 Meters (prelim)
Kimberly Smith     11.68 (automatic standard)
Bianca Grant     12.39
Keliesha Ross     12.50

Women's Sprint Medley Relay
  5. Smith, Lee, Ross, Echols     4:00.05

Men's 100 Meters (prelim)
Myrun Roundtree     10.93
Lee Prevost     11.26

Men's Sprint Medley Relay
  2. Prevost, Davis, McLean, Dunn     3:20.98

Men's 4x100 Relay (college)
  3. Prevost, McLean, Davis, Roundtree     41.22 (automatic standard)

Men's Distance Medley Relay (university)
  2. Dunn, Hamilton, Boen, Kithuka     9:44.51

Jerry Thompson One Mile Invitational Run
  6. Kennedy Kithuka     4:09.37 (automatic standard)

Men's Triple Jump
11. Myrun Roundtree     14.64m (48-00.50) (automatic standard)