Dec. 11, 2010
COLLEGE STATION - Texas A&M's Joey Roberts broke the school record in the 800 meters to highlight the Aggies track and field performances during Saturday's Reveille Invitational, a meet which featured 10 victories by A&M as a dozen marks made the Aggies all-time top 10 in various events.
In addition 11 meet records were topped among the field of teams that included Baylor, Houston and TCU. A crowd of 1,396 fans watched the two-hour event in the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium.
"When we gathered the team after the meet I was able to say some words about performances from around five or six of our freshman," Texas A&M head coach Pat Henry said. "That is really good, those are the types of things we really need to do. I was very pleased with our younger people today.
"We felt like Joey was just sitting there for a time frame, and now I hope he has matured and I think he has," Henry noted. "I think the opportunity is there for him right now to run very, very well."
Roberts posted a winning time of 1:49.47 to better the previous school record of 1:50.09 set by Nick Toohey in 2007. Roberts' previous best indoors was 1:52.38 set last season and it ranked No. 10 on the all-time list.
"I wasn't even aware of the school record time," said Roberts, a silver medalist in the 600 yards at the 2010 Big 12 Indoor meet. "I didn't know I had broken the school record until an hour later. I was thrilled with the time and very proud of the effort.
"In the past I didn't have the level of drive or the commitment to track and field as I do right now. One day a light bulb went off. Being able to balance my time on and off the track was key as well as listening to my coaches. That all played a part in my performance today."
Prior to the school record run by Roberts, the women's 800-meter race featured four Aggies setting marks on the Aggies all-time top 10 list.
A&M frosh Aliese Hyde won the event with a 2:11.38 (No. 4 all-time) while freshman teammate Hillary Hagan won another section in 2:12.96 (No. 5 all-time) and placed second overall. Erica Parker improved her previous indoor best by two seconds in running a 2:13.73 (No. 7 all-time) to finish third overall. Taylor Buckner, a third A&M frosh in this event, clocked 2:16.56 (No. 10 all-time) to place seventh.
"It was great being out here with the team and representing Texas A&M," Hyde said. "This morning when I was putting on the uniform I was like, `wow, I'm wearing an A&M uniform.'
"The time that I ran came from all the hard work that we do every day. After I watched Hillary run her 2:12 in the first section I knew I had to go out there and get it now. It was awesome, I loved every minute of it."
Casey Strong challenged the school record in the weight throw with a winning toss of 59-5.75, which makes him the No. 2 performer with the No. 3 performance on the Aggie all-time list. A mark of 60-9.5 set by Tyler Custis in 2007 is the current record.
Strong did better the meet record of 53-3 held by teammate Cole Knuth, who finished third with a toss of 55-7.
"I was very excited to throw today," Strong said. "It was my first time in an A&M uniform at our home venue. It was great to get a good mark out there in the first meet. I was real excited about that and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season.
"Getting over 60 soon is a goal. Hopefully in the next meet I'll have another performance that get me closer to the school record. My technique was off during my first couple of throws, but then I got it together when I threw 59."
Wayne Davis II returned to hurdle action on the track after injuries curtailed his freshman campaign with the Aggies in 2010. Davis, who opened last season with a meet record of 7.99, posted a time of 7.85 seconds in the 60 hurdles to move to No. 5 on the A&M all-time list.
The only athlete to better Davis on the day was professional hurdler Aries Merritt, who clocked 7.73.
"I can't be mad at 7.85," noted Davis. "My main focus was to have fun today. I was relaxed and ready to race after missing so much time on the track last season. Now I'm looking forward to a great season."
In the men's 60 a showdown between experience and youthful spirit had senior Gerald Phiri winning the dash in 6.70 as TCU's Charles Silmon (6.724), the defending Reveille champ, just edged out Aggie frosh Prezel Hardy (6.726) for second as both clocked 6.73.
Depth in the race showed for the Aggies as senior Tran Howell finished fourth in 6.74 and frosh Michael Bryan claimed fifth in 6.80. Hardy's time moved the yearling to equal No. 6 on the A&M all-time list while Howell improves to equal No. 8 all-time.
"Just getting up this morning I was happy to come out here and put on an A&M uniform," Hardy stated. "Unfortunately I wasn't able to finish my outdoor season last spring due to an injury. So, just being out here in this environment, to be on the track, that alone put a smile on my face.
"To come out and run the time I did is a good time for a freshman, especially for this time of the season."
Winning the high jump with a leap of 6-10.25 placed another Aggie freshman on the all-time list as Tyler Lee's mark is equal No. 6 performance and No. 10 performance. Meanwhile, Aly Daily finished second in the pole vault and her clearance of 12-2 improves her to No. 4 on the all-time list.
A victory in the 4 x 400 with the foursome of Michael Preble (48.02), Tabarie Henry (46.35), Tran Howell (46.37), Bryan Miller (47.30) produced a stellar mark of 3:08.03 (No. 9 all-time) for December.
The Aggies were challenged on the final leg of the relay by Houston's Errol Nolan, who split 46.29 to bring the Cougars closer to A&M as Houston finished second in 3:08.52.
In the women's 4 x 400 a close race developed between the Aggies and TCU. With a foursome of Ibukun Mayungbe (54.89), Jessica Beard (53.18), Andrea Sutherland (55.47) and Jeneba Tarmoh (52.62), Texas A&M posted a time of 3:36.15 (No. 10 all-time), which left them just shy of TCU's winning mark of 3:35.97.
Jessica Young anchored TCU's relay in 52.62 after earning a NCAA automatic standard of 7.23 seconds in winning the 60 meters earlier in the meet. A&M's Jeneba Tarmoh placed second in the dash with a 7.34 while Ashley Collier made her Aggie debut, placing fifth in 7.55.
Also earning a victory for A&M were Jennifer Edwards in the weight throw, Michah Dettmer in the 5,000 meters, and the women's distance medley relay.
Edwards had a toss of 54-5.5 (No. 6 all-time) in the weight throw while teammates Taylor Rosser placed third with a 52-8 (No. 8 all-time) and Bonnie Richardson finished fourth with a 49-11.25 (No. 10 all-time). In the shot put Rosser finished third (46-6.25) with Edwards taking fourth (45-8).
Dettmer clocked a winning time of 15:26.52 as teammates Austin Geerts (15:35.89) and Jordan Chappell (15:40.91) finished fourth and fifth.
The foursome running the women's distance medley relay included Ryan Snapp (48.50), James Bonn (1:54.81) and Nathan Parker (4:26.46).
Dustin Phillips cleared 16-0 to place second in the pole vault as Nick Cook placed third in the shot put (49-11.25).
Meet Records (11 total)
MEN (4)
60 hurdles - 7.73 Aries Merritt, previous mark 7.99 Wayne Davis (A&M) `09
4 x 400 - 3:08.03 Texas A&M (Michael Preble, Tabarie Henry, Tran Howell, Bryan Miller), previous 3:10.22 (A&M) `09
PV - 16-4 Alex Bentley (UH), previous 16-2 Bentley (UH) `09
Wt - 59-5.75 Casey Strong (A&M), previous 53-3 Cole Knuth (A&M) `09
WOMEN (7)
60m - 7.23 Jessica Young (TCU), previous mark 7.33 Porscha Lucas (A&M) `09
800m - 2:11.38 Aliese Hyde (A&M), previous 2:15.98 Ciera Johnson (UH) `09
5000m - 17:13.00 Patricia Terry (TCU), previous 17:39.92 Stephanie Aldea (UH) `09
4 x 400 - 3:35.97 TCU (Quinterra Charles, Kristal Juarez, Teneshia Peart, Jessica Young), previous 3:42.83 Texas A&M `09
HJ - 12-6 Karley King (Houston), previous 12-5.75 Laura Askimakis (A&M) `08
LJ - 19-11.5 Whitney Gibson (TCU), previous 19-9.75 Gibson (TCU) `09
SP - 49-4.5 Stormy Harrison (TCU), previous 47-10.5 Harrison (TCU) `09
Aggie Winners (10)
MEN (7)
60m - 6.70 Gerald Phiri
800m - 1:49.47 Joey Roberts
5000m - 15:26.52 Micah Dettmer
60m hurdles - 7.85 Wayne Davis II
4x400 - 3:08.03 Texas A&M (Michael Preble, Tabarie Henry, Tran Howell, Bryan Miller)
HJ - 6-10.25 Tyler Lee
Wt - 59-5.75 Casey Strong
WOMEN (3)
800m - 2:11.38 Aliese Hyde
Distance Medley Relay - 12:57.32 Texas A&M (Colbea Harris, Courtnie Allen, Julie Blanco, Caitlin Gilmore)
Wt - 54-5.5 Jennifer Edwards