Women’s Track & Field Climbs Up to No. 3, Men No. 8 in USTFCCCA National Rankings

Dominique Mustin

Photo by: Texas A&M Athletics/Tyler Pounds

Apr 26, 2021 | Track and Field

USTFCCCA Women's National Rankings USTFCCCA Men's National Rankings USTFCCCA Women's Event Squad Rankings USTFCCCA Men's Event Squad Rankings

By: Tyler Pounds, Athletics Communications

NEW ORLEANS – The Texas A&M women's track & field team moved up to No. 3 and the Aggies men's team ranks No. 8 in the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association national rankings, the organization announced Monday.

After opening the outdoor season rankings at No. 6 on March 29, the women's team has held a top five ranking since April 5 and finds itself in the top three for the first time this outdoor campaign.

The Aggies earned a boost in the rankings after Charokee Young and Deborah Acquah each recorded top three nationally ranked marks in their respective events at the LSU Alumni Gold. Young won the 400m with an outdoor personal best time of 51.49, while Acquah set an Aggie school record winning the long jump at 22-4.25 (6.81m).

Young is also part of the second-best 4×400 (Tierra Robinson-Jones, Syaira Richardson, Athing Mu) of the season that ran 3:26.73, while Acquah also holds the third-farthest distance in the triple jump of 45-5.75 (13.86m).

Lamara Distin, Dominique Mustin and the Aggies 4x400m "B" squad of Robinson-Jones, Young, Jaevin Reed and Mu each recorded national top 10 marks this past weekend. The relay ran the third fastest time in the country 3:27.16, Mustin ranks No. 8 in the 400m hurdles at 57.52 and Distin recorded the 14th best triple jump mark at 43-5.25 (13.24m).

Tyra Gittens and Mu remain NCAA-leaders in their events. Gittens leads in the high jump (6-2.75/1.90m) and heptathlon (6,274), while Mu leads in the 800m (1:57.73).

In total, the women's squad has 16 marks in the top 20 in the event descending order list. The women's long jump and triple jump groups remain No. 1 in the Event Squad rankings.

The men's team remains in the top 10 for the fifth consecutive week.

Moitalel Mpoke jumped up the national event descending order list with an impressive second place performance in the 400m hurdles this past weekend. Mpoke ran a personal best time of 49.61, which puts him as the third fastest in the country. His time made him the seventh best performer in Aggie history.

Bryce Deadmon moved to No. 2 in the NCAA after clocking a personal best in the 400m at 44.58.

Devon Achane, Brandon Miller and James Smith II each remain in the top 10 in the national descending order. Achane is No. 6 in the 200m with his season best time of 20.31 and Miller is No. 6 in the 800m at 1:47.33. Smith is No. 8 in the 400m at 49.95.

The Aggies men's 4x100m relay of Jace Comick, Emmanuel Yeboah, Achane and Lance Broome is No. 4 at 38.79, while the 4x400m relay of Miller, Deadmon, Devin Dixon and Mpoke is No. 8 at 3:03.72.