Texas A&M
NCAA Indoor Championships
Aggie women tie for 5th, men tie for 8th at NCAA
Mar 10, 2012 | Track and Field
NCAA WOMEN: 1. Oregon 49; 2. Kansas 30; 3. LSU 27; 4. Texas 25; 5. tie, Texas A&M, Arkansas and Clemson, 24; 8. Central Florida 23; 9. Florida 22; 10. Iowa State 21.
NAMPA, Idaho - A runner-up finish in the men's 800 highlighted the second day of action for the Aggies as Michael Preble claimed silver in the event while the top finish for the A&M women was a fourth-place effort in the 60 meters by Ashley Collier.
In team scoring the Aggie women tied for fifth with 24 points while the A&M men tied for eighth with 22 points in front of a two-day crowd of 5,680 at the Jackson Indoor Track. The Florida men and Oregon women each captured a third consecutive NCAA Indoor team title.
"We had a lot of great efforts this weekend, but just didn't have enough bullets," said Texas A&M head coach Pat Henry. "Plus we did a few things wrong. Joey Roberts should have advanced to the 800 final we felt like. One or two points at this meet is pretty major in the team scoring."
Texas A&M men initially scored 26 points to place sixth, but a disqualification in the 4 x 400, where the Aggies placed fifth took away four points.
"They disqualified us in the mile relay and I question the dq," noted Henry. "That's just the way it is sometimes."
Officials ruled that A&M's anchor leg on the relay impeded an LSU anchor by going wide off the final curve to the homestretch of the last lap.
Preble improved on his place in the 800 from a year ago, claiming silver in 1:48.11 to go with the bronze he earned last season. Preble, starting in lane one, led the field through each lap as he hit splits of 25.40 (200m), 52.58 (400m) and 1:20.79 (600m).
On the final circuit Preble was passed by Arizona State's Mason McHenry as the field reached the backstretch. Preble challenged, but McHenry maintained the edge to the finish for a 1:47.96 victory. Iowa's Erik Sowinski finished third in 1:48.93.
Preble, who previously held the school record with a career best of 1:47.27, recorded the seventh fastest performance on the Aggie all-time list with his 1:48.11.
Ashley Collier provided key points to the A&M women's effort with a career best of 7.24 in the 60 meters for fourth place and five points. Collier is equal No. 3 on the Aggie all-time list sharing the time with A&M All-Americans Porscha Lucas and Jeneba Tarmoh.
Oregon frosh English Gardner won the 60 final in 7.12 with another freshman, Central Florida's Octavious Freeman, in second place at 7.15. Aurieyall Scott, another UCF sprinter, placed third with a 7.20.
Finishing behind Collier's PR was Christina Manning of Ohio State (7.26), Clemson's Dezerea Bryant (7.28), Kai Selvon of Auburn (7.29) and Kimberlyn Duncan of LSU (7.30), the 200m champ from the previous night.
The Aggie men thought they wrapped up the evening with a fifth place finish in the 4 x 400 relay, running a time of 3:05.96 to finish behind LSU (3:05.80) in the second of three sections. A&M ran with the foursome of Ricky Babineaux (46.98), Joey Roberts (46.54), Deon Lendore (45.95) and Preble (46.51).
Arkansas claimed the 4 x 400 win with a 3:04.92 with Penn State runner-up at 3:05.31 while LSU finished third overall.
In the women's 4 x 400 the A&M squad placed fourth in the final section and placed fifth overall with a time of 3:33.32. The Aggie crew consisted of Ibukun Mayungbe (53.98), Kamaria Brown (52.51), Donique' Flemings (54.60) and Olivia Ekpone' (52.25).
LSU won the event with a 3:31.89 over Texas (3:32.36) and Kansas (3:33.13) who were all in the third section with the Aggies.
In the 60 hurdles Donique' Duncan placed sixth in the women's final with a time of 8.15, just off the 8.14 career best she set in the semifinal.
Wayne Davis II finished seventh in the men's 60 hurdles with a career best time of 7.70 seconds. That ties him for second on the A&M all-time list with Kris Allen, who set his best time at the 2001 NCAA Indoor meet.
Davis only trails Chris Pinnock on the all-time list. Pinnock ran the school record of 7.60 twice and also produced a 7.64. All three of those Pinnock marks were set at NCAA Championships.
A competitive women's pole vault field found Laura Asimakis tying for 16th as she cleared 13-5 ¼ (4.10). She missed three attempts at 13-9 ½ (4.20).
Players Mentioned
