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<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><a name="_Hlk490052374"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – </span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">March
27, 2021</span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Baylor Track & Field: Relays Highlight Final Day in Austin</span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The men’s 4x100-meter relay team ran the fifth-fastest time in school history.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">*<b>COMPLETE RESULTS ATTACHED</b>*<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">AUSTIN, Texas –</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> The men’s 4x100-meter relay team ran the fifth-fastest time in school history to highlight
Baylor track & field’s final day at the Texas Relays Saturday at Mike A. Myers Stadium.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">“I thought we opened up well, especially with the 4x1 on the men’s side,” associate head coach Michael Ford said. “It’s been a couple years since we won the 4x1. I thought the
guys ran very well. Maxwell (Willis) hadn’t run since the first outdoor meet, but we made a switch to put him on the first leg and they ran 39.11. We can just keep moving on from there.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The team of Willis, Isaiah Cunningham, Ryan Croson and Kamden Jackson clocked in at 39.11 to take home the victory and stamp themselves into the Baylor record books as the No.
5 all-time performance.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">“They have been handing off really well in training,” Ford said. “They’ve been doing really well in practice, and I thought that we could run 39 low this year. Especially not
doing handoffs on the first exchange at all with those two. I was really pleased with the other handoffs. I thought we were really crisp, and we just have to keep getting better.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The Bears ran two 4x400-meter relays apiece between the men and women, one invitational and one “main event.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">“That was one of the things we discussed last year as a staff was to try to get our 4x4 back to where it was,” Ford said. “Also, trying to build some depth with the group.”
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">In the women’s invitational 4x4, the team of TT Sanders, Sydney Washington, Lily Williams and Morgan Stewart placed third with a time of 3:38.71.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">“I thought the ladies’ B team ran really well,” Ford said. “On average we were 54 splits, which was a good sign for them.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The men’s invitational 4x4 team of Isaiah Cunningham, Maxwell Willis, Elijah Gifford and Chris DuPree also took third in a time of 3:07.61.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always">
</span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">“The men’s B team ran really well,” Ford said. “They averaged 46 a leg. To see Maxwell back out there and to see Elijah Gifford run really well, and then Chris. Then for Isaiah
to come back after running the 4x1, I thought they ran awesome.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">In the Sanya Richards-Ross Women’s 4x400, the Bears’ squad of Arria Minor, Mariah Ayers, Aaliyah Miller and Kavia Francis took sixth with a time of 3:33.31.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">“The ladies ran well, almost four seconds faster than last week,” Ford said. “We know we can do better considering what we did indoor, we just have to get the girls a little
more race-ready.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The men’s team of Hasani Barr, Ryan Croson, Dillon Bedell and Howard Fields III placed fourth in the Cleburne Price Jr. Men’s 4x400, recording a time of 3:02.19.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">“On the A relay, the men ran fantastic,” Ford said. “I can’t remember the last time we opened up with a 3:02, but I thought they all ran solid legs. I think we still have some
room to improve to keep dropping. We’re going to need to drop to make finals at nationals, and I think they can.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Jackson capped off another successful day with a personal-best 20.80 to take fifth in the men’s 200 meters.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">“I thought Kamden ran an awesome 200 from lane one,” Ford said. “He got a PR. He still has to get a little stronger, but I was happy with that.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">In the women’s 200 meters, Kavia Francis recorded a personal best of 23.14 to place fourth.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">“Kavia ran really well in the 200,” Ford said. “Then she came back and ran a great leg on the 4x4.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Dillon Bedell capped off a strong weekend by placing fourth in the men’s 400 meters (46.74) and then running on the “A” 4x4.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">“Dillon put together another solid day,” Ford said. “Even though he didn’t PR in the open quarter, for him to run 46.6 and then come back and run another 46.7, I thought that
was solid day. Then he comes back and splits 44.8. I was impressed with that.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Howard Fields III ran in the men’s 400 meters invitational and clocked a time of 45.79 to finish in third place.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">“That was Trey Fields’ first open quarter in about a month and a half,” Ford said. “For him to run 45.9 was solid, and then to come back and run another split of 45 flat, he
had a good meet.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Next up for the Bears is the Baylor Invitational next Saturday (April 3) at Clyde Hart Track & Field Stadium.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">For continued updates on the Baylor Track & Field team, follow the team's social media accounts all season long: @BaylorTrack.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">__________________________________</span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:6.5pt;color:black"> </span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#154734">Kellen Coleman</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#18481F"> </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">|
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Associate Director of Communications</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Department of Athletics | Baylor University</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">O: 254-710-4049 | C: 254-749-6507</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;color:black"> </span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span><a href="http://baylorbears.com/"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="153" height="43" style="width:1.5937in;height:.4479in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D7235B.CF061F40" alt="/var/folders/pf/02zg9swd0fz7qy7f5nkl4mymsr0bxx/T/com.microsoft.Outlook/WebArchiveCopyPasteTempFiles/cidimage004.png@01D50713.9CE40560"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
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