By: Tyler Pounds, Athletics Communications
EUGENE, Ore. – The Texas A&M women’s track & field team finished fourth in the team standings, while Lamara Distin won the high jump national championship, Saturday evening at Hayward Field.
Eight Aggies combined to score 39 points in six events to lead the Maroon & White to a tie for fourth place with LSU. The top five women’s team finish marks the 19th occasion in the Pat Henry era. Florida won the meet with 74 points, while Texas placed runner-up with 64 points and Kentucky finished third with 50 points.
“We had a lot of good things happen today,” Henry said. “For everyone to do what they did today, there was really great efforts. Overall, I am pleased with the group. We finished fourth in the NCAAs, we’re not happy with fourth but I am proud of this group. We have some things that we need to do different, but we have people in this program right now that are dedicated to their craft and dedicated to getting better and that is the key for next year’s group.”
Distin claimed her second career national championship after an immaculate performance in the high jump at 6-4.75/1.95m. The victory makes Distin the first Aggie in program history to complete the indoor and outdoor national title sweep in the event. The highflyer entered the competition with a first attempt clearance at 5-10.75/1.80m, she followed clearing the next five heights on successful first attempts. As the lone jumper alive, Distin took three shots at the collegiate record height of 6-6.75/2.00m before seeing her day come to an end. The sophomore finished as the team’s top point scorer with 10.
Charokee Young scored 9.25 points in two events, the 400m and as a member of the 4x400m relay. The sophomore finished runner-up in the 400m at 50.65 and anchored the 4x400m relay to a fourth-place finish at 3:24.55. Senior Jaevin Reed, junior Tierra Robinson-Jones and sophomore Laila Owens contributed as members of the relay to earn first team All-America honors.
Seniors Kaylah Robinson and Deshae Wise added four points each to the team total with fifth place finishes. Robinson clocked 12.86 (-0.2w) in the 100m hurdles, while Wise equaled her personal best in the 400m hurdles at 55.99.
Texas A&M Point Scorers
10 – Lamara Distin – High Jump
9.25 – Charokee Young – 400m/4x400m
8 – Deborah Acquah – Long Jump
4 – Kaylah Robinson – 100m Hurdles
4 – Deshae Wise – 400m Hurdles
1.25 – Laila Owens – 4x400m
1.25 – Jaevin Reed – 4x400m
1.25 – Tierra Robinson-Jones – 4x400m