COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M Track and Field program added 11 medals to its collection as they wrapped up the 2020 SEC Indoor Championships Saturday, at the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium. The men’s team finished 3rd with 82 points, while the women placed 6th with 58 points.
After scoring 15 points on day one, Tyra Gittens was back in action on day two finishing third in the high jump (1.85m/6-0.75). The junior was awarded with the Women’s Cliff Harper Award for finishing the two-day competition as the top female point scorer with 21 points.
Devin Dixon, Bryce Deadmon, Jamal Walton and Carlton Orange combined to score 44 of the 82 points for the men’s team. The quartet earned first team all-conference honors while defending its 4x400m relay title with a time of 3:04.86. Dixon defended his title winning the 800m in 1:49.63, his third consecutive of his indoor career.
It was the fourth consecutive season and seventh in the past eight that the Aggies men’s 4x400m claimed gold.
Deadmon scored 10 points winning the men’s 400m gold with an NCAA leading time of 45.51, while Walton followed in second with the nation’s third fastest time at 45.62.
Orange earned second team all-conference with a third place finish in the men’s 800m (1:50.20).
Deborah Acquah, Charokee Young and Jon Bishop each finished day two earning all-conference honors in their respective events. Acquah placed second in triple jump (13.70m/44-11.5), Young finished third in the 800m (2:05.80) and Bishop third in the 3000m (8:11.59).
Arkansas swept the team titles winning with 106 points on the women’s side and 102 on the men’s side.
Next Up
Texas A&M will take a week off before traveling to Albuquerque, N.M., with its national qualifiers to compete at the 2020 NCAA Indoor Championships.
Quotables
Head Coach Pat Henry on…
…the SEC Championships:
“I look at the whole meet and I’m pleased with the men, there are a couple of event areas that we have much more potential in that needs to be done. On the women’s side there was just a couple of events that just couldn’t get it done when it counted and that’s another thing we will have to work on, we have the potential to get it done. Overall, I’m pleased with the group, we just have to keep working hard and getting better.”
…the men’s distance group:
“A guy like Jon Bishop is helping the younger guys mature and they are working with each other that is why that group is being successful. Zephyr Seagraves is a spark plug, Jon has energy and then you have a really talented young freshman in Eric Casarez.”
…the men’s 4x400m:
“It’s an area that I work pretty hard with all on all of my teams. I think it can be and has shown to be the nucleus of our team over the years. It’s a group that when one does well then another one grabs on and all of a sudden things are happening. Both the men’s and women’s quarter-mile groups have that special bond with each other, they train and hurt with each other every day and it develops that unique bond within a group.”
Senior Bryce Deadmon on…
…mindset heading into the 400m finals:
“Going into the race I kept my mind on positive thoughts and reminded myself that I’m capable of competing with anyone and that I am one of the best in the field.”
…being part of the strong 400m group:
“It’s a special group, it’s great having those guys right there pushing you through practice. We have depth and there is a lot of us, so when one of us does well we feed off it and we make each other that much better.”
SEC All-Conference
First Team
Tyra Gittens – Pentathlon | 4,391 (Champion)
Deborah Acquah – Long Jump | 6.45m/21-2 (Champion)
Bryce Deadmon – 400m | 45.51 (Champion)
Devin Dixon – 800m | 1:49.63 (Champion)
Bryce Deadmon – 4x400m | 3:04.86 (Champion)
Devin Dixon – 4x400m | 3:04.86 (Champion)
Carlton Orange – 4x400m | 3:04.86 (Champion)
Jamal Walton – 4x400m | 3:04.86 (Champion)
Second Team
Deborah Acquah – Triple Jump | 13.70m/44-11.5 (Second)
Jamal Walton – 400m | 45.62 (Second)
Tyra Gittens – High Jump | 1.85m/6-0.75 (Third)
Carlton Orange – 800m | 1:50.20 (Third)
Charokee Young – 800m | 2:05.80 (Third)
Jon Bishop – 3000m | 8:11.59 (Third)
All-SEC
The first team consists of the top finishers in each event. The second team consists of the second and third place finishers in each event. Ties are not broken.
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics