AUSTIN – Another five victories for the Aggies on the final day of the 88th Texas Relays brought Texas A&M’s weekend total to an outstanding 10 wins, half of which were achieved in relay events.
The Aggie men were selected as the Most Outstanding Team with eight titles over the weekend, which included the 4×100, 4×400, 4×800, distance medley relays, long jump, triple jump as well as B division wins in the pole vault and triple jump.
“I’m elated with the things that we did here this weekend,” said Texas A&M head coach Pat Henry. “To win the 4×1, 4×4, 4×8 and distance medley here at Texas is a huge accomplishment for any team. Then we also won the long jump and triple jump. Those are huge efforts for our team right now.”
The highlight of the day for A&M was a meet record for Shelbi Vaughan in the discus and a 26-4 ½ winning leap by Olabanji Asekun in the long jump. Relay victories were added in the men’s 4×100 (38.91) and 4×400 (3:02.19) as well as the women’s 4×200 (1:32.41) with collegiate-leading efforts in each race.
“On the women’s side we had a meet record with Shelbi Vaughan, which is tremendous, and ran a great 4×200 while just barely getting nudged in the 4×100,” noted Henry. “In the 4×400 we had two legs that looked excellent, but we have to be healthy to run any better.
“Texas Relays is important, but it’s not an end all. It’s just a meet on the schedule. This is the one where we get started for the rest of the season.”
Vaughan’s third consecutive discus victory at the Texas Relays came with a meet record as her final throw traveled a distance of 201 feet, 8 inches. That mark topped the field by 14-plus feet as Vaughan added two and a half feet to the previous meet record of 199-2 (60.71) set by Becky Breisch of Nebraska in 2006.
“It’s exciting since it’s only my third time to throw over 200 feet,” stated Vaughan. “Having everybody out here on the final day while I was throwing, and hearing all the cheering while relay races are going by, was really nice. I looked at the schedule to see what over events were going on while I was throwing. I was excited since I knew there would be a good crowd out here.”
Vaughan’s series included marks of 179-6 (54.73), foul, 182-3 (55.54), 169-3 (51.58), 190-11 (58.20), 201-8 (61.48). While Vaughan improved her collegiate leading mark this season from a 195-2 (59.49) she threw last week, she now becomes the American leader for 2015 and currently ranks ninth on the world list.
“I was struggling at first with some not really good throws,” noted Vaughan. “After talking with my coach he said go for it, since I have nothing to lose as I was sitting in first place. The wind was really crazy today, going in all different directions, and seemed to be stronger when I went up to throw. I just had to put it out of my mind and throw.”
Her meet record winning performance is the third best mark in Vaughan’s career, following the A&M school record of 208-8 (63.60) she set in winning the SEC Championship last season and a 204-2 (62.25) that was part of her SEC series.
Asekun claimed the Aggies first win the Texas Relays long jump since Fabrice Lapierre won in 2006 (26-1) and defeated NCAA Indoor champion Marquis Dendy in the process. Asekun’s 26-4 ½ (8.04) came in the third round after 23-5 ½ (7.15) and 25-2 (7.67) in the first two rounds. He then recorded a 24-7 (7.49) in round four, followed by a pair of fouls.
“I’m happy to get this win in my home state,” said Asekun. “I was really happy, 26 feet has been my goal. I’m happy to hit it this early in the season. It’s been a big landmark for me since I’ve been progressing in the long jump this year.
“I was shocked when I jumped 26 feet. I was just trying to keep my composure and not get too excited for the remaining jumps. I slipped up a little bit, but I’m happy with the overall result.”
Dendy opened with a pair of fouls and then hit 25-5 ¼ (7.75) in round three to continue in the competition. He challenged Asekun with a 26-2 ¼ (7.98) in round four and then fouled twice trying to surpass the winning distance. Cal’s Walter Jones (25-4 ½) placed third, followed by Lutalo Boyce of A&M-Kingsville (25-3 ½) and Florida’s KeAndre Bates (25-0).
The Aggie men swept the 4×100 and 4×400 relays with the same group of runners in each race. It was the eighth victory for A&M in the 4×1 and 11th in the 4×4 in the history of the Texas Relays.
In the 4×100 the running order was Gregory Coleman, Shavez Hart, Bralon Taplin and Deon Lendore. Through the last two handoffs A&M trailed TCU. Lendore passed the Horned Frog anchor, but then had to be wary of LSU’s Aaron Ernest.
A lean at the finish line had Lendore earning the Aggie victory in a collegiate-leading 38.91 with LSU runner-up in 38.93. TCU finished third in 39.15 ahead of Baylor (39.22), Clemson (39.64), and Auburn (40.26).
“I shocked myself in the 4×100,” said Lendore. “I wasn’t sure if I was ready for both rounds of the relay, so I just tried to build into it. I felt good through my first few steps so I just gave it my all.
“After I caught the TCU runner I felt Ernest on the inside so I kind of drifted to him to have a head-to-head race with him straight to the finish line.”
In the 4×400 A&M had close company from Texas Tech throughout the race with Florida and Baylor a strides back trading third place position. Coleman opened with a 47.0 and Taplin produced a 44.7 split on his carry as Hart followed with a 45.7. Then Lendore closed out the victory with a 44.8 that gave the Aggies some cushion over the Red Raiders.
Texas A&M earned its first Texas Relays title in the 4×400 since 2011 with a 3:02.19 as Tech finished second in 3:03.47 while Baylor and Florida both ran 3:05.26, with the Bears holding a 0.002 edge for third, and Texas placed fifth in 3:08.26.
“I really wanted to win, because this is the first year I’ve had a win at the Texas Relays,” explained Lendore. “We all came out here and did what we needed to do. It’s always nice to get wins over here, so I’m happy I finished my senior season with a bang at the Texas Relays. It’s all good now.”
Taplin added: “Since I’m a senior it’s nice to end it with a Texas Relays win. I know Deon wanted to win really bad. Running fast on the 4×400 is getting easy. I just want to keep running fast. I want to go 43 at the end of this season. My job is to give them a lead, so I plan on doing my job all the time.”
Texas A&M women defeated Texas, 1:32.41 to 1:32.53, for its first 4×200 victory at the Texas Relays since 2010 when the Aggies had a three-year winning streak that included times of 1:31.41 (2010), 1:32.31 (2009) and 1:33.46 (2008).
The A&M foursome on the 4×200 included Ashton Purvis, Jennifer Madu, Shamier Little, Aaliyah Brown. The Aggies held a lead at each exchange and withstood the challenge by the Longhorns on the anchor leg. Brown maintained an edge over Texas anchor Ashley Spencer to the finish line.
“We came out determined in the 4×200, because last year we came up a little bit short,” noted A. Brown. “We wanted to win that relay for a bit of revenge and that’s what we did. It’s great to come out and beat someone on their home track. It was a great race.”
Madu added: “Getting ready for the Texas Relays helped us come together to try to recollect ourselves.”
Following the Aggies and Longhorns in the two-section 4×200 final were Clemson (1:36.06), Notre Dame (1:36.31), LSU (1:36.36), Pittsburgh (1:36.81), and Houston (1:37.41).
Another close race followed in the 4×100 an hour and a half later with Texas holding the narrow edge, 43.70 to 43.72, for the victory. The A&M squad included Little, Purvis, Madu and A. Brown. LSU ran 44.46 for third, followed by Clemson (45.00), Louisiana Tech (45.18) and Purdue (45.25).
Madu and A. Brown then ran in the 100 meters, posting wind-aided times of 11.12 and 11.31, respectively, to place second and seventh. Assisted by a 5.1 wind, Morolake Akinosun of Texas won the race in 10.94 with Texas Tech’s Cierra White runner-up in 11.07.
Hart finished second in the men’s 100 with an impressive 10.10 that was aided by a 3.3 wind. Baylor’s Trayvon Bromell defended his title with a 9.90 clocking while LSU’s Tremayne Acy finished third in 10.12.
Brea Garrett improved her outdoor best in the shot put to 52-1 ¾ (15.89) in placing sixth. She moves to No. 2 on the A&M all-time list. Missouri’s Jill Rushin won the event with a toss of 55-11 (17.04).
The women’s 4×400 placed sixth in 3:37.96 after getting a pair of strong carries from Little (51.9) and Kamaria Brown (51.1) on the first two legs. Texas won the race in 3:29.65 over Florida (3:31.05), Arkansas (3:32.47) and Clemson (3:34.48).
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics