Texas A&M Travels to Lubbock for Texas Tech Invitational

Friday, January 29

Lubbock, Texas

Texas A&M

Texas Tech Invitational

Photo by: Tyler Pounds/Texas A&M Athletics

Jan 28, 2021 | Track and Field

Meet Notes Meet Schedule Heat Sheets Live Stream Live Results

By: Tyler Pounds, Athletics Communications

LUBBOCK, Texas – The Texas A&M track & field programs hit the road for the first time in the 2021 season to compete in the two-day Texas Tech Invitational beginning Friday at the Sports Performance Center.

Meet Day Experience
The meet begins Friday with the multi-events at 11 a.m., followed by field events at 3:30 p.m. and running events at 5 p.m. Track and field events begin at noon on Saturday. No tickets will be available for sale to the general public.

How to Keep Up
Fans can follow @aggietfxc on twitter for live updates as well as following live results provided by PrimeTime Timing. The meet can be seen on the Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

Aggies Preview
Nearly 40 Aggies enter the invitational. The Texas A&M women's team is ranked No. 2 in week one of the USTFCCCA national rankings, while the men entered at No. 11. It is the second time in three seasons the Aggie women opened up ranked No. 2 and the 13th consecutive season the men ranked in the top 15 in the week one polls.

USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week, Athing Mu returns to action entering as a member of the 4x400m. Mu earned the weekly accolade after breaking a 40-year old record in the 600m winning the Aggie Invitational at a time of 1:25.80. The versatile runner also clocked a 50.94 split in the 4x400m to help the Aggies finish at 3:32.39, the second fastest relay in the NCAA this season.

Texas A&M has representation across the board, the Maroon & White have 19 marks ranked in the top 20 in the country. Multiple Aggies are ranked in the top 10 in their respective events. Mu leads the NCAA in the 800m (2:01.07), while Deborah Acquah (long jump, 6.65m/21-10) ranks No. 2 in the nation. Syaira Richardson and Kaylah Robinson rank No. 4 in the NCAA, Richardson in the 400m (52.92) and Robinson in the 60m hurdles (8.16). The women's 4x400m relay of Charokee Young, Mu, Laila Owens and Richardson is No. 2 in the nation (3:32.39).

Tyra Gittens led the NCAA in 2020 in the pentathlon is scheduled to make her 2021 debut in the event. She ranks No. 2 in the high jump (1.87m/6-1.5), No. 3 in the long jump (6.62m/21-8.75) and No. 19 in the 60m hurdles (8.34).

Bryce Deadmon leads the No. 11 Aggie men squad, he ranks No. 2 in the 400m at 45.68. Connor Schulman and Lance Broome rank in the top 10 as well, Schulman is No. 5 in the 60m hurdles (7.85) and Broome is No. 8 in the 200m (20.95). The Aggie quartet of Jake Lanier, James Smith, Jr., Moitalel Mpoke and Deadmon has clocked the second fastest 4x400m relay in the nation at 3:06.28.

The Competition
One of the most competitive meets the Aggies have entered this season features host Texas Tech, Baylor, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas, Arizona and Arizona State.

Coaches Box
Head Coach Pat Henry
On the Texas Tech Invitational:
"I think this is another step up on the ladder of the season, each athlete is thinking about what they did last week and how they can improve. We have a great mix of teams to compete against, it's a really good field and just about every event will be very competitive."

On Tyra Gittens competing in the pentathlon:
"It will be her first multi-event of the season and I know she has been looking forward to this weekend. This will be a pretty good field for her to get the first pentathlon under her belt."

Multi-athlete Tyra Gittens
On the excitement to compete in her first pentathlon of the season:
"I'm definitely excited to shake the rust off because the first pentathlon is about having to get your body back in the rhythm of doing multiple events in one day. The excitement is there, I cannot sleep because I'm so excited but I have to control my energy and stay focused."

On her mentality and main focus this weekend:
"The focus for a multi is different, you don't just have long jump or high jump. The mentality itself is different, it's a little easier going but it's really just focusing on one event at a time. I've been competing for a long time so I don't get nervous for a multi, my main goal is to come out healthy and to finish strong in the 800m."