Texas A&M
Michael Johnson Classic
Aggies claim five victories at Michael Johnson Classic
Apr 18, 2015 | Track and Field
WACO – Five victories were attained by the Aggies in front of a crowd of 2,566 fans at the Michael Johnson Classic, which was held in Baylor's new track and field facility on Saturday. Earning wins for the No. 1 ranked Texas A&M squads were Jennifer Madu (100m), Deon Lendore (400m), Ioannis Kyriazis (javelin), Brea Garrett (hammer) and the Aggie women's 4x100 relay.
Finishing as the top collegian for A&M was Gregory Coleman (400 hurdles) while Ian Cazares (800m) and Devin Jenkins (100m) topped their respective events during the afternoon running session.
Lightning in the area during the evening portion of the meet created a delay as the stadium was cleared and eventually led to the remainder of the meet being cancelled. Events not contested due to the weather delay and cancellation included the men's and women's 200 meters, the women's 5,000 as well as men's and women's 4x400 relays. A few field events were in the process of being completed as well.
Deon Lendore improved his season best in winning the 400 meters in 45.14 over a pair of Brazilians, Henderson Estefani (45.41) and Hugo Souza (45.43), as well as Aldrich Bailey Jr. (45.72) and Jeremy Wariner (45.98). A&M's Deon Hickey ran 47.68 to place eighth in another section, placing 14th overall among collegians.
A career best effort of 248-6 (75.74) in the third round of the javelin secured the victory for A&M frosh Ioannis Kyriazis as he bettered the field by 30 feet and passed on his final three attempts. The winning mark improves Kyriazis standing as the No. 3 performer on the Aggie all-time list. He is also the top freshman thrower in the collegiate ranks and third on the 2015 world junior list.
Kyriazis opened with a 229-2 (69.85), improved to 242-1 (73.78) and then unleashed his best ever throw. A&M's Sam Hardin placed fifth with a mark of 194-1 (59.16).
Brea Garrett won the women's hammer with a toss of 190-11 (58.19), which is the No. 10 performance on the A&M all-time list, while Alison Ondrusek placed second with a 190-5 (58.03) effort that is the No. 11 performance. Producing career best marks were Carissa van Beek (179-6) in fifth place and Shelbi Vaughan (168-11) in seventh place as they moved to the No. 4 and No. 7 performers, respectively, on the Aggie all-time list.
Garrett also finished second in the shot put as her 51-6 ½ (15.71) trailed the winning distance of 54-9 ¼ (16.69) by Baylor's Cion Hicks. Finishing behind Garrett was Nebraska's Carlie Pinkelman at 51-4 ¼ (15.65).
The A&M women reversed the result of the 4x100 from the Texas Relays as they defeated Texas, 43.61 to 43.91, with the foursome of Jennifer Madu, Ashton Purvis, Kamaria Brown and Aaliyah Brown. Finishing third was TCU (45.27), followed by Texas Tech (45.32), George Mason (45.40), Baylor (45.43) and Nebraska (45.69).
In the men's 4x100 the leading Aggies were unable to complete the final exchange as Bralon Taplin fell to the track before he was able to get the baton to Deon Lendore. Running the first two legs for A&M were Devin Jenkins and Shavez Hart.
TCU won the men's sprint relay in 39.53 over Baylor (40.17), George Mason (40.26), and Texas Tech (40.54). Joining the Aggies in not finishing the relay were Texas and Nebraska while UT-Arlington was disqualified for passing out of the zone.
After the relay Madu came back to win the 100 meters in 11.48 (0.8 wind) over an 11.58 by Caitland Smith of Texas.
Shavez Hart set a career best of 10.10 as runner-up to a 10.02 by Baylor's Trayvon Bromell. Hart moves to equal No. 4 on the Aggie all-time list with the No. 6 performance. Hart is now equal to Stanley Kerr, who ran 10.10 in 1987, and only trails Andre Cason (10.04), Curtis Dickey (10.05) and Gerald Phiri (10.06).
The close race had Senoj-Jay Givan of Texas (10.15) in third followed by UTA's Quentin Butler (10.17), Ronnie Baker of TCU (10.18), Clayton Vaughan of UTA (10.20), Charles Silmon (10.24), Michael Bryan (10.47) and Prezel Hardy Jr. (10.86).
With an Aggie crew of five in the women's javelin Kendall Munoz led the pack as she placed second with a 157-2 (47.90) to finish behind the 169-6 (51.66) from Sarah Firestone of Nebraska. A&M's Krystyn Bradley finished third with a career best of 154-2 (47.00) while Audrey Malone was fifth at 150-11 (45.99) to set a career best as well. A pair of Aggie heptathletes also threw the javelin with Lauren Bedrich (121-8) and Shaina Burns (120-6) placing ninth and 10th.
Josh Hernandez improved his career best to 1:48.66 as runner-up in the 800 meters to a 1:48.53 by Baylor's Brandon Moore. In lowering his outdoor best of 1:49.06 from last week, Hernandez moves to No. 11 on the A&M all-time list, just 0.02 away from two marks tied for the No. 9 mark. Hernandez posted a 1:48.73 indoors this season.
Also in the same section were Aggies Gaines Kinsey (1:51.82) and Efrain Hernandez (1:52.39) who placed seventh and eighth in the race.
The women's 400 meters produced a world leader with Courtney Okolo of Texas winning in 50.99 over Longhorn teammate Kendall Baisden (51.22) as London Olympic champion Sanya Richards-Ross placed third in 51.49. Kamaria Brown established an outdoor best of 51.76 in fourth place as Shamier Little finished fifth in 51.77 ahead of former Longhorn Brianna Nelson (52.83). Brown's effort moves her to No. 5 on the A&M all-time list.
Gregory Coleman finished third with a 50.33 clocking in the 400 hurdles to a pair of professional runners as he neared his season best time 50.22. Bershawn Jackson won the race in 48.61 as Miles Ukaoma posted a 49.25 as runner-up. The next collegians in the race were Nebraska's Mate Koroknai (50.80) and Texas Tech's JW Smith (50.92).
A toss of 200-3 (61.05) in the men's hammer placed Austin Cook third behind a pair of Nebraska throwers. Will Lohman won the event with a 210-3 (64.09) effort as Nicholas Percy finished second at 203-8 (62.07). In the shot put Jeff Bartlett finished fourth with a toss of 53-3 ¾ (16.25) as Lohman claimed another win with a put of 61-4 ¾ (18.71).
Audie Wyatt tied for third in the pole vault, clearing 16-8 ¾ (5.10). Nebraska's pair of Steven Cahoy and Beau Simmons both made it over 17-2 ¾ (5.25) to claim first and second. Aggie Carl Johansson had a no height at 16-2 ¾ (4.95).
A third-place effort was turned in by Ben Skrla with a throw of 176-0 (53.64) in the discus to finish behind a pair of Longhorns in Clint Harris (181-2) and Will Spence (179-4). A&M also had Dalton Rowan (174-4) and Jeff Bartlett (173-5) place fifth and sixth.
In the high jump Sam McSwain set a career best in getting over 7-0 ½ (2.15) to place fifth while teammate Garrett Cragin finished seventh with a 6-8 ¾ (2.05) clearance. Texas Tech's duo of Jacorian Duffield and Bradley Adkins, who finished 1-2 during the NCAA Indoor Championships, both cleared 7-2 ½ (2.20) to finish first and second.
Emily Gunderson equaled her season best of 13-1 ½ (4.00) to finish in a three-way tie for fifth place. Sara Kathryn Stevens tied for 14th with a clearance of 12-5 ½ (3.80) while Brittany Wooten finished 18th in the field of 24 vaulters with a height of 11-11 ¾ (3.65).
Haley Deakins venture into the 3,000-meter steeplechase had her running a time of 11:18.55 to place fifth. Her mark moves her to No. 5 on the Aggie all-time list.
In the men's steeplechase a crew of Aggies was led by Austin Geerts, who placed third in 9:30.56 and was the second best collegian. Elliot Farris (9:32.55) and Christian Farris (9:33.06) were fourth and fifth in the race while Ryan Teel (9:34.52) and Colin Stoeber (9:42.02) finished seventh and eighth.
The evening session of the men' 1,500 had Alex Riba running 3:50.26 to place fourth as Nathan Ricketts finished sixth in 3:51.53. Austin Wells turned in a 3:52.19 and Ryan Miller posted a 3:55.04. In the women's 1,500 meters, A&M's tandem of Laura Craig (4:40.54) and Karis Jochen (4:41.55) placed third and fourth in their section and finished 13th and 14th overall.
A&M frosh Ian Cazares posted the top 800m time in the afternoon session as he clocked a season best 1:52.08 to win his section by a full second over Cody Hammonds of Houston Baptist (1:53.09) while Aggie teammate Wade Karam finished third in the section and fourth overall with a 1:53.28.
Devin Jenkins claimed the afternoon session of the 100 meters with a 10.56 (1.0 wind) as teammate Elijah Morrow placed fourth in the same section at 10.63 to place sixth overall. Finishing behind Jenkins in 10.59 was Baylor's Kevin Harris and Tulsa's Otugo Ananaba. SFA's Trevon Caudle clocked 10.58 from another section.
Aikan Graham posted a time of 52.07 in the 400 hurdles, placing third overall amid three sections as Kenneth Minkah clocked 52.92 to win his section and place ninth overall.
Colin Slattery ran 3:59.82 in the 1,500 to finish fifth among collegians in the afternoon session and seventh overall.
In the 100 hurdles a trio of A&M heptathletes competed. Ashtin Zamzow placed 14th overall with a 14.47 to finish fourth in her section as Jena Hemann posted a 14.89 for sixth in the same heat and 18th overall while Burns ran 16.03.
Hemann also tied for second place in the high jump with a clearance of 5-7 ¾ (1.72) with Nebraska's Reka Czuth. Another Cornhusker, Marusa Cernjul, claimed the win with a height of 5-9 ¾ (1.77).
Players Mentioned
