AUSTIN – As a pair of Aggies compete in the first day of the heptathlon and decathlon at Mike A. Myers Stadium on Wednesday, the bulk of the Texas A&M track and field team will showcase their talents in the 92nd Texas Relays over the course of the next three days.
With a score of 3,709 points, Tyra Gittens leads the heptathlon field through four events of the first day. Nathan Hite is currently second with 4,055 points through five events from the first day of the decathlon.
Having generated 86 victories over the past 11 seasons, the Texas Relays have given the Aggies numerous opportunities to display their championship caliber over a range of events. Of the 86 wins, 39 have occurred in relays with 31 individual titles and another 16 attained in B division events.
Texas A&M's prominence in the Texas Relays over the past 11 years has netted the Aggies team of the meet accolades seven times.
The A&M men and women were honored as the top team of the Texas Relays in 2009, 2010 and 2011, which coincided with the triple double the Aggies achieved in winning both team titles at the NCAA Championships those same three seasons. The Texas A&M men were chosen as the top team in the Texas Relays four times – 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
"We always look forward to going to Austin to compete," said Texas A&M head coach Pat Henry, in his 15th season with the Aggies. "It's a great environment to run in front of, plus there will be great competition. If you're an athlete you look forward to this kind of environment and this kind of track meet."
This weekend the Aggies have entered 11 relay events – six for the men and five for the women. The A&M men will race in the 4x800 while both the men and women compete in the 4x100, 4x200, 4x400, sprint medley and distance medley relays.
Last year the Aggies won three relays – men's and women's 4x800, men's 4x400 – while placing second in five other relay events and third in another.
Gittens heptathlon score leads runner-up Ashtin Zamzow of Texas (3,606) by 103 points with Jordan Gray of Kennesaw State (3,393) and Erin Marsh of Duke (3,380) in third and fourth place. Gittens, who placed second in the Texas Relays a year ago, approached her career best first day score of 3,842 points from last year's SEC Championships.
"Last year, with me feeling great, I scored over 3,800 points on my first day at SECs," noted Gittens. "Running times today that were not very good for me, and to still score 3,700 points is very promising. I'm really excited for this season."
Opening the heptathlon with a time of 13.82 (1.9 wind) in the 100m hurdles earned Gittens 1,017 points. Then a career best clearance of 6-1 ½ (1.87) in the high jump added 1,067 points to her tally, moving Gittens into the overall lead at 2,071 points. The high jump height moved Gittens to equal No. 2 performer and equal No. 3 performance on the Aggie all-time list.
"Today was so overwhelming," stated Gittens. "I was really, really happy I was able to come out and compete today in the first place. My goal in the high jump for this season is 6-2 ¾ (1.90), so to clear a PR of 6-1 ½ and then attempt that height is very exciting, even from a short approach."
Another career best effort followed in the shot put as GIttens' final attempt reached a distance of 45-7 (13.89) for 787 points. In the 200m, Gittens clocked 25.39 (2.4 wind) to pick up 851 points and wrap up the first day.
"I love shot put, but I wasn't listening to coach on the first two throws. When I finally realized that he knows best, then my last throw went out there. I'm so happy to PR twice in those two events today when I'm not even feeling my best."
Gabe Moore of Arkansas leads the decathlon with 4,150 points with Hite trailing by just 95 points. Paris Williams of Kennesaw State (3,932) is third while Rodney Littlejohn of Incarnate Word (3,895) is in fourth place.
Hite, who finished seventh in the Texas Relays decathlon last season, started with the second best time among the field in the 100m with a 10.78 (2.4 wind) that picked up a solid 910 points. A long jump career best of 22-10 ½ (6.97) earned 807 points while a shot put toss of 46-0 ¾ (14.03) added 730.
In the high jump, Hite cleared 6-3 ½ (1.92) for 731 points and then produced the best time in the 400m at 48.67 for 877 points.
Thursday's action will feature distance races along with the prelims of the 400m hurdles on the track while a pair of Aggies – Carl Johansson and Robin Nool – compete in one of the multiple divisions of the pole vault at 11 a.m.
A four-man A&M 400m hurdle crew of Ilolo Izu, the defending champion, Infinite Tucker, DeWitt Thomas and Tyler Hart competes in prelims at 5 p.m. They are followed by the 1,500m with Valarie Bradley and Hannah Campbell in the women's race and Jon Bishop in the men's.
Racing in the 3,000m steeplechase for the A&M women are Rachel Bernardo and Ashton Hutcherson while the men are represented by Raymond Gonzales and Zephyr Seagraves. Hutcherson and Seagraves each placed fifth a year ago in their respective races.
Ashley Driscoll competes in the 5,000m on Thursday night while the men's field includes Jacob Perry and Brandt Preston.
With a score of 3,709 points, Tyra Gittens leads the heptathlon field through four events of the first day. Nathan Hite is currently second with 4,055 points through five events from the first day of the decathlon.
Having generated 86 victories over the past 11 seasons, the Texas Relays have given the Aggies numerous opportunities to display their championship caliber over a range of events. Of the 86 wins, 39 have occurred in relays with 31 individual titles and another 16 attained in B division events.
Texas A&M's prominence in the Texas Relays over the past 11 years has netted the Aggies team of the meet accolades seven times.
The A&M men and women were honored as the top team of the Texas Relays in 2009, 2010 and 2011, which coincided with the triple double the Aggies achieved in winning both team titles at the NCAA Championships those same three seasons. The Texas A&M men were chosen as the top team in the Texas Relays four times – 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
"We always look forward to going to Austin to compete," said Texas A&M head coach Pat Henry, in his 15th season with the Aggies. "It's a great environment to run in front of, plus there will be great competition. If you're an athlete you look forward to this kind of environment and this kind of track meet."
This weekend the Aggies have entered 11 relay events – six for the men and five for the women. The A&M men will race in the 4x800 while both the men and women compete in the 4x100, 4x200, 4x400, sprint medley and distance medley relays.
Last year the Aggies won three relays – men's and women's 4x800, men's 4x400 – while placing second in five other relay events and third in another.
Gittens heptathlon score leads runner-up Ashtin Zamzow of Texas (3,606) by 103 points with Jordan Gray of Kennesaw State (3,393) and Erin Marsh of Duke (3,380) in third and fourth place. Gittens, who placed second in the Texas Relays a year ago, approached her career best first day score of 3,842 points from last year's SEC Championships.
"Last year, with me feeling great, I scored over 3,800 points on my first day at SECs," noted Gittens. "Running times today that were not very good for me, and to still score 3,700 points is very promising. I'm really excited for this season."
Opening the heptathlon with a time of 13.82 (1.9 wind) in the 100m hurdles earned Gittens 1,017 points. Then a career best clearance of 6-1 ½ (1.87) in the high jump added 1,067 points to her tally, moving Gittens into the overall lead at 2,071 points. The high jump height moved Gittens to equal No. 2 performer and equal No. 3 performance on the Aggie all-time list.
"Today was so overwhelming," stated Gittens. "I was really, really happy I was able to come out and compete today in the first place. My goal in the high jump for this season is 6-2 ¾ (1.90), so to clear a PR of 6-1 ½ and then attempt that height is very exciting, even from a short approach."
Another career best effort followed in the shot put as GIttens' final attempt reached a distance of 45-7 (13.89) for 787 points. In the 200m, Gittens clocked 25.39 (2.4 wind) to pick up 851 points and wrap up the first day.
"I love shot put, but I wasn't listening to coach on the first two throws. When I finally realized that he knows best, then my last throw went out there. I'm so happy to PR twice in those two events today when I'm not even feeling my best."
Gabe Moore of Arkansas leads the decathlon with 4,150 points with Hite trailing by just 95 points. Paris Williams of Kennesaw State (3,932) is third while Rodney Littlejohn of Incarnate Word (3,895) is in fourth place.
Hite, who finished seventh in the Texas Relays decathlon last season, started with the second best time among the field in the 100m with a 10.78 (2.4 wind) that picked up a solid 910 points. A long jump career best of 22-10 ½ (6.97) earned 807 points while a shot put toss of 46-0 ¾ (14.03) added 730.
In the high jump, Hite cleared 6-3 ½ (1.92) for 731 points and then produced the best time in the 400m at 48.67 for 877 points.
Thursday's action will feature distance races along with the prelims of the 400m hurdles on the track while a pair of Aggies – Carl Johansson and Robin Nool – compete in one of the multiple divisions of the pole vault at 11 a.m.
A four-man A&M 400m hurdle crew of Ilolo Izu, the defending champion, Infinite Tucker, DeWitt Thomas and Tyler Hart competes in prelims at 5 p.m. They are followed by the 1,500m with Valarie Bradley and Hannah Campbell in the women's race and Jon Bishop in the men's.
Racing in the 3,000m steeplechase for the A&M women are Rachel Bernardo and Ashton Hutcherson while the men are represented by Raymond Gonzales and Zephyr Seagraves. Hutcherson and Seagraves each placed fifth a year ago in their respective races.
Ashley Driscoll competes in the 5,000m on Thursday night while the men's field includes Jacob Perry and Brandt Preston.