June 18, 2008
COLLEGE STATION, Texas- With a school record squad of 34 athletes traveling to the NCAA meet, the Aggies registered 29 All-American honors from the national championships while turning in a pair of top five team finishes.
The A&M women had 10 athletes receive 17 All-American honors with Simone Facey and Porscha Lucas each earning three honors apiece. Claiming a pair of All-American honors each were Jessica Beard, Allison George and Jennifer Williams.
Other Aggie women earning All-America distinction were Elizabeth Adeoti, Ashika Charan, Christina Munoz, Yasmine Regis and Sandy Wooten.
Facey’s All-American tally from the NCAA Outdoor Championships makes her the Aggie school record holder with a career total of 11 honors. Also surpassing the old record of eight, held by four A&M athletes, is Lucas with nine All-American honors. Adrian Sawyer was the lone Aggie female who had eight All-American certificates.
Texas A&M men totaled 12 All-American honors among nine athletes. Earning two honors each were Chris Dykes, Justin Oliver and Nick Robinson. Other Aggies earning All-American distinction were Richard Adu-Bobie, Kevin McNab, Bryan Miller, Julian Reid, A.C. Robinson, and Dominique Stafford.
With seven honors, Dykes is one All-American honor away from tying for the men’s all-time lead of eight awards held by three individuals ?- Howard Davis, Stanley Kerr and Randy Matson. Oliver moved into the top 10 with five All-American honors in his career.
An impressive season for the A&M women resulted in a best-ever third-place finish at the NCAA Championships. The Aggie men improved from a tie for 22nd place last season to fifth place this season, marking their best NCAA finish since a runner-up in 1989.
Texas A&M’s potential for an even higher finish on the men’s side was curtailed by the injury suffered by freshman sprinter Gerald Phiri during the Midwest Regional. Phiri was part of the 4 x 100 relay as well as one of the top entrants in the 100 and 200 meters.
Justin Oliver filled in admirably for Phiri on the sprint relay, running the same second leg that Phiri would have run for the Aggies. The squad finished second in the race with the second-fastest time in school history, a 38.58 that currently ranks No. 2 in the world.
Oliver, who anchored the 4 x 400 to a second consecutive NCAA silver-medal finish, ran on the last A&M 4 x 100 that placed in the NCAA final. Back in 2006 he was the second leg of the squad that finished in sixth place.
Texas A&M All-Americans ?- 2008 NCAA Outdoor Championships
19 athletes, 29 honors
Women (10 athletes, 17 honors)
Elizabeth Adeoti - 4 x 100
Jessica Beard (2) - 400, 4 x 400
Ashika Charan - Triple jump
Simone Facey (3) - 100, 200, 4 x 100
Allison George (2) - 4 x 100, 4 x 400
Porscha Lucas (3) - 100, 200, 4 x 100
Christina Munoz - 5,000
Yasmine Regis - Triple jump
Jennifer Williams (2) - 100H, 4 x 400
Sandy Wooten - 4 x 400
Men (9 athletes, 12 honors)
Richard Adu-Bobie - 4 x 100
Chris Dykes (2) - 200, 4 x 100
Kevin McNab - Steeplechase
Bryan Miller - 4 x 400
Justin Oliver (2) - 4 x 100, 4 x 400
Julian Reid - Long jump
A.C. Robinson - 4 x 400
Nick Robinson (2) - 400H, 4 x 400
Dominique Stafford - 4 x 100