Aggies host nine-team Charlie Thomas Invitational

Feb 01, 2018 | Track and Field

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COLLEGE STATION – Texas A&M hosts the Charlie Thomas Invitational this weekend in a scored meet which includes Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Houston, Rice, South Plains, TCU, Texas Arlington and UTSA.

This meet is named after Charlie Thomas, the former Texas A&M track and field head coach for 32 years. During his coaching career with the Aggies, Thomas coached eight world and American record holders, three Olympic gold medalists, two Olympic silver medalists, nine Olympic qualifiers, 22 NCAA individual champions, and seven collegiate record holders.

"We have a few teams in here that we don't see on a normal basis like Cincinnati and Georgia Tech," said Texas A&M head coach Pat Henry. "Houston will bring in a good team and it's a good field overall.

"Our team is a hard-working group in practice, they're dedicated to what they are doing. We have one or two who are not healthy right now that we need to get back, but that's normal. My expectation going forward is about the same every year at this time. You have to compete hard and go into every competition trying to get the best out of yourself."

Action begins on Friday with a pentathlon and heptathlon at 2:30 p.m., followed by an evening session of track events starting at 6:20 p.m. The track events include an Olympic development 300 meters, along with the distance medley relay and 5,000 meters.

Aggie alum Lindon Victor, the collegiate record holder in the decathlon, will be in the heptathlon field along with current Aggies Nathan Hite and Landon Malouf while Shaina Burns competes in the pentathlon.

On Saturday there will be a recognition for Texas A&M seniors at 1:20 p.m. with finals starting at 2 p.m. The heptathlon continues at 10:30 a.m. while some field events begin at 12:30 p.m. along with prelims in the 60m and 60m hurdles.

Jacob Wooten has won four consecutive meets in the pole vault this indoor season and his latest victory at the Razorback Invitational produced a school record of 18 feet, 3 inches. That effort bettered the school record of 18-2 ½ set by current teammate Audie Wyatt when he claimed a silver medal in the 2017 NCAA Indoor Championships.

The meet record in the pole vault at the Charlie Thomas Invitational is 18-3 ½, which was set by Cincinnati's Adrian Valles last season. Valles, the 2017 NCAA Outdoor silver medalist who sports a career best of 18-6 ¼, returns with a season best of 18-4 ¾ to defend his title and offer the Aggie pair of 18-foot vaulters another challenge.

Alex Riba races in the mile this weekend after strong performances on the anchor leg of the Aggies winning effort in the distance medley relay and a career best in the 3,000m at Arkansas. Joining Riba in the race is Taylor Clayton, fresh off a career best of 4:09.05 in the mile and a solid first 1,200m leg on the distance medley relay.

In the women's distance events, both Karis Jochen (3,000m) and Kelsie Warren (5,000m) race for the first time this indoor season. Lauryn Barrientos and Ashton Hutcherson join Jochen while Devin Norton, Ashley Driscoll and Olivia Arriaza are among the Aggies racing with Warren.

After running a career best of 4:54.89 in the mile at Arkansas, Hannah Campbell races at that distance again in a field that includes the Georgia Tech pair of Amy Ruiz and Nicole Fegans along with Jennifer Dunlap of Houston.

Tyra Gittens will contest the high jump after setting a national record in the pentathlon with a score of 4,009 points last weekend. Gittens has won twice in the high jump at home meets this indoor season, clearing 5-10 ½ at the Reveille Invitational and 5-10 ¾ at the Texas A&M Quadrangular.

A challenger for Gittens is 6-1 high jumper Loretta Blaut of Cincinnati, who has placed sixth at the 2016 & 2017 NCAA Outdoor meets.

With a winning time of 23.14 in the 200m last year as a freshman, Texas A&M's Danyel White broke the meet record of 23.18 that was set by Jessica Beard in 2011. White leads a crew of Aggie sprinters in the event which includes Amber Ivy, Diamond Spaulding, and Brenessa Thompson.

Robert Grant faces a former SEC 400m champion in Kahmari Montgomery, who won 2016 SEC Indoor and Outdoor titles for Missouri and has transferred to Houston.

In the Olympic development 400m a few Aggie alums are scheduled to compete. The crew includes Bowerman winners Jessica Beard and Deon Lendore along with Bralon Taplin, the current world leader in 2018 with a time of 45.48, Olivia Ekpone and Kanika Beckles.

On Friday, there will be an Olympic development race at 300m with Aggie alums Kamaria Brown and Shamier Little along with Phyllis Francis, the 2017 World 400m Champion. The men's field includes Aggie alum Demetrius Pinder.

Defending NCAA weight throw champion Annette Echikumwoke headlines the women's shot put and weight throw this weekend. Having tossed a career best of 77-8 ¾ (23.69) last weekend, Echikumwoke will take another shot at the meet record of 74-7 ¼ (22.66) established by Texas A&M's Brea Garrett in 2014 as well as the facility record of 74-5 ½ (22.69) set in 2011 by Florida State's Felisha Johnson.