AUSTIN, Texas – Baylor track and field opened the women’s competition at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Mike A. Myers Stadium on Thursday evening.
Both BU relay squads advanced to the national finals for a shot at the NCAA podium, while Annamaria Kostarellis narrowly missed the 10,000-meter first-team honors.
THE RUNDOWN
The day started with a program record and that’s just what it took to advance. With a 43.15-second race, Mariah Ayers, Imaobong Uko, Bria Bullard and Michaela Francois nabbed the final timed qualifying spot and will run on Saturday evening in the race that will crown a champion.
Just after 11 p.m., the night ended with the 4x400 group of Uko, Gontse Morake, Jasmine Gryne and Ayers notching a season-best 3:28.76. That mark is third all-time in BU history and put them No. 4 overall in Thursday’s races.
After sticking in the lead top-nine the entire race, Kostarellis missed the NCAA podium by just one spot and seven seconds. The mark of 33:21.34 gets her ninth in the event and closes her short chapter as a Baylor Bear that ends with two program records and one all-conference honor.
Morake, running in her second-straight 400-meter hurdle NCAA semifinal race, crossed the line 11th overall with a 56.43-second mark. In the next race, Ayers hit the track for the 200 open and ran a 22.81 for 14th. Both runners do not advance to Saturday’s final.
QUOTABLE
Head coach Michael Ford
On Thursday’s competition…
“I was really happy for our relay teams. The 4x400 has been running well all year. Ima [Uko] got out well, Gontse [Morake] and Jasmine [Gryne] did their thing and Mariah [Ayers] competed hard in the anchor. I didn’t think we would have as strong of a 4x100-meter relay this year because we put them together really late, but everyone did their part. A school record and getting to the final is great for them. Anna [Kostarellis] had a great season and it’s heartbreaking to see it come so close. Tomorrow will be all hands on deck for the first day of finals and I look forward to seeing how the Bears compete.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Baylor men compete with two Bears in the national finals on Friday night. Nathaniel Ezekiel is set for the 400-meter hurdle finals at 9:27 p.m., followed by the men’s 4x400 at 10:21. ESPN2 will broadcast Friday’s competition with former BU Big 12 Champion and All-American, Robert Griffin III, on the call.
