Red Raiders earn three Big 12 Indoor awards

IRVING, Texas – The Texas Tech track and field team secured three superlative awards Thursday afternoon as Wes Kittley was named the Big 12 Men’s Indoor Coach of the Year, Caleb Dean earned Men’s Performer of the Year while Temitope Adeshina won the Women’s Most Outstanding Freshman.

For Wes Kittley, this becomes his seventh overall Big 12 Coach of the Year award and second-straight indoor honor. Kittley’s squad racked up 152 points to win the Big 12 men’s title (fourth overall) by 60 points. Including the 4×400 relay team, four events claimed gold medals – 60m, 200m and 5000m (first since 2013).

When it comes to the national rankings, the men have dropped out the No. 1 spot just once this year (the week before Big 12s) but re-claimed the top spot following the conference meet this week.

Dean, the Big 12 Conference High Point Performer of the meet as well, placed in three different events no lower than second. In the 4×400, Dean ran the first leg going 45.80 as the Red Raiders took the win with a school record time of 3:02.76. Dean secured silver in the 60m (6.62) and in the 60m hurdles (7.58).

Adeshina just needed four leaps to win the women’s long jump last weekend where she cleared 1.90m (6-2 ¾) before bowing out attempting 1.94m (6-4 ½). She holds a personal best height of 1.96m (6-5) which is second in the country going into the national meet next week. She is one centimeter away from securing the Olympic standard (1.97m).

Texas Tech will leave for Boston next Tuesday for the 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships (Mar. 7-9).

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Release Provided By Chris Duarte Texas Tech Athletics