Hankins Finishes Fifth to Highlight Day One of NCAA Division I Track & Field Championships

Credit to Matthew McGinnis | Student Assistant, Athletics Communications – 12thman.com

AUSTIN, Texas – Sam Hankins finished fifth place in the javelin as the Texas A&M men’s track & field team completed day one of the NCAA Division I Track & Field Championship meet at Mike A. Myers Stadium on Wednesday.

In the first event of the day, Hankins came into the javelin competition with a personal best of 235-7/71.81m. He set a lifetime best on each of his first three throws, tossing 236-5, 237-4 and 249-11. His third throw advanced him to the final round with the fourth best mark, as well as making him the fourth-best Aggie performer of all time, moving him up from the No. 11 spot. Hankins’ performance earned four points for the Aggie men.

The 4x100m squad of DeVante Mount, Ryan Martin, Isaiah Teer and Jordan Chopane recorded a season best time of 38.81 to finish sixth in their heat and 14th overall, earning second team all-American status. The performance tops their previous season best from the NCAA West First Round meet, where they clocked 39.27.

Zach Davis earned second team all-American honors with his performance in the pole vault competition, finishing in 15th place with clearance over 17-4.5/5.30m. Davis cleared 16-10.5/5.15m and 17-4.5/5.30m on his first attempt before missing all three attempts at 17-10.5/5.45m, which is higher than his personal best.

Connor Schulman advanced to the 110m hurdles final, clocking a personal best 13.33 (w/1.1) to win his heat and finish the day with the second-best overall time. Schulman bettered his previous best by one tenth of a second and has lowered his wind-legal best by almost a quarter of a second in the past month. He is now the No. 2 performer in Texas A&M history.

James Smith II clocked his second-best time in the 400m hurdles, finishing second in his heat at 49.40 after an aggressive start to control the majority of the race. Smith advanced to the final with the No. 7 seed time. Bryce McCray registered 50.54 to end the day 13th overall, earning second team all-American status.

Sam Whitmarsh, the two-time SEC silver medalist, finished 19th in the 800m with a time of 1:50.12.

In the final event of the day, the Aggie 4x400m team of Eric Hemphill III, Omajuwa Etiwe, DeMarco Escobar and Auhmad Robinson advanced to the final with a season best time of 3:00.88. Hemphill and Etiwe opened the race, coming through the halfway point in 1:31.17. Escobar got the baton next, clocking 45.35 before handing off to Robinson on the anchor, who brought the team home in 44.37 to cross the line in just over three minutes. The time makes them the No. 7 mile relay squad in school history.

The Aggies are slated to open day two at 7:10 p.m. CT with the women’s javelin, while the women’s 4x100m team runs in the first heat of the event at 7:32 p.m. CT.

Fans can follow along on the live results provided by Flash Results, as well as the live steam on ESPN2.

Texas A&M Quotes

Head Coach Pat Henry

On The Aggie Men’s Performance on Day One…

“We had a lot of season bests. Sam Hankins had a big throw and scored when he wasn’t expected to coming in to this meet. We advanced the 4x400m with a season best, Connor Schulman ran a season best and one of the best times in Texas A&M history, and James Smith II advanced in the 400m hurdles. We’ll see what that group can do on Friday.

Aggies Competing at NCAA Division I Track & Field Championships

*All times listed are Central*

Thursday, June 8 – Women Day One

7:10 p.m. – Javelin (Final) – Lianna Davidson (Flight 2), Katelyn Fairchild (Flight 2)

7:32 p.m. – 4x100m (Semi-Final) – Jania Martin, Camryn Dickson, Leeah Burr, Semira Killebrew (Heat 1)

8:32 p.m. – 100m Hurdles (Semi-Final) – Jaiya Covington (Heat 1)

8:46 p.m. – 100m (Semi-Final) – Semira Killebrew (Heat 2), Camryn Dickson (Heat 1)

9:00 p.m. – Long Jump (Final) – Joniar Thomas (Flight 2)

9:00 p.m. – 400m (Semi-Final) – Jermaisha Arnold (Heat 3), Tierra Robinson-Jones (Heat 3)

9:44 p.m. – 200m (Semi-Final) – Camryn Dickson (Heat 2)

10:48 p.m. – 4x400m (Semi-Final) – Kennedy Wade, Tierra Robinson-Jones, Sanu Jallow, Jermaisha Arnold (Heat 2)

Friday, June 9 – Men Day Two

2:45 p.m. – Women’s Heptathlon (100m Hurdles) – Joniar Thomas

3:45 p.m. – Women’s Heptathlon (High Jump) – Joniar Thomas

5:45 p.m. – Women’s Heptathlon (Shot Put) – Joniar Thomas

7:30 p.m. – High Jump (Final) – Carter Bajoit (Flight 1)

8:02 p.m. – 4x100m (Final) – (DeVante Mount, Ryan Martin, Isaiah Teer, Jordan Chopane)

8:42 p.m. – 110m Hurdles (Final) – (Connor Schulman)

8:52 p.m. – 100m (Final) – (Ryan Martin)

9:14 p.m. – 800m (Final) – (Sam Whitmarsh)

9:27 p.m. – 400m Hurdles (Final) – (Bryce McCray, James Smith II)

9:43 p.m. – Women’s Heptathlon (200m) – Joniar Thomas

10:21 p.m. – 4x400m (Final) – (Ashton Schwartzman, Omajuwa Etiwe, Eric Hemphill III, Auhmad Robinson)

Saturday, June 10 – Women Day Two

4:00 p.m. – Heptathlon (Long Jump) – Joniar Thomas

5:15 p.m. – Heptathlon (Javelin) – Joniar Thomas

7:30 p.m. – High Jump (Final) – Lamara Distin

8:02 p.m. – 4x100m (Final) – (Jania Martin, Camryn Dickson, Leeah Burr, Semira Killebrew)

8:42 p.m. – 100m Hurdles (Final) – (Jaiya Covington)

8:52 p.m. – 100m (Final) – (Semira Killebrew, Camryn Dickson)

9:02 p.m. – 400m (Final) – (Jermaisha Arnold, Tierra Robinson-Jones)

9:37 p.m. – 200m (Final) – Camryn Dickson

9:43 p.m. – Heptathlon (800m) – Joniar Thomas

10:21 p.m. – 4x400m (Final) – (Kennedy Wade, Tierra Robinson-Jones, Sanu Jallow, Jermaisha Arnold)