Aggies Complete Day One of the Willie Williams Classic

Photo by: Errol Anderson

Mar 20, 2021 | Track and Field

By: Tyler Pounds, Athletics Communications

TUCSON, Ariz. – The Texas A&M men's and women's track & field teams claimed six event titles on day one of the Willie Williams Classic in Tucson, Arizona, at the Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Friday night.

Competing in an outdoor meet for the first time since 2019, the Aggies won three events on the men's side and three on the women's side. Aside from the event titles, nine Aggies set a personal best.

Darius Clark started the evening off winning the men's long jump at 7.62m/25-0, nearly eight inches farther than the rest of the field. After qualifying for the finals with jumps of 7.40m/24-3.5, it was on his fifth attempt that Clark let one loose landing at 7.62m/25-0, good enough to win the event.

Zhane Smith won the women's long jump competition with a leap of 6.06m/19-10.75, completing the Texas A&M sweep. Ciynamon Stevenson finished second (5.94m/19-6), while Taryn Milton placed fourth (5.86m/19-2.75).

The Maroon & White also swept the 400m hurdles as Dominique Mustin won the women's race at an NCAA-leading time of 59.37, while James Smith, Jr. won the men's race clocking 49.95. Smith became the 11th best performer in Texas A&M history and currently leads the NCAA. Fellow Aggies Moitalel Mpoke and Kirk Collins, Jr. finished second and third, Mpoke at a personal best time of 50.43 and Collins at 52.42.

Devon Achane won the men's 200m finishing as the top collegiate runner in the race at a personal best time of 20.76. His mark is an early NCAA-leading time. Lance Broome followed in third place clocking 21.00.

Distance runner Julia Black won the women's 3000m steeplechase at a personal best time of 10:54.86, nearly 16-seconds faster than her previous best. Black also became the sixth best performer in the event all-time in Aggie history. Rachel Bernardo placed second at 11:12.20.

Brandon Miller led the Aggies in the 1500m finishing second at 3:50.68, followed by Eric Casarez in fifth at 3:55.08.

Throwers Sam Hankins, William Petersson, Josh Brown and Jenna Ellis each recorded top five finishes in their respective events.

Hankins led the Aggies in the javelin finishing third with a throw of 64.80m/212-7, while Petersson placed fourth at 63.60m/208-8 on his only throw in the competition. Ellis finished fourth in the women's javelin with her mark landing at 45.69m/149-11, besting her previous personal best by three feet.

Brown finished fifth in the men's discus at 51.40m/168-7.

Day two of the Willie Williams Classic begins for the Aggies at 2:05 p.m CT and wraps up with the 4x400m's at 4:05 p.m. CT.

Texas A&M Quotes
Head Coach Pat Henry
on the first day of competition:
"I'm pleased with some of the things that happened today and not as pleased with some areas. Overall, it was a pretty good day and kind of set us up to see what we can do tomorrow."

on what stood out:
"Our long jumpers competed, didn't necessarily jump far but they won. Our intermediate hurdlers probably had the best day of anybody. Dominique [Mustin] running a 59.37 is a good opener for her. Our group of male hurdlers ran well. James [Smith, Jr.] to run 49.95 and Mo [Moitalel Mpoke] to run 50-point are good runs for the first time on the track. I also thought Devon [Achane] looked good in the 200m."

on Julia Black:
"I thought Julia [Black] looked pretty good. To get one under her belt was good because it has been awhile. She learned some things about what she needs to do inside a race because she is going to have to run much faster than that to be competitive, but still it's her best race and that's what you have to do is get on the track and run the best you can each opportunity you have."

on the men's throwers:
"I wasn't pleased with our male discus throwers. Our javelin group doesn't look to be 100%, first meet of the year and that's not good. Sam [Hankins] competed well. It's a learning experience for him because he's a freshman, he's never competed against this level of competition."