BIRMINGHAM – Texas A&M senior Jacob Wooten is among the first set of SEC Indoor athletes of the week honors as announced by the conference office on Tuesday. Wooten was selected as the men’s Field Athlete of the Week after clearing a collegiate leading 18 feet, 3 ¾ inches in setting a meet record during the Ted Nelson Invitational this past Saturday.
The mark by Wooten, which currently ranks seventh on the 2019 world list, bettered the meet record of 17-10 ½ (5.45) set by SFA’s Keith Benford in 2013. Wooten then had three attempts at 18-5 ½ (5.63) in trying to top his school record of 18-4 ¾ (5.60) set last season.
It’s the earliest point in the indoor season for an Aggie athlete to clear 18 feet in the pole vault. The previous best was 18-1 ¼ (5.52) set by Wooten last season on Jan. 20 in winning the Texas A&M Quadrangular. Wooten also held the previous best mark by an A&M vaulter in January with an 18-3 from winning the Razorback Invitational on Jan. 26 in 2018.
Entering the competition at 17-0 (5.18) during the Ted Nelson Invitational Wooten had first attempt clearances at six heights before missing three attempts at 18-5 ½ (5.63). Wooten’s series of clearances included 17-5 ¾ (5.33), 17-9 ¾ (5.43), 17-11 ¾ (5.48), 18-1 ¾ (5.53) and 18-3 ¾ (5.58).
Wooten produced the No. 2 performance on the Aggie all-time list with his winning effort of 18-3 ¾ (5.58) while his 18-1 ¾ clearance is the No. 6 performance. Of the 13 performances at 18-0 ½ (5.50) or better on the Texas A&M all-time indoor list, Wooten now has six of those marks. Wooten leads the conference pole vault by a full foot in the early stages of the indoor season.
The Aggies will host the Texas A&M Quadrangular this Saturday with Clemson, TCU and UTEP visiting Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium.
SEC Indoor Track & Field Weekly Honors – January 15, 2019
Men’s Runner of the Week: Daniel Roberts, Kentucky
Men’s Field Athlete of the Week: Jacob Wooten, Texas A&M
Men’s Freshman of the Week: Matt Young, Arkansas
Women’s Runner of the Week: Aliyah Abrams, South Carolina
Women’s Field Athlete of the Week: Lexi Jacobus, Arkansas & Stamatia Scarvelis, Tennessee
Women’s Freshman of the Week: Sha’Carri Richardson, LSU
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics