Red Raiders Clean Up Regional Awards

NEW ORLEANS – The Texas Tech track and field team garnered five overall U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Mountain Region awards, the organization announced Thursday afternoon.

Wes Kittley earned Men’s Head Coach of the Year, while Calvin Robinson earned the Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year nod. Courtney Lindsey, the NCAA 100m champion, was named the Men’s Track Athlete of the Year as Zach Bradford was dubbed the Men’s Field Athlete of the Year.

Ruta Lasmane represented the women’s team earning the region’s Field Athlete of the Year.

Kittley wrapped up his 24th season leading the Red Raiders with another top-10 showing at the NCAA Outdoor Championships as Tech finished sixth scoring 34.5 points. Three of his Red Raiders finished inside the top-5 of their respective events, led by Lindsey winning the 100m and finishing second in the 200m. Under Kittley, the men’s have finished inside the top-10 seven times. Last month at the Big 12 Championships, the men’s side claimed the title with a conference record 179 points, crowing eight champions, including a 4×100 relay team. The Red Raiders were ranked No. 2 six times during the outdoor campaign, reaching as high as No. 1 and were the only Big 12 team to finish in the top-10 last week.

In his eighth season, sprints, hurdles and relays coach Robinson has turned Texas Tech into one of the premier sprints schools in the nation. His group accounted for 29 of TTU’s 34.5 points at the NCAA Championships, highlighted by Lindsey winning the 100m title and finishing runner-up in the 200m. On top of that, Terrence Jones finished third in the 200m, while Caleb Dean finished fourth in the 400 hurdles. At the Big 12 outdoor meet, his group accounted for 100 of Tech’s 179 points with four individuals and a 4×100 relay team taking home the top title.

Lindsey captivated the Austin crowd last weekend claiming the 100m title with a personal best and collegiate leading run of 9.89 (+1.8), which is tied for third in the world, fourth-fastest all-time in NCAA history and No. 2 in TTU history. Then less than one hour later, he posted a 19.86 (+0.09) in the 100m to finish second. That time is currently No. 4 in the world and was the 10th-fastest time in NCAA history, while going down as the No. 3 mark in Tech history. At the Big 12 meet alone, Lindsey doubled in the 100m/200m and helped Tech win the 4×100 title as he went on to claim the High Point Award (22.5 points).

Bradford finished tied for third in the pole vault at the NCAA Outdoor Championships at 5.60m (18-4 ½). He won his fifth-straight overall the Big 12 pole vault title with a personal best, facility and Tech record 5.87m (19-3) – No. 7 in the world currently. Bradford ends his first and only season with TTU securing nine of the top-10 outdoor marks.

Lasmane led the women’s triple jump group finishing third at the NCAA Championships with a leap of 14.21m (46-7 ½) (+2.6). She bounded over 14 meters on three of her five attempts. At the Big 12 meet, Lasmane finished second with a mark of 13.63m (44-8 ¾) (+0.2). Lasmane has earned three-straight First Team All-American honors outdoors in the triple jump placing in the top-5 each outing with a pair of third place finishes (2019 and 2023.)

–TECH–

Release provided by Chris Duarte Texas Tech Athletics