Chase Wolfle, Jazmine Fray set A&M records during Michael Johnson Invitational

Saturday, April 23

Waco, Texas

All Day

Texas A&M

Michael Johnson Classic

Photo by: Errol Anderson

Apr 23, 2016 | Track and Field

WACO – A pair of schools records highlighted the Aggies performance during the Michael Johnson Invitational on Saturday as senior Chase Wolfle matched the pole vault record of 18-6 ½ set earlier this month while freshman Jazmine Fray bettered an 800m record that has lasted three decades.

Fray broke a 33-year-old Texas A&M school record in the 800m as she clocked a 2:03.25 to place third overall and finish as the top collegian. The previous record of 2:05.49 was set by Suzanne Sheffield at the Drake Relays in 1983.

"The tactics were definitely different racing post-collegians this week compared to being in a dual meet last week," noted Fray. "In the dual meet I knew I had to go out and to gauge what I needed to go out in and felt comfortable with. I took what I learned from that meet into today's race."

The time by Fray is the current world junior leader for 2016. She finished the race behind a pair of post-collegians in Laura Roesler (2:00.72) and Dana Mecke (2:02.20). The next collegian to finish behind Fray was Baylor's Jessica Purtell in 2:07.39 with Aggie teammate Katie Willard running 2:08.19. Fray splits included 59.4 at 400m and 1:31.5 at 600m.

"I was so ecstatic when I looked at the clock," said Fray. "I thought I ran 2:05, or maybe 2:04, but I didn't think I ran 2:03. So, I was definitely amazed and so thankful. I'm excited for what the future holds."

Wolfle won the pole vault with a clearance of 18-6 ½ (5.65), which equals the A&M school record set by Audie Wyatt during the Texas Relays in early April. The winning height is also the Olympic Trials standard.

Wolfle had first attempt clearances on four heights, 17-2 ¾ (5.25), 17-6 ¾ (5.35), 17-10 ¾ (5.45) and 18-2 ½ (5.55). After missing at 18-4 ½ (5.60), he passed to 18-6 ½ (5.65), making on his first attempt. Then Wolfle missed three tries at the Olympic Games standard of 18-8 ¼ (5.70).

"It was good," said Wolfle of being mobbed by teammates in the pole vault pit after he completed his record height. "I'm still kind of in awe right now. Clearing the Olympic Trials standard extends the summer a little bit. It's nice to be back jumping high again. It's been 18 or 19 months since I put up a big bar outdoors. It's good to get up there and jump high again.

"I don't know that I've cleared that many first attempts in a meet in all my years of pole vaulting. It was good to get those bars in early and then it just kept going."

Finishing behind Wolfle were Dylan Bell of Air Force (18-2 ½) and Texas Tech's Brandon Bray (17-2 ¾). A&M teammates Carl Johansson and Jacob Wooten each cleared 17-2 ¾ in placing fourth and sixth, respectively.

Shelbi Vaughan claimed the discus with her best effort of the season as she reached a distance of 199-3 (60.73). That mark currently ranks second among collegians, trailing a 200-5 (61.10) performance by USC's Tera Novy that was set last week, and equals the No. 9 performance by Vaughan at Texas A&M.

"At first the ring was a little slippery today, so I cleaned off my shoes a bit and that helped," stated Vaughan. "I practiced once this week, actually, and it was an amazing practice. So, I came out here thinking about what I did at that practice. My two best throws were just outside of the left sector.

"I would say I'm back, finally. Having my season best, and some far throws out there was really good."

Finishing behind Vaughan were Valarie Allman of Stanford (190-11), Texas Tech's Hannah Carson (178-8) and Cion Hicks of Baylor (169-4). A&M's Celine Markert improved to 167-7 (51.08) as she remains in the No. 7 position on the Aggie all-time list.

In the 4x400 the A&M men posted a winning time of 3:02.96 over Texas Tech (3:05.18), Stanford (3:05.59) and Baylor (3:06.68). The relay consisted of Deon Hickey (47.1), Robert Grant (45.0), Donavan Brazier (45.7) and Fred Kerley (45.2).

A second Aggie 4x400 crew placed fifth overall in winning their section in 3:07.64 with the order of Hector Hernandez, Richard Rose, Eric Age and DeWitt Thomas. A third A&M squad won their section in 3:11.03 to place ninth overall, running with a foursome of Aikan Graham, Jackson Davis, Kris Brander and Ryan Mehl.

The Aggie women rallied in the 4x100 to claim the victory in 43.65 over Baylor's 43.69. Diamond Spaulding anchored the A&M effort, passing the Bear's Justise Dayries in the final five meters of the race. The first three legs for the Aggies included Jennifer Madu, Jarra Owens and Brenessa Thompson.

Texas A&M women just missed the 4x100 stadium record of 43.61 set by the Aggies last year when that unit included Madu, Ashton Purvis, Kamaria Brown and Aaliyah Brown.

Thompson later won the 100m in 11.31 (-0.3), moving to No. 10 on the A&M all-time list, over Baylor's Taylor Bennett (11.33) with Madu third at 11.39.

Latario Collie matched his collegiate leading mark to win the triple jump with a leap of 53-8 ½ (16.37), defeating Baylor's Felix Obi (52-5 ½) as A&M's Jeffrey Prothro (50-10) and Lathone Collie (50-5 ½) placed fourth and sixth.

Shamier Little posted a career best time of 23.17 as runner-up in the 200m, which moved her to No. 12 on the A&M all-time list. Baylor's Kiana Horton won the race in 23.02 as Spaulding placed third in 23.38 with Briyahna Desrosiers placing fourth at 23.84.

The women's 4x400 crew placed second with a time of 3:37.36 behind Stanford's winning time of 3:33.96 while Texas State finished third in 3:38.98. The Aggie quartet included Glorilisha Carter, Ebony Crear, Brenessa Thompson and Jarra Owens.

Lauren Fontana clocked a career best of 4:30.92 to place sixth in the 1,500m and moved to No. 9 on the Aggie all-time list. Laura Craig ran 4:44.46 to finish 15^th overall.

Elijah Morrow claimed the collegiate section of the men's 200m in 20.66 over a 20.81 from Blake Bartlett of Oklahoma Baptist and 20.96 by Texas Tech's Andrew Hudson. Deon Hickey, racing in an earlier section, placed fourth overall with a 21.26. In the men's 100m Morrow ran 10.49 to place third overall among collegians as Aaron Sims finished eighth with a 10.63.

Jackson Davis led the crew of Aggies in the 400m hurdles as he clocked 51.14 to win his section and place second overall to a 50.74 by JW Smith of Texas Tech. Aikan Graham (4^th - 51.49), Kris Brander (5^th - 51.86) and DeWitt Thomas (9^th - 52.66) all placed among the top nine among the field of 28 hurdlers.

A winning javelin toss of 198-3 (60.42) by Texas Tech's Hannah Carson claimed the U.S. and collegiate lead from A&M's Maggie Malone, who didn't compete this weekend. As Carson moved to No. 3 on the all-time collegiate list and No. 5 on the U.S. all-time list, Malone was bumped down one position to No. 4 and No. 6 on each list.

Runner-up to Carson among the collegians was Stanford freshman Mackenzie Little with a throw of 181-10 (55.43). Ariana Ince, a volunteer assistant coach at Texas A&M, threw 183-9 (56.00).

Aggie freshman Madalaine Stulce threw a career best of 162-2 (49.44) to place third while teammate Kristen Clark finished fourth with a 160-4 (48.87) effort. Stulce opened the season with a 146-1 from the UTSA meet the last week of March, and surpassed that mark with each of her throws today. Her series included marks of 157-8 (48.06), 150-0 (45.72), 162-2 (49.44), 148-1 (45.15), 160-6 (48.94), foul.