Jan. 19, 2010
Irving, Texas - Running times that garnered NCAA automatic qualification during the Texas A&M Invitational this past weekend earned senior Porscha Lucas and junior Demetrius Pinder Big 12 Track and Field Athlete of the Week honors.
Pinder ran 46.01 to claim a NCAA auto qualifier as he won the 400 meters over a field that included post collegians. His time, the current world and collegiate leader for 2010, is an indoor personal best improving on a previous best of 47.02.
Lucas cruised to a 23.06 clocking for her 200 meter victory, also setting a world and collegiate best for 2010. She bettered a field that included post collegians Leslie Cole (23.25) and LaShaunte'a Moore (23.40) as well as teammate Jessica Beard (23.45) and Oklahoma's Scottesha Miller (24.05).
On the Aggie all-time indoor list Pinder is the No. 2 performer with the No. 2 performance, trailing only the school record of 45.94 set by Howard Davis at altitude in Flagstaff, Arizona during the 1989 season. A&M's previous best mark not set at altitude was 46.27, also by Davis, in 1991 at the SWC meet in Ft. Worth. Pinder also bettered the Texas A&M Invitational meet record of 46.17.
Holder of the Texas A&M school record in the 200 with a pair of 22.84 marks, the time of 23.06 from Lucas is the 10th fastest performance on the Aggie all-time indoor list. She currently has run six of those 10 marks in the 200. Lucas also bettered the Texas A&M Invitational meet record of 23.14 set by 2009 NCAA Indoor champion Murielle Ahoure of Miami.
Pinder and Lucas qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships hosted by Arkansas on March 12-13.