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2003 Championship Results.html

EL PASO, Texas - The Rice women and UTEP men returned to their wining ways, taking home the team titles at the 2003 WAC Track and Field Championships in El Paso, Texas. For the third time in four years, Rice brought home the WAC title, scoring 172.83 points to earn the victory at Kidd Field. UTEP claimed its 13th WAC Outdoor Championship and its first outdoor title since 1997.

Rice, who was down over 40 points heading into Saturday, tallied 172.83 total points to knock off Nevada who had 147.33. On the men's side, UTEP's sprinting corps went 1,2,3 in both the 100 and 200 meters to secure the title over SMU, 198-146. UTEP was the runner-up to SMU last year, after winning the indoor title during the 2002 season.

The Miners were carried by their sprinters and hurdlers who scored 91 points on the final day of competition. Taiwo Ajibade, Jario Duzant and Yinka Bello took the top three spot in the 100-meter dash. Ajibade ran 10.35 edging Duzant who crossed in 10.40. Bello posted a time of 10.43. UTEP took the spots one through four in the 200-meter dash. Duzant nipped Bello 20.86 to 20.91. Ajibade was third in 20.97, while Richard Petty finished fourth in 21.19. Bello, Bryan Sears, Ajibade and Duzant made up the 400-meter relay which took its second-consecutive title in the event. The relay ran away with the victory in 39.39.

Led by the high point award winner and the most outstanding performer, Allison Beckford, the Owls posted seven first-place finishes and six second-place finishes to outlast Nevada and UTEP. Beckford won the 400-meters, 400-meter hurdles, and anchored the Owls 4x400-meter relay to the championship. Beckfords mark of 53.03 in the 400-meters was good enough for first place and ten points, as was her 57.75 in the 400 hurdles. When Beckford got the handoff in the 4x400 relay from Ruthann Gairdner, the Owls were in third place. Beckford ran a 50.5 split, to come from behind and beat Tulsa and UTEP. Aimee Teteris and junior Keia Watkins were also members of that WAC champion 4x400-meter relay.

For complete championship results Click Here.

Team Scores
Men
1. UTEP - 198
2. SMU - 146
3. Boise State - 127
4. Fresno State - 102
5. Louisiana Tech - 85
6. Tulsa - 72
7. Rice - 68

Freshman of the Year
Yinka Bello, UTEP

Outstanding Performer of the Year
Mindi Pukstas, SMU

High Point Award Winner
Mindi Pukstas, SMU

Coach of the Year
Bob Kitchens, UTEP

Team Scores
Women
1. Rice - 85
2. Nevada - 42.5
3. UTEP - 35
4. Louisiana Tech - 32
5. Tulsa - 29
6. SMU - 23.5
7. Boise State - 12
8. Fresno State - 11
9. Hawaii - 3

Freshman of the Year
Funmi Jimoh, Rice

Outstanding Performer of the Year
Allison Beckford, Rice

High Point Award Winner
Allison Beckford, Rice

Coach of the Year
Victor Lopez, Rice