April 5, 2003
AUSTIN, Texas - Purdue's relay squad of Jamar Green, Jacques Reeves, Prentice Stovall and Kenneth Baxter broke a pair of varsity records Saturday during the final day of competition at the Texas Relays. The Boilermaker quartet smashed a 13-year old record in the 4x200 and later eclipsed their own mark in the 4x100.
The Purdue men finished its 4x200 run with a third-place time of 1 minute, 22.31 seconds, placing behind host Texas and Mississippi State. The previous Boilermaker record was established on April 27, 1990 when Chris Huffins, John Walker, Jon Winebrenner and Jay Kirby posted a mark of 1:24.19.
The Boilermakers' 4x100 squad greatly improved on Friday's preliminary time of 39.98, by finishing at a school record pace of 39.50. Unfortunately, Mississippi State, Houston and LSU were also able to better their efforts, holding Purdue to a fourth place showing.
Stovall, Green, Baxter and Reeves recorded the previous varsity record of 39.82 in May of 2002.
Reeves and Stovall ended their run in Texas competing in the 100 meter dash invitational. Stovall crossed 6th in 10.49, and Reeves followed close behind in 7th at 10.52.
Senior Simona Kovacic started Purdue's productive afternoon tying for second place in the pole vault. Kovacic's height of 3.85 meters (12 feet, 7 1/2 inches) tied five other competitors and qualified her for the NCAA Regional Championships in Columbus, Ohio.
In the men's pole vault, Hence "Pooh" Williams placed 11th with a height of 5.0 (16-4 3/4) and in the high jump Shaun Guice recorded a eighth-place height of 2.15 (7- 1/2), while teammate Derek Watkins tied for 10th at 2.10 (6-10 3/4).
The Boilermakers' next competition begins on April 11 at the Sea Ray Relays in Knoxville, Tenn. Purdue will also participate in Miami University Team Invitational on April 12.