May 14, 2011
NORMAN, Okla. - Texas A&M led qualifying in the prelims of track events on the second day of the Big 12 Outdoor Championships while Daphne Fitzpatrick completed the heptathlon with an Aggie school record to place second.
Going into the final day of action on the University of Oklahoma campus, Texas A&M is currently in third place in both team title chases. The Aggie women are aiming for a fifth consecutive Big 12 Outdoor championship while the A&M men seek their first conference outdoor title since 2001.
The Aggie men have 42.5 points, and trail Texas (54) and Nebraska (47.5). The A&M women have 31 points behind Nebraska (62) and Oklahoma (45).
Overall, the Aggie men led qualifying for Sunday finals with 15 athletes. Baylor and Texas Tech each followed with eight. Meanwhile, the A&M women advanced 13 athletes topping the 11 by Texas.
In the last event on the track Saturday evening, Texas A&M advanced nine runners to the 200-meter final, four in the women's race and five in the men's.
After starting her career as a soccer player for the Oklahoma Sooners, A&M senior Daphne Fitzpatrick wrapped up her final Big 12 Outdoor meet with a school record in the heptathlon, scoring 5,811 points for a silver medal.
She bettered the previous school record of 5,642 set by Kalleen Madden in 1993.
"It was great competing here and to finish with a mark like that," said Fitzpatrick. "That was my primary goal this weekend, breaking the school record, knowing I would have strong competition for the Big 12 title. Now I know I can score even more and have better chances at nationals."
Fitzpatrick came into the second day leading by 37 points over defending champion Chantae McMillan of Nebraska. The lead changed in the long jump as McMillan had a leap of 20-4.25 (912 points) with Fitzpatrick answering with a 19-1.25 (795 pts).
In the javelin McMillan held her lead with a 142-4 (732 points) toss with Fitzpatrick following with a 135-0 (690). In the 800, McMillan completed her successful title defense with a 2:20.32 to total 5,951 points in the competition.
Fitzpatrick ran 2:21.70 (801) to close out her career best score.
"My goal this season has been to keep everything off the track healthy and strong with my nutrition," noted Fitzpatrick. "Now I have a month before I compete in the heptathlon again, so I want to recover and get ready for nationals."
In the decathlon Aggie frosh William Markert moved from 12th to sixth place during the second day events, scoring 6,948 points. Markert's efforts included a 15.50 in the 110 hurdles, a throw of 143-11 in the discus, clearing 14-6.25 in the pole vault, and tossing the javelin 170-9. In the 1,500 Markert finished the 10-event journey with a 5:04.54.
Texas A&M long jumpers scored 13 points with a 3-4-7 finish. Julian Reid earned the bronze medal with a 26-2.25 (7.98) leap to better Melvin Echard by half an inch. Echard had a windy 26-1.75 (7.97). Tyron Stewart finished seventh with a best of 25-3.5 (7.71).
Reid's mark equals the No. 9 performance on the Aggie all-time top 10 list.
In the high jump Sasha-Kay Matthias placed eighth in the long jump, reaching a windy mark of 20-2.25 (6.15).
Taylor Rosser just missed scoring in the shot put as her career best mark of 50-7.25 (15.42) placed ninth, leaving her eight inches from eighth place. Rosser's mark moves her to the No. 3 performer all-time at A&M.
The crew of nine Aggie runners making the 200 final included five men and four women.
Tran Howell won the first heat of the men's 200 in a career best of 20.53 seconds while teammates Gerald Phiri (20.93) and Carlyle Roudette (21.02) placed third and fourth and ended up claiming two of the three time qualifiers for the final.
Prezel Hardy, Jr. won the second heat in 21.01 while Michael Bryan was second in the third heat with a 21.07. Oklahoma's Mookie Salaam won the final heat in 20.43 to lead the field in qualifying.
For the women's 200 Jessica Beard and Jeneba Tarmoh were heat winners, clocking times of 23.02 and 23.14. Dominique Duncan (23.14) and Ashley Collier (23.15) turned in runner-up performances for the Aggies. Oklahoma's Candyce McGrone led qualifying with a 22.94.
Texas A&M also advanced five runners in the 400 meters, three men and two women, along with four hurdlers in the 100 (3 women) and 110 hurdles.
Demetrius Pinder led the men's qualifying for the quarter with a 45.59. Tabarie Henry won his heat in 46.15 while Bryan Miller placed second in another heat with a 45.65. Beard posted the fastest women's 400 qualifying time with a 52.19 while Ibukun Mayungbe won her heat in 53.38.
Donique' Flemings finished 1-2-3 in the same heat of the 100 hurdles. Ruddock and Mayo each clocked 13.70 into a 3.5 headwind while Flemings posted a 13.77. The other heat, with a 2.7 tailwind, produced a winning time of 13.09 for Baylor's Tiffani McReynolds.
Wayne Davis II ran 13.88 for fourth in his heat to make the finals of the 110 hurdles.
Prior to the 200 qualifying Phiri and Hardy each advanced in the 100 meters with heat winning times of 10.40 and 10.45, respectively, into headwinds. Howell joined his teammates with a 10.47 clocking in the same heat with Hardy. Michael Bryan ran 10.69 and didn't advance.
OU's Salaam posted the fastest time in the 100 as well with a windy 10.19 (2.5).
Duncan led the women's 100-meter qualifying with an 11.32. Tarmoh (11.50) and Ashley Collier (11.42) joined Duncan in advancing to the final.
Just missing the final by 0.02 of a second was Aggie jumper Matthias, who ran 11.70. Mayo (11.86) and LaKeidra Stewart (11.87) placed 14th and 15th overall.
The Aggies advanced three runners to the final of the 800 meters. Michael Preble (1:48.78) and Joey Roberts (1:49.91) were heat winners and posted the top two times. Oscar Ramirez placed third in his heat with a 1:51.59, and advanced to the final as the ninth qualifier.
Andrea Sutherland won her heat of the 400 hurdles in 57.55, second best in qualifying to a 56.51 turned in by Kansas State's Ryann Krais.
A&M also had a qualifier in the men's 1,500 meters when Will Barry ran 3:48.70 to nab the fastest time qualifier position for the final.
Other finals in the field events had Dustin Phillips clearing 16-4 (4.98) in the pole vault for 11th place. Kyle Tomasini did not clear a height.
Nick Cook tossed the shot put 52-2 for 13th place. Jennifer Edwards finished 15th in the women's shot put with a 47-6.5 (14.49). Behind Matthias in the long jump Lisa Steinkamp placed 12th with a mark of 19-4.25 (5.90). Melissa Mays (18-11.25) and Tiffany Peters (18-6) were 14th and 15th.
In other qualifying races Seth Mabry placed fourth in his heat of the 400 hurdles, where his 52.23 placed 12th overall. Flemings finished 12th overall in the women's 400 hurdles, running a time of 1:00.90.
The women's 200 had LaKeidra Stewart (24.01) and Chandrell Stephens (24.21) placing 16th and 17th overall.
Aliese Hyde led the A&M women in the 800-meter qualifying, running 2:10.63. She was 16th overall in the field of 31 while Erica Parker (2:11.92) and Hillary Hagan (2:12.02) were 18th and 19th. Tiffany Singleton (2:14.65) finished 24th.