Friday, March 11
Birmingham, Ala.
Noon
Texas A&M
at
NCAA Championships
Photo by: Errol Anderson
Pair of SEC champions lead Aggies into NCAA Indoor Championships
Mar 09, 2016 | Track and Field
BIRMINGHAM – Texas A&M's indoor track and field season culminates with the NCAA Indoor Championships, held for the first time at the Birmingham Crossplex this Friday and Saturday. The Aggies enter the meet with the men nationally ranked No. 4 with the women No. 17.
Coverage of the meet will be available online through ESPN3, starting at 6:25 p.m. on Friday (http://es.pn/1p7DXbS) and 4:55 p.m. on Saturday (http://es.pn/1RuxBtr). ESPN2 will show a taped version of the meet on Sunday, March 13 at 7 p.m.
Oregon men and Florida women enter the NCAA Championships as the top ranked teams based on USTFCCCA national team computer rankings released this week. The top five men's teams include Oregon, Arkansas, Florida, Texas A&M and LSU. The women's top five include Florida, Oregon, Georgia, Arkansas and Texas.
Texas A&M men's 10 entries in seven events equals Oregon for the second highest number of entrants in the meet, trailing 12 for Arkansas. The Aggie women have five entries in four events.
"On the men's side we go in with the second highest number of people, but the numbers don't dictate anything," noted Texas A&M head coach Pat Henry. "With the ladies we're not in the top group right now going into the meet, but the national meet is different and you never know what may happen.
"We have some youth with this group and a little bit of age, but not very much. We're excited about this group, they've competed when they're supposed to compete. We've always had one or two who didn't have a great day on that same day. That's the kind of group we have right now. We've got to get over that and have everyone have a good day on the same day. That's our goal."
The Aggie men, who recently posted their highest SEC Indoor finish with a runner-up performance after placing third three consecutive years, enter the national meet with a pair of conference champions in freshman Donavan Brazier at 800m and sophomore Audie Wyatt in the pole vault. Shamier Little, the SEC runner-up in the 400m, and Annie Kunz, third in the SEC pentathlon, lead the Aggie women's squad.
In his first collegiate race at 800m, Brazier recorded the fastest non-championships collegiate time in history and the fastest collegian time, overall, since 2001. His 1:45.93 in mid-January broke the 1982 U.S. junior record of 1:47.84 set by John Marshall of Villanova. It led the 2016 world list for a full month and is currently second only to a 1:45.63.
Brazier also broke the SEC meet record, a 1:46.28 set in 1990 by Florida's Mark Everett, in winning the conference 800m title with a 1:46.08 clocking. His teammate, Hector Hernandez, finished third in a career best of 1:46.32, which ranks No. 7 on the U.S. collegiate all-time list.
"I have a lot of confidence knowing that we have two guys entered in the 800," said Brazier. "Hector is able to lead a race, it was kind of a perfect setup at SEC when he led us and I was able to follow. For the finals I think it may be a re-run of the SEC final, with Hector and Florida's Arroyo. I think it could be a SEC sweep.
"There's not enough room racing on an indoor track, so you have to get out early. Coach Francique has been training us very well, preparing us for that type of racing. If you don't get out, then you don't have a shot at winning the race."
Hernandez added: "It's been fun training and racing with Donavan. He's a freshman, but he's not just a freshman, he's really good. Having him here helped me run 1:46 in my senior year. After running 1:46 twice during the SEC meet, I would like to get 1:45 at the NCAA meet."
Three other freshman join Brazier in the NCAA field of 16 runners this weekend. The last time four frosh lined up in the NCAA prelims occurred in 2010 and a pair advanced to the final. Then Robby Andrews, a freshman from Virginia, claimed the title in 1:48.39.
Last year's winning time of 1:46.05 by Iowa State senior Edward Kemboi was the fastest in the NCAA final since the meet record of 1:45.33 was established in 2001 by Arizona's Patrick Nduwimana in his senior season. The top freshman mark ever posted in the NCAA Indoor meet was also set in that 2001 final as South Carolina's Otukile Lekote ran 1:46.13 for third place.
Wyatt broke the A&M school record with an 18 foot, 1 inch clearance to claim his first SEC title as he led an Aggie 1-2-4-8 finish that totaled 23.33 points. Joining Wyatt in the national field are senior Chase Wolfle, the SEC runner-up who was one of three Aggies to share the previous school record of 18-0 ½, and freshman Jacob Wooten, who set a career best of 17-11 this indoor season and placed fourth in the conference meet.
Tennessee's Jake Blankenship, the 2015 NCAA runner-up, is the top returner in the pole vault and the current collegiate leader with an 18-9 ¼ (5.72) clearance. Dealing with a groin injury following his season best height, Blankenship placed third in the SEC meet when he managed to clear 17-4 ½. Wolfle finished fifth at the NCAA Indoor meet last year when he matched the then A&M school record of 18-0 ½.
Little has the third best time in the collegiate 400m ranks this season with a 52.15 and she has placed third (2014) and fourth (2015) in the NCAA final the past two seasons. Top returners include defending champion Courtney Okolo of Texas as well as the runner-up in Taylor Ellis-Watson of Arkansas, who defeated Little for the SEC title. Okolo (51.06 world leader) and Ellis-Watson (51.84) have recorded the two fastest collegiate times this season.
Kunz broke the A&M pentathlon record with a score of 4,363 during the Charlie Thomas Invitational A&M hosted in early February and then produced a score of 4,277 for third place in the SEC. Last season, when five of the top seven places were occupied by SEC athletes in the NCAA pentathlon, a score over 4,200 was needed to place in the top seven.
Akela Jones of Kansas State produced the top pentathlon score of 4,643 this season while SEC champion Kendell Williams of Georgia, the two-time defending NCAA champ, has the second best tally of 4,558. Williams set the NCAA meet and collegiate record of 4,678 points last season.
In the heptathlon, Lindon Victor's school record composite of 5,776 points ranks 10th among collegians this season and would have been good enough for sixth place in the 2015 NCAA meet. SEC champion Garrett Scantling of Georgia, the top returner as NCAA runner-up, leads the collegiate ranks with a 6,020 score.
A&M's Latario Collie is the second best returning NCAA finalist in the triple jump after he finished fifth a year ago. Collie recently placed third in the SEC meet with a season best of 53-3 (16.23) that ranks eighth among collegians this year. Ben Williams of Louisville, who placed third in 2015, ranks sixth best heading into the national meet. USC's Eric Sloan, the only jumper to surpass 55 feet this indoor season, top the collegians with a 55-10 ½ (17.03) leap.
Devin Jenkins will see familiar company in the 200m as SEC sprinters have posted four of the five fastest times this season behind the collegiate leading 20.46 by Brendon Rodney of LIU Brooklyn. Jenkins has a season best of 20.58 that ranks fifth.
Jarrion Lawson of Arkansas, the 2015 NCAA long jump runner-up, shares the collegiate lead with NC State's Jonathan Addison as both have reached a mark of 26-9 ¾ (8.17). Aggie Will Williams, who placed third in the SEC Indoor, is equal 10th entering the NCAA meet with his season best effort of 25-9 ¼ (7.85).
After Texas A&M set the collegiate record in the 4x400 relay the past two years, this season they enter the national meet as the 11th best team among the field of 12 with a season best of 3:06.73. The Aggies have a whole new line-up from the crew of four seniors that won the 2015 NCAA title in a collegiate record of 3:02.86. The collegiate leading relay going into this weekend is Florida, who posted a 3:04.02 in winning the SEC title.
A new champion will be crowned in the women's 60m and SEC sprinters will likely be a big factor in who comes away with the title. The 60m leaders are Florida's Shayla Sanders (7.17) and conference champion Mikiah Brisco of LSU (7.18). Aggie Jennifer Madu, who placed eighth in the 2014 NCAA final, enters the meet with a season best of 7.26, which equals ninth best among the field of 16.
In the women's 200m a 22.45 from SEC champion Felicia Brown of Tennessee is the world leading time while defending NCAA champion Kyra Jefferson of Florida follows with a 22.72. A&M will have a pair of sprinters in the field with Diamond Spaulding (23.19) and Aaliyah Brown (23.30), who rank ninth and 13th, respectively.
Spaulding was the lone freshman to contest the SEC final as she finished fifth with her top time this season. She is one of three frosh in the NCAA field. Brown placed eighth in the NCAA 60m final a year ago.
Coverage of the meet will be available online through ESPN3, starting at 6:25 p.m. on Friday (http://es.pn/1p7DXbS) and 4:55 p.m. on Saturday (http://es.pn/1RuxBtr). ESPN2 will show a taped version of the meet on Sunday, March 13 at 7 p.m.
Oregon men and Florida women enter the NCAA Championships as the top ranked teams based on USTFCCCA national team computer rankings released this week. The top five men's teams include Oregon, Arkansas, Florida, Texas A&M and LSU. The women's top five include Florida, Oregon, Georgia, Arkansas and Texas.
Texas A&M men's 10 entries in seven events equals Oregon for the second highest number of entrants in the meet, trailing 12 for Arkansas. The Aggie women have five entries in four events.
"On the men's side we go in with the second highest number of people, but the numbers don't dictate anything," noted Texas A&M head coach Pat Henry. "With the ladies we're not in the top group right now going into the meet, but the national meet is different and you never know what may happen.
"We have some youth with this group and a little bit of age, but not very much. We're excited about this group, they've competed when they're supposed to compete. We've always had one or two who didn't have a great day on that same day. That's the kind of group we have right now. We've got to get over that and have everyone have a good day on the same day. That's our goal."
The Aggie men, who recently posted their highest SEC Indoor finish with a runner-up performance after placing third three consecutive years, enter the national meet with a pair of conference champions in freshman Donavan Brazier at 800m and sophomore Audie Wyatt in the pole vault. Shamier Little, the SEC runner-up in the 400m, and Annie Kunz, third in the SEC pentathlon, lead the Aggie women's squad.
In his first collegiate race at 800m, Brazier recorded the fastest non-championships collegiate time in history and the fastest collegian time, overall, since 2001. His 1:45.93 in mid-January broke the 1982 U.S. junior record of 1:47.84 set by John Marshall of Villanova. It led the 2016 world list for a full month and is currently second only to a 1:45.63.
Brazier also broke the SEC meet record, a 1:46.28 set in 1990 by Florida's Mark Everett, in winning the conference 800m title with a 1:46.08 clocking. His teammate, Hector Hernandez, finished third in a career best of 1:46.32, which ranks No. 7 on the U.S. collegiate all-time list.
"I have a lot of confidence knowing that we have two guys entered in the 800," said Brazier. "Hector is able to lead a race, it was kind of a perfect setup at SEC when he led us and I was able to follow. For the finals I think it may be a re-run of the SEC final, with Hector and Florida's Arroyo. I think it could be a SEC sweep.
"There's not enough room racing on an indoor track, so you have to get out early. Coach Francique has been training us very well, preparing us for that type of racing. If you don't get out, then you don't have a shot at winning the race."
Hernandez added: "It's been fun training and racing with Donavan. He's a freshman, but he's not just a freshman, he's really good. Having him here helped me run 1:46 in my senior year. After running 1:46 twice during the SEC meet, I would like to get 1:45 at the NCAA meet."
Three other freshman join Brazier in the NCAA field of 16 runners this weekend. The last time four frosh lined up in the NCAA prelims occurred in 2010 and a pair advanced to the final. Then Robby Andrews, a freshman from Virginia, claimed the title in 1:48.39.
Last year's winning time of 1:46.05 by Iowa State senior Edward Kemboi was the fastest in the NCAA final since the meet record of 1:45.33 was established in 2001 by Arizona's Patrick Nduwimana in his senior season. The top freshman mark ever posted in the NCAA Indoor meet was also set in that 2001 final as South Carolina's Otukile Lekote ran 1:46.13 for third place.
Wyatt broke the A&M school record with an 18 foot, 1 inch clearance to claim his first SEC title as he led an Aggie 1-2-4-8 finish that totaled 23.33 points. Joining Wyatt in the national field are senior Chase Wolfle, the SEC runner-up who was one of three Aggies to share the previous school record of 18-0 ½, and freshman Jacob Wooten, who set a career best of 17-11 this indoor season and placed fourth in the conference meet.
Tennessee's Jake Blankenship, the 2015 NCAA runner-up, is the top returner in the pole vault and the current collegiate leader with an 18-9 ¼ (5.72) clearance. Dealing with a groin injury following his season best height, Blankenship placed third in the SEC meet when he managed to clear 17-4 ½. Wolfle finished fifth at the NCAA Indoor meet last year when he matched the then A&M school record of 18-0 ½.
Little has the third best time in the collegiate 400m ranks this season with a 52.15 and she has placed third (2014) and fourth (2015) in the NCAA final the past two seasons. Top returners include defending champion Courtney Okolo of Texas as well as the runner-up in Taylor Ellis-Watson of Arkansas, who defeated Little for the SEC title. Okolo (51.06 world leader) and Ellis-Watson (51.84) have recorded the two fastest collegiate times this season.
Kunz broke the A&M pentathlon record with a score of 4,363 during the Charlie Thomas Invitational A&M hosted in early February and then produced a score of 4,277 for third place in the SEC. Last season, when five of the top seven places were occupied by SEC athletes in the NCAA pentathlon, a score over 4,200 was needed to place in the top seven.
Akela Jones of Kansas State produced the top pentathlon score of 4,643 this season while SEC champion Kendell Williams of Georgia, the two-time defending NCAA champ, has the second best tally of 4,558. Williams set the NCAA meet and collegiate record of 4,678 points last season.
In the heptathlon, Lindon Victor's school record composite of 5,776 points ranks 10th among collegians this season and would have been good enough for sixth place in the 2015 NCAA meet. SEC champion Garrett Scantling of Georgia, the top returner as NCAA runner-up, leads the collegiate ranks with a 6,020 score.
A&M's Latario Collie is the second best returning NCAA finalist in the triple jump after he finished fifth a year ago. Collie recently placed third in the SEC meet with a season best of 53-3 (16.23) that ranks eighth among collegians this year. Ben Williams of Louisville, who placed third in 2015, ranks sixth best heading into the national meet. USC's Eric Sloan, the only jumper to surpass 55 feet this indoor season, top the collegians with a 55-10 ½ (17.03) leap.
Devin Jenkins will see familiar company in the 200m as SEC sprinters have posted four of the five fastest times this season behind the collegiate leading 20.46 by Brendon Rodney of LIU Brooklyn. Jenkins has a season best of 20.58 that ranks fifth.
Jarrion Lawson of Arkansas, the 2015 NCAA long jump runner-up, shares the collegiate lead with NC State's Jonathan Addison as both have reached a mark of 26-9 ¾ (8.17). Aggie Will Williams, who placed third in the SEC Indoor, is equal 10th entering the NCAA meet with his season best effort of 25-9 ¼ (7.85).
After Texas A&M set the collegiate record in the 4x400 relay the past two years, this season they enter the national meet as the 11th best team among the field of 12 with a season best of 3:06.73. The Aggies have a whole new line-up from the crew of four seniors that won the 2015 NCAA title in a collegiate record of 3:02.86. The collegiate leading relay going into this weekend is Florida, who posted a 3:04.02 in winning the SEC title.
A new champion will be crowned in the women's 60m and SEC sprinters will likely be a big factor in who comes away with the title. The 60m leaders are Florida's Shayla Sanders (7.17) and conference champion Mikiah Brisco of LSU (7.18). Aggie Jennifer Madu, who placed eighth in the 2014 NCAA final, enters the meet with a season best of 7.26, which equals ninth best among the field of 16.
In the women's 200m a 22.45 from SEC champion Felicia Brown of Tennessee is the world leading time while defending NCAA champion Kyra Jefferson of Florida follows with a 22.72. A&M will have a pair of sprinters in the field with Diamond Spaulding (23.19) and Aaliyah Brown (23.30), who rank ninth and 13th, respectively.
Spaulding was the lone freshman to contest the SEC final as she finished fifth with her top time this season. She is one of three frosh in the NCAA field. Brown placed eighth in the NCAA 60m final a year ago.
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