News Summary
The Texas Tech men’s track and field team showcased their talent at the NCAA West First Round Championships, securing multiple qualifications for the national meet. Oscar Rodriguez earned a spot with a personal best in the discus throw, while several sprinters, including Desean Boyce and Shaemar Uter, qualified in the 400 meters. The team also excelled in the relay events, building momentum after recently sweeping the Big 12 outdoor championships. Under Coach Wes Kittley, the Red Raiders are poised for further success as they head into the national competition.
Bryan-College Station, Texas – The Texas Tech men’s track and field team had an impressive showing at the NCAA West First Round Championships, held on Friday, May 30, 2025, at E.B. Cushing Stadium. Multiple athletes secured their places at the upcoming national meet, highlighting a strong performance by the Red Raiders.
Oscar Rodriguez kicked off the day for Texas Tech, earning a trip to the national competition with a personal best throw of 59.62 meters (195 feet 7 inches) in the men’s discus event. This throw was crucial for solidifying his eligibility for the national stage.
In the individual sprints, the team excelled, as five athletes qualified for nationals. Desean Boyce and Shaemar Uter dominated the 400 meters, finishing first and second with times of 45.54 seconds and 45.61 seconds, respectively. Both secured automatic qualifying spots for the national meet. Oskar Edlund, competing in the 400-meter hurdles, also earned an automatic qualification — he finished second in his heat with a time of 49.44 seconds. Meanwhile, Mario Paul recorded the fastest non-automatic qualifying time of 49.66 seconds, demonstrating strong potential for future competitions.
In the 100-meter sprint, Malachi Snow shone brightly, qualifying for nationals with an impressive time of 10.04 seconds. Freshman Titus Kimaru also put forth a noteworthy performance in the steeplechase; his time of 8:36.83 ranks second in Texas Tech history, sealing his qualification for the upcoming national event.
Another highlight of the day included Ernest Cheruiyot’s performance in the 5,000 meters, where he finished 12th overall with a time of 13:34.88, earning the final automatic qualifying time and marking the performance as the fourth-best in Texas Tech’s history.
The Texas Tech men’s team capped off the day with a strong finish in the 4×400 relay. The team, which included Johnathan Crawford, Desean Boyce, Oskar Edlund, and Shaemar Uter, achieved a season-best time of 3:02.37, securing an automatic qualifying spot and ranking fifth in Texas Tech history.
The Texas Tech women’s track and field team is set to compete on Saturday, May 31, 2025, beginning with the discus throw at approximately 2:00 p.m. The anticipation for their performance runs high after the recent successes of both teams.
Recently, the Texas Tech track and field teams swept the Big 12 outdoor championships, with the men’s team scoring 136 points and the women’s team following closely with 127 points. These achievements illustrate the strength and depth of talent within the program.
Head coach Wes Kittley was recognized for his leadership by being honored as the Big 12 Coach of the Year for both men’s and women’s teams, marking his 11th time receiving this accolade. Under his direction, the women’s team currently holds the No. 3 position in the USTFCCCA rankings, which stands as their highest rank of the season. Meanwhile, the men’s team maintains a solid No. 11 ranking as the season progresses.
With momentum on their side from both conference championships and individual achievements at the NCAA West First Round Championships, the Texas Tech men’s track and field team is poised for success as they prepare for the national meet in the coming weeks.
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Additional Resources
- Texas Tech Official Athletics Site
- Wikipedia: Texas Tech University
- Lubbock Online
- Google Search: March Madness Bracketology
- Mercury News
- Google Scholar: NCAA Sweet 16
- Beaumont Enterprise
- Encyclopedia Britannica: NCAA
- USA Today
- Google News: March Madness Predictions
