Texas A&M
NCAA Outdoor Championships
Aggies add eight points, qualifying eight more places for weekend finals
Jun 11, 2010 | Track and Field
June 10, 2010
EUGENE, OREGON - POINTS - NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS - Day One
MEN
Javelin: 4 points - 5. Sam Humphreys, 230-8.
WOMEN
Triple Jump: 4 points - 6. Ashika Charan, 42-11.
FINALISTS - NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
MEN
200: Curtis Mitchell, 20.59; Gerald Phiri, 20.79
4x400: Texas A&M, 3:06.00
WOMEN
200: Porscha Lucas, 22.49 (Collegiate Leader); Jeneba Tarmoh, 23.04; Dominique Duncan, 23.38
100H: Vashti Thomas, 13.21
4x400: Texas A&M,3:32.34
Eight points from two finals amid a cold day filled with inclement weather has No. 1 Texas A&M still in contention to defend either of their 2009 NCAA Championship titles.
The Thursday crowd in Hayward Field totaled 11,172 fans, the largest crowd ever for the second day of the NCAA Championships.
Texas A&M scored four points in the women's triple jump with the combo of Ashika Charan. Then Sam Humphreys added four points to the men's tally with a fifth place finish in the javelin.
Oregon had two javelin throwers who did not reach the final nine throwers while a Duck jumper was unable to reach the finals of the women's triple jump.
Through four finals on the men's side, with the pole vault still going, the Aggies still lead, now with 18 points. Florida remains second with 13. The rest of the top five now includes Arizona State (12), Washington (11), Brown (10) and Liberty (10).
With six finals in on the women's side Southern Illinois leads with 22 points. They are followed by Iowa State (18), Oregon (16), Nebraska (11) and Alabama (11). A&M women are currently tied for 21st with the four points they scored in the triple jump.
"We had another great day," Texas A&M coach Pat Henry said. "It was the second qualifying day for us along with a couple of finals. We did some things we felt we were capable of doing and a little bit better in some areas. I've very pleased with this group today. We showed a lot of class and character."
"Sam Humphreys finished fifth in the javelin as a freshman. He threw 230-plus and that's a good day for him. We're happy with that. In the triple jump we had two jumpers score and I don't think anybody predicted they would score for us."
Peters produced her best effort as a windy leap of 43-6.5 (13.27) placed sixth. Charan had a windy mark of 42-11 (13.08) to claim eighth. Neither jumper was predicted to score in the event.
Humphreys had to deal with an hour wait after throwing in the first flight of the javelin, where he generated his best effort of 230-8 (70.32), The best mark in the final three rounds for Humphreys was a 227-11.
"I don't know how much that delay effected me," said Humphreys. "I'm glad I made it to the final as a freshman and scored points for the team. I kind of feel bad that I didn't do what I was expected to do, but still scoring points for the team is what counts."
Brown's Craig Kinsley won the javelin with a 250-3 (76.29) toss in the fifth round after Boise State's Pontus Thomee briefly took the lead with a fifth round 241-6 (73.60).
In qualifying the Aggies continued to do well advancing sprinters to the final, sending five to the 200 meters. Then A&M had an added surprise when Vashti Thomas advanced in the 100 hurdles.
The Aggies also advanced both 4 x 400 relays as well. The men won their heat in 3:06.00 while the women were winners with a 3:32.34.
Texas A&M leads on the number of qualifiers advancing to finals with nine women and eight men places, including all four relays.
"We've advanced just about everything we thought would advance," noted Henry. "Vashti did a fine job, she's a talented young lady. If she hits it, then she can get into the mix."
Curtis Mitchell led qualifiers in the 200 with a 20.59 to win the third heat. Gerald Phiri finished second in heat two with a 20.78. Both Aggie sprinters advanced to the 100 final during semifinals held on Wednesday.
"I was trying to get through the semifinal with a comfortable race," noted Mitchell. "I ran both rounds of the 200 at regionals pretty hard. This weekend is different, since it's a little longer. I wanted to be smart and get through the rounds. I'm happy with the time and glad I got that big Q."
Phrir added: "I'm very happy. I was able to do exactly what I wanted to. I know I will not get lane 1 in the final. Now I'll take an ice bath tonight and be ready for the 100 finals tomorrow."
Defending NCAA champion Porscha Lucas sped to a collegiate leading time of 22.49 to claim the first heat of the women's 200.
It marks the third consecutive year that Lucas has been the collegiate leader in the event - 22.29 (2008), 22.38 (2009) and now 22.49 (2010). The past two years Lucas has set the top collegiate mark for the season during the NCAA semifinal race.
Lucas will have company in the 200 final as teammates Jeneba Tarmoh and Dominique Duncan advanced as well. Duncan placed third in the same heat with Lucas, running 23.38. Tarmoh won the third heat in 23.04.
"For Dominique to get in, I don't think people realize how big that is for us," stated Henry. "Because she could be among the top five sprinters in that race on Saturday. Dominique is one of those types of sprinters you don't know what she is going to do. She is young and talented and is just figuring out that she can do this."
For Lucas her time is equal to the No. 5 performance on the Aggie all-time list, matching the time she ran in the prelims of the Big 12 back in 2008 as well as Simone Facey during the 2007 Big 12 meet.
In the 100 hurdles Vashti Thomas placed third in the final heat of the semifinals. Needing to advance on time, Thomas had to better a 13.18 from heat two. She did so with a 13.12 clocking, which is her second best time of the season.
The Aggies were missing a pair of top-flight hurdlers in the race, Natasha Ruddock and Gabby Mayo. Ruddock injured an ACL in warm-up for the NCAA West region race in Austin while Mayo injured her quadriceps in practice leading up to the NCAA Championships.
With a relay order of Tran Howell, Demetrius Pinder, Bryan Miller and Tabarie Henry the Aggies ran 3:06.00 to win the third and final heat. Iowa finshed second to A&M in 3:06.48, Baylor placed third in 3:06.65 and Texas Tech was fourth at 3:06.95.
Joining the Aggie men in the final are Florida (3:03.34), Mississippi State (3:04.70), USC (3:04.51), Arizona State (3:06.45), South Carolina (3:05.05) and Baylor.
Donique' Flemings. Beard cruised to a heat win in the top qualifying time of the day at 3:32.34. Andrea Sutherland and Charan ran the first two legs.
The Aggies defeated LSU (3:33.43), Texas Tech (3:34.33) and Miami (3:36.27) in its heat. Also making the final are Oregon (3:33.51), Arkansas (3:33.97), Penn State (3:34.10), Auburn (3:34.71), Texas (3:35.14) and Texas Tech.
While Trinity Otto battled in the first day of the decathlon.
Fitzpatrick finished in 18th place with 4,961 points. Her second day included a 17-2.25 (5.24) long jump, a 118-1 (35.99) javelin toss and 2:34.46 in the 800. Oregon's Brianne Theisen defended her title with a career best score of 6,094.
Otto started with a solid 10.74 in the 100 meters, second fastest among the field of 24. Then two fouls in the long jump threatened to derail Otto's scoring potential. With one jump remaining Otto produced a personal best of 24-8.5 (7.52) to remain in second place.
Solid efforts followed in the shot put, with a career best of 47-9.75 (14.57) and high jump (6-5 / 1.96). Closing out day one with a 48.92 in the 400, Otto total through five events is 4,254 points. That is a career best score for the Aggie senior after first day activity in the decathlon.
Oregon's Ashton Eaton, two-time defending NCAA champion, leads with 4,500 points. Meanwhile, Florida's Gary Horn is in 14th place with 3,789 points. The Track & Field News formchart tabbed Horn for sixth place.
Friday's action will produce a few more finals for the Aggies. Otto will complete the decathlon while the 100 and 400 meters will be held.
Players Mentioned
