Just one week after participating in theNCAA Indoor Track and Field NationalChampionships in Arkansas, the team beganthe outdoor portion of its schedule byhosting the second annual Horned Frog InvitationalMarch 21.The Frogs posted 10 NCAA regional qualifyingmarks during the event, which featuredcompetitors from UT-Arlington andthe University of North Texas.Three of the qualifying marks came duringthe men’s 100-meter dash. Junior OtisCandis Kelley, left, took thetitle Mountain West ConferenceChampion in shot put.Right, sprinter Che Chavez wasnamed an All-American at theIndoor Championships in March.Junior Odis McDonald who finished second inthe Billy Wessels event with a time of 10.49 seconds, junior Andon Mitchell, who finished thirdat 10.5 seconds and junior Justyn Warner,who finished closely behind Mitchell with atime of 10.53, all earned spots in the NCAAregional.”Anytime you have three kids hit NCAA regionalmarks in an event it is a solid day,”head track and field coach Darryl Andersonsaid in an interview on www.gofrogs.comafter the event. “I thought all three of themran well.”
Senior sprinter Che Chavez,who earned All-Americanhonors at the NCAA IndoorChampionships, earned hisregional qualifying mark byfinishing second in the 400-meter dash with a time of46.8 seconds.In the 200-meter dash,freshman Mychal Dungey finished secondwith a time of 20.85 to get his regionalqualifying spot.The men’s 4×100-meter relay team, whichconsists of Mitchell, McDaniel, Warnerand Dungey, also won a spot in theNCAA regionals by finishing with a timeof 39.99 seconds.The women’s side of the Flyin’ Frogs will sendjunior Kishelle Paul, who finished the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.76 seconds.
The women’s 4×100-meter relay team,which includes Paul, sophomore BrittanyBlaylock, junior Jessica Clarke and seniorVirgil Hodge, also posted a qualifying markof 45.05 seconds.The Flyin’ Frogs earned a total of 14 firstplacefinishes during the event.Off the track and onto the field, sophomoreTommy Killen posted a regional qualifyingmark in the discus by throwing a total of179 feet, 2 inches.For the women, junior Candis Kelley, whowas the Mountain West Conference IndoorChampion in shot put, won the shot putevent and earned a spot in the NCAA regionalqualifiers by recording a throw of 48feet, 4.5 inches.”We got some things done today on thetrack and all of it will come together as
our work ethic improves Monday throughThursday,” Anderson said after the meet. “Ifour work ethic improves then our Saturdaysare going to be a lot easier.”The team will finish March by competingin the UT-Arlington/Bobby Lane ArlingtonInvitational.TCU will also host two more events this season,setting a school record of three eventshosted in a semester.The TCU Invitational will be April 18-19and the Mountain West Conference OutdoorChampionships May 14-17, both atthe Lowdon Track and Field Complex.