SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Opening day of the NCAA West Preliminary rounds on Thursday produced five Aggie qualifiers to the NCAA Championships in Austin for Texas A&M.
Deborah Acquah, the NCAA Indoor silver medalist, established an outdoor career best of 21-1 ¼ (6.44) to lead the women’s long jump field. Her mark is the No. 5 performer and equal No. 7 performance on the A&M all-time list.
Aggie senior Maddy Stulce earned Texas A&M’s first qualifier to Austin from the NCAA West by placing fifth in the javelin with a mark of 167-1 (50.92). Tyra Gittens, already a qualifier in the heptathlon, also advanced in the high jump by clearing 5-10 ¾ (1.80) to place eighth.
In the men’s pole vault Jacob Wooten advanced with a clearance of 17-7 (5.36) while Carl Johansson and Robin Nool were involved in a jump-off for the final position along with Texas Tech’s senior tandem of Drew McMichael and Brandon Bray.
Both Johansson and Nool cleared 17-5 (5.31) during the regular portion of qualification, but missed that height during the jump-off while the pair of Red Raiders made the height once again to secure two of the three advancing positions available. Moving the bar down to 17-3 (5.26), Johansson cleared while Nool missed.
Logan Freeman, the fourth Aggie in the event, cleared a career best of 16-9 ¼ (5.11) to place 18th.
Racing in the 10,000m to wrap up the first day of the NCAA West, the Aggie pair of Ashley Driscoll (34:44.62) and Kelsie Warren (35:37.29), who fell during a pile up in the race, finished 24thand 41st, respectively.
In qualifying from first round races to quarterfinals held at Sacramento State the rest of the weekend, Texas A&M advanced 15 athletes.
All five Aggies in the 400m hurdles advanced with Infinite Tucker posting a leading time of 50.03 ahead of a 50.09 by Houston’s Amere Lattin. DeWitt Thomas finished runner-up to Tucker with a career best 50.18 and posted the third best time in the round. Thomas is now equal No. 11 on the A&M all-time list.
Ilolo Izu won the final heat in 50.58 while Robert Grant finished runner-up in another heat with a 50.83. They were all auto qualifiers by placing among the top three in their respective heats. Tyler Hart advanced on time, clocking a career best of 51.19 to place fourth in the first heat.
The A&M women moved three sprinters to the quarterfinal in the 400m. The trio included Tierra Robinson-Jones (52.56), Syaira Richardson (52.69) and Jaevin Reed (53.36). The men’s 400m had Bryce Deadmon (46.91) and Kyree Johnson (46.97) moving along to the next round. Brenessa Thompson (11.36) and Jace Comick (10.38) each advanced to the quarterfinals in the 100m.
In the 800m, Jazmine Fray advanced easily with a 2:07.22 heat winner while Devin Dixon cruised to a 1:48.81 victory on the men’s side. Carlton Orange finished second in another heat with a 1:49.86. All three advanced while Brittany Parker (2:09.48) placed seventh in her heat and didn’t advance on time.
Competition on Friday includes the Aggie trio of Sam Hardin, Nick Mirabelli and William Petersson all throwing in the third flight of the javelin while Gabe Oladipo (flight 2) and Josh Brown (flight 1) compete in the discus.
In addition to Ashton Hutcherson racing in the 3,000m steeplechase, quarterfinal rounds held Friday include the 400m, 100m, 800m and 400m hurdles.
First round action for Texas A&M athletes on Friday will include the women’s 100m hurdles with Gabrielle McDonald (heat 1), Chinyere Njoku (heat 6) and Kennedy Smith (heat 1). Racing in the women’s 200m are Amber Ivy (heat 2), Julia Madubuike (heat 6), Jania Martin (heat 1), Diamond Spaulding (heat 1), Thompson (heat 3) and Danyel White (heat 3) while Jace Comick (heat 4) is in the men’s 200m.
Gittens also attempted to advance in the long jump on Friday, but her mark of 19-8 (5.99) placed 21st. Ciynamon Stevenson (19-6 | 5.94) placed 23rd while LaJarvia Brown (18-9 ¾ | 5.73) finished 37th. Kirby Matocha (5-7 | 1.70) finished 28th in the high jump while Brown (5-7) was 40th. Celine Markert (138-0 | 42.06) and Natalie Scheifele (137-10 | 42.01) were 41st and 42nd in the javelin.
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics