There will be no storybook ending to the Gary Schwartz era in Kansas University track and field.
The Jayhawks do not have enough firepower to contend for a men’s or women’s title at this weekend’s Big 12 meet in Columbia, Mo., 12th-year KU coach Schwartz contends.
“The guys have the ability to place in the top six. On the girls side, we could finish in the 8-12 position,” Schwartz said.
“In our conference there are one or two teams incredibly strong (Texas and Nebraska) and then a bunch of teams separated by only 10, 15, 17 points. There’s definitely an opportunity for our team to do some good things.”
Schwartz admits he’d like to go out with a bang with the highest team finishes possible.
His contract will not be renewed following the season.
“You’d think I was a complete fool if I said it was not emotional,” said Schwartz, a former KU track weight thrower. “The important thing is to get the team ready and our staff ready and think about that other stuff later. I don’t know if I can find a Harley to ride around Missouri’s track after the meet, but I’ll look for one.”
Schwartz took a victory lap on a motorcycle around the Memorial Stadium track following his final Kansas Relays.
KU’s coach sees the potential for a KU title or two or three this weekend.
Kansas’ Scott Russell will compete in the javelin, hammer and discus. Russell has a season-best javelin throw of 259-feet, the top mark in the country. Cory Lehman of Nebraska has the Big 12’s second best mark at 236-8.
Russell ranks first in the league in the hammer at 210-8 (NU’s Jeff Armitage is second at 199-6) and ninth in the discus at 173-1.
Russell is one of the favorites to win the javelin at the NCAA meet. He’s also a leading contender to make the 2000 Canadian Olympic Team.
KU’s Andrea Branson and Kansas State’s Erin Anderson are expected to battle for the top spot in the pole vault. Branson cleared a Big 12-best 13-10 at the Kansas Relays. Anderson has a season-high mark of 13-7 1/4. Anderson won the league indoor title, having fewer misses than Branson, like Russell an NCAA qualifier.
Steeplechaser Andy Tate has provisionally qualified for the NCAAs in 8:52.26.
Charlie Gruber ranks fifth in the 1,500 (3:43.52).
Andrea Bulat ranks third in the javelin (160-8).
Ryan Speers enters fourth in the shot put (58-10 3/4).
The meet will run from today until Sunday at Walton Stadium in Columbia, Mo.