Talley Sets School/Conference Records On Day One

Green Gang Blogging From Murfreesboro

MURFREESBORO, Tennessee (2/28/10) - North Texas Track & Field achieved something it has never done before when the men's team finished second at the Sun Belt Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships Sunday.

The second place spot came down to the last race of the meet, the 4 by 400 meter relay. 

Starting the race down one point from second, the Mean Green relay team of Montrell Pyron, Russell Sams, Reggie Hayter and Keyth Talley knew all they had to do was beat Louisiana-Lafayette to lock-up second place.

The foursome didn't jump out in front until Sams handed Hayter the baton.  By the end of Hayter's 400 meter leg, the competition wasn't close. The team finished in 3:16.28.

Junior Jordan Wehr, who had the highest score in the conference heading into the meet, took the men's heptathlon by 231 points with a total of 5,075.

After setting two conference and school records in the preliminaries of his sprint events Saturday, Talley continued his dominant ways in the 55-meter and 200-meter dashes. 

Talley, named the Sun Belt Indoor Track's most outstanding male track athlete, took first in the 55-meter dash, clocking in at 6.24 seconds, .004 seconds in front of ULM's Luther Ambrose. Teammate Justin Anderson came in third a mere tenth of a second off Talley's time with a 6.34.

The 200-meter was no where near as close as the sophomore sensation posted a 21.02 second time.

The 55-meter dash on the women's side saw Missy Barnes set the school-record with a time of 6.96 seconds.  Brittany Blaylock registered second (7.01) while Brittani Simmons (7.02) tallied a third place finish to round out the medal sweep for the Mean Green.

The women's 200-meter saw two North Texas athletes in the top three as Alysha Adams took first in 24.01 seconds, followed by Blaylock in third in 24.13.

Adams continued her winning ways when she took to the track for the 55-hurdles.  The junior narrowly missed setting a school record time when she finished in 7.77 seconds.

The 4 x 400 relay capped the women's events and the Mean Green foursome of Adams, Simmons, Monica Dunn and Rashunda Pierson made sure North Texas finished in style, capturing the gold medal in 3:53.23.

All-in-all, the Mean Green wrapped up seven first place finishes, 16 All-Sun Belt Conference finishers and the highest indoor finish in school history (second).

North Texas will await NCAA selections for its athletes that have hit provisional marks for the NCAA Indoor Championships that will take place March 12-13 in Fayetteville, Ark.

All-Sun Belt Conference Members

Keyth Talley-
First in 55-meter dash
First in 200-meter dash
First in 4x400 relay

Alysha Adams-
First in 200-meter dash
First in 55-meter hurdles
First in 4x400 relay

Brittany Blaylock-
Second in 55-meter dash
Third in 200-meter dash

Jordan Wehr-
First in men's heptathlon
Third in men's high jump

Reggie Hayter-
First in 4x400 relay
Third in 800-meter run

Missy Barnes-
First in 55-meter dash

Brittani Simmons-
Third in 55-meter dash
First in 4x400 relay

Monica Dunn-
First in 4x400 relay

Rashunda Pierson-
First in 4x400 Relay

Justin Anderson-
Third in 55-meter dash

Montrell Pyron-
First in 4x400 relay

Russell Sams-
First in 4x400 relay

Suzy Prikryl-
Second in women's high jump

Lonnie Bacon-
Third in men's triple-jump