March 21, 2009
FINAL RESULTS
Los Angeles - Leading collegiate times in the 4 x 100 relays highlighted a solid showing by Texas A&M during the Trojan Invitational hosted by USC at Loker Stadium/Cromwell Field on Saturday.
Texas A&M posted 10 winning efforts on the day along with another dozen runner-up performances to open its outdoor campaign. In addition the Aggies collected 17 regional qualifying performances.
While the sunny skies the Aggies enjoyed during the spring break week turned into an overcast day with temperatures in the mid to high 50s, it didn't slow the A&M relays.
The women's foursome of Elizabeth Adeoti, Porscha Lucas, Allison George and Gabby Mayo blistered a winning mark of 43.67 seconds. It becomes the seventh fastest team at A&M and the 13th best performance all-time.
Texas A&M enters the outdoor season as two-time defending NCAA champions in the women's 4 x 100. Three legs from last year's winning squad were present in Adeoti, Lucas and George. Meanwhile, Mayo was part of winning efforts at the Big 12 Championships and Texas Relays in 2008.
An equally impressive winning time of 39.32 seconds followed for the Aggie men as the foursome of Chris Dykes and Justin Oliver combined for a victory. Dykes and Oliver were on the 2008 relay that placed second in the NCAA final. Phiri was a key leg when A&M won the Big 12 relay title.
A second women's relay crew posted a runner-up time of 44.91 with a squad consisting of Khrystal Carter and Sandy Wooten. Then a sprint relay of Aggie jumpers won the second heat in 46.97 with the foursome of Yasmine Regis, Ashika Charan, Tiffany Peters and Vashti Thomas.
Running on a second men's 4x1 relay, which won the second heat with a 41.04 to place second overall, were Keenan Hall, Trinity Otto, Morquise Cleveland. A jumper's 4x1 relay comprised of Zuheir Sharif, Julian Reid, Tyron Stewart and Melvin Echard placed third in the first heat with a time of 42.79.
The Texas A&M men closed out the meet with a victory in the 4 x 400 relay. The squad of Howell (47.9), Miller (46.2), Kyle Dykhuizen (46.3) and Brandon Machacek.
Mayo also set a collegiate leading time in the 100 hurdles as she lead an Aggie 1-2 effort with a 13.37 clocking to become the No. 8 performer on the A&M all-time list. Thomas followed with a 13.55 mark for second place and was also the runner-up in the long jump with a 19-7 distance.
Other Aggie 1-2 finishes were claimed in the women's 100, men's 200 and men's triple jump.
George won the women's 100 in 11.52 while Carter was runner-up in 11.66. The A&M women also placed 4-5-6 with the trio of Adeoti (11.80), Duncan (11.81) and Beard (11.86). Charan (12.16) finished second in the next heat.
Dykes rolled to a 21.01 winning time in the 200 while Oliver followed with a 21.27 runner-up. Otto finished second in the next heat with a 21.81.
Sharif won the triple jump with a leap of 51-7, as Stewart took second with a 51-1. In the women's triple jump Peters placed first with a windy 40-7. All three jumpers claimed regional qualifying marks.
Hall claimed the men's long jump with a leap of 24-0.75, which missed the regional qualifying mark by a quarter of an inch, while Cameron Alexander had the advantage in a jumpoff at 6-8.75 to win the high jump.
Runner-up performances were achieved by Phiri in the 100 (10.44), Preble in the 400 (47.96), MacLean O'Donnell in the 3,000 (8:39.91), Anteneshia Lindsey in the discus (163-5), and Nick Cook in the shot put (53-5).
Three javelin throwers garnered regional marks with Hillary Pustka placed seventh with a 155-10. Also in the event were Hali Henderson (141-10) and Isla Rodriguez (121-11), who placed 10th and 13th.
Other third place finishes included Christina Munoz (4:39.18) in the 1,500, De'Lon Isom (14.25) in the 110 hurdles, Aly Daily (11-7.75) in the pole vault, Roberts (48.16) in the 400, Lindsey (46-8) in the shot put, Sam Mutschler (1:53.87) in the 800, Duncan (24.14) in the 200, and James Hodges (8:40.38) in the 3,000.