Aggies enjoy successful start to indoor season at Reveille Invitational

Aggies enjoy successful start to indoor season at Reveille Invitational
Four NCAA provisional marks set as Texas A&M records nine victories

Dec. 12, 2009

College Station - A second campaign opened in the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium on Saturday evening with the Texas A&M women producing four marks that bettered the NCAA provisional standard for the 2010 season.

Amid a four-team meet involving Baylor, Houston and TCU, the Aggies totaled nine victories amid a crowd of 1,205. The wins for A&M included a 1-2-3-4 sweep in the women's 60 meters and a 1-2-3 sweep in the men's 60m hurdles.

Of the 20 events contested, 10 per gender, only three events didn't have a meet record bettered from last season when the meet featured only Texas A&M and Houston in a test run for the inaugural season at the McFerrin Athletic Center.

"I liked what we were able to accomplish today, I liked how the group performed," Texas A&M coach Pat Henry said.

Porscha Lucas led a trio of Aggie NCAA provisional qualifiers in the 60 meters, which was run in a three-section final. Lucas breezed to a 7.33 win in heat one while Gabby Mayo controlled heat three in 7.34. Jeneba Tarmoh won the second heat in 7.39 seconds to place third overall.

Dominique Duncan, second to Mayo, finished fourth overall with a 7.50 while Elizabeth Adeoti, third in the same heat, placed seventh at 7.56.

"I was very pleased with my races today," said Tarmoh, who also ran a leg of the 4 x 400. "Last year I opened with a 7.5 and didn't run 7.31 until February. Now I've been able to run 7.39 in December. That's a big sign."

In the men's 60 hurdles, frosh Wayne Davis II turned his debut with the Aggies into a 7.99 victory over teammate De'Lon Isom, who clocked 8.13 for second. Melvin Echard completed the A&M sweep by placing third in 8.27.

"I'm not pleased with the time, but I'm real happy with the win," Davis noted. "For my first collegiate race I'm just glad that we can start racing. With a little more training and time things will get better.

"It's just December and I usually don't start this early. So I think it's a good time in that regard, but I usually hold myself to a higher standard. There is a lot of training and race time between now and the Big 12 and NCAAs."

Another victory for the A&M women included junior Natasha Ruddock enjoying a successful debut in the 60m hurdles as she recorded a NCAA provisional mark of 8.42 ahead of Vashti Thomas (8.53) and Aggie frosh Donique' Flemings (8.64).

"I'm excited for the win," Ruddock said. "The track is very nice. I'm so happy I chose this school. The facilities are great and this is a good environment for me.

"I believe I'm doing much better earlier in the season. Running an 8.42 is a good opener. There are still things to improve on, like my start. I hit the first hurdle a little bit, but it was a good race overall."

In relays the Aggies finished 1-2 in the women's 4 x 400, where Texas A&M enters the season as defending NCAA champions. The foursome of Brittany Machacek, Jessica Beard, Katy Eudaly and Gabby Mayo won in 3:42.83.

Challenging for the win was the A&M crew of Sandy Wooten, Jeneba Tarmoh, Porscha Lucas and Tiffany Singleton. TCU finished third in the race at 3:46.71.

The men's 4 x 400 race provided a close finish as well with the unattached crew of Bryan Miller, Curtis Mitchell, Tabarie Henry and Demetrius Pinder rolling to a 3:10.22 win over TCU's 3:10.47 and Baylor's 3:11.98.

Texas A&M ran a foursome of Tran Howell, Ashton Young, Kyle Dykhuizen and Michael Preble that placed fourth in 3:12.36.

Field event victories for the Aggies included Tyron Stewart in the long jump (24-6 ¼), Cole Knuth in the weight throw (53-3), Laura Asimakis in the pole vault (12-2 ¾) and Deidre Tarver in the weight throw (48-8 ¾).

Stewart, who was sitting in fifth place prior to his last round jump, moved into first place over Houston's Chris Carter (24-5 ½) with his leap of 24-6 ¼. Zuheir Sharif also used a final round improvement to place third with a distance of 24-0 ¼. Julian Reid fouled five of his six efforts as his lone mark of 23-7 ¼ placed fifth.

The A&M women's distance medley relay won in 12:42.57 with the group of Amanda Jenkins, Courtnie Allen, Erica Parker and Kasey McNorton.

In the men's distance medley the Aggie foursome of James Bonn, Seth Mabry, Joe Snelick and C.J. Brown placed second in 10:04.77 behind a 9:42.66 by Monterrey Tech. Baylor finished third in 10:06.30 as a second A&M group placed fourth in 10:14.69 with the order of Graham Northcutt, Oscar Ramirez, Sam Mutschler and Ryan Snapp.

The next home meet at Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium for the Aggies will be the 16-team Texas A&M Invitational on January 16.

NCAA Provisional qualifiers - Texas A&M

60 meters - Porscha Lucas, 7.33; Gabby Mayo, 7.34; Jeneba Tarmoh, 7.39. 60m Hurdles - Natasha Ruddock, 8.42.

Courtesy Texas A&M