The Texas A&M men’s and women’s track and field teams secured 16 event titles over two days at the outdoor season opener in Tucson, Arizona.
The Aggies won six events on the first day of competition and added 10 wins on Saturday at Mike A. Myers Stadium to finish with 16 total event titles. In addition, 14 Aggies put up a personal best performance, including three all-time top-12 program marks.
To start off the meet, the Aggies swept both long jump titles. Darius Clark won the men’s long jump at 7.62m/25-0 on his fifth attempt after qualifying for the finals at 7.40m/24-3.5.
Zhane Smith finished first in the women’s long jump at 6.06m/19-10.75, while Ciynamon Stevenson finished second at 5.94m/19-6. Taryn Milton placed fourth with a jump of 5.86m/19-2.75.
The Aggies also won both 400-meter hurdles as Dominique Mustin won the women’s event at 59.37, the fastest in the NCAA this season. James Smith Jr. won the men’s event at 49.95, also the fastest NCAA time this season and the 11th best in A&M history.
Moitalel Mpoke finished second with a personal best of 50.43 and Kirk Collins, Jr. finished third at 52.42.
Lamara Distin won the women’s high jump with a personal best of 1.83m/6-0. Alexa Porpaczy also cleared 1.83m/6-0 but failed to do so in her first attempt. Both athletes failed to clear the next height but the title was awarded to Distin after clearing the previous height on her first attempt.
“Lamara is no surprise to us,” A&M coach Pat Henry told 12thman.com. “We knew her talent was there, and she’s starting to do well.”
Devon Achane won the men’s 200-meter with a NCAA-leading time of 20.76. Lance Broome finished third at 21.00.
Julia Black won the women’s 3,000-meter with a personal best time of 10:54.86 to become the sixth best runner in the event in A&M history. Rachel Bernardo followed in second place at 11:12.20.
“[Black] learned some things about what she needs to do inside a race because she is going to have to run much faster than that to be competitive,” Henry told 12thman.com. “Still, it’s her best race and that’s what you have to do to get on track and run the best you can each opportunity you have.”
Kaylah Robinson won the women’s 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.43, followed by Kennedy Smith placing second at 13.48. Falon Wilson finished fourth with a personal best of 13.84. Connor Schulman claimed the men’s 110m hurdles title with a personal best of 13.76.
Zhane Smith, Laila Owens, Robinson and Immanuela Aliu earned the A&M win in the 4×100-meter title with a time of 44.35.
A&M swept both 4×400-meter relays. Dominique Mustin, Athing Mu, Charokee Young and Tierra Robinson-Jones posted a time of 3:37.92; while Omajuwa Etiwe, Bryce Deadmon, James Smith Jr. and Devin Dixon ran 3:06.33.
Robinson-Jones won the women’s 400-meter with a time of 53.02. Aliu claimed a first-place finish in the women’s 100-meter with a personal best of 11.43 and Carlton Orange won the men’s 800-meter at 1:48.45.
Ciynamon Stevenson and LaJarvia Brown finished first and second in the women’s triple jump, as Stevenson jumped 13.19m/43-3.25 followed by Brown with 13.10m/42-11.75.
“Texas Relays is another step on a big ladder that we’re trying to climb, and you can’t skip a step,” Henry told 12thman.com. “Every step is important.”
A&M will compete in the Texas Relays March 24-27 at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin.