The Aggies are starting the season with full steam ahead.
On Saturday, Jan. 22, eight track and field squads from Texas and Louisiana competed in the Texas Aggie Invitational at the Gilliam Indoor Stadium in College Station. The meeting marked the second indoor invitational based in Aggieland this season, following the Ted Nelson Invitational on Jan. 14 and 15.
Both the men’s and women’s teams had successful outings, winning a combined 13 events en route to first place finishes. The men’s team finished with 144 points, while the women’s team tallied 178.
The men’s high jump team was a highlight for the maroon and white. Sophomore Carter Bajoit and senior Mason Corbin finished the evening with the eighth best jump in program history at 7-1.5/2.17m. A&M sophomore Ishmel Williams and senior Jake Lamberth also captured the third and fourth place spots, respectively.
Coach Pat Henry had nothing but nice words for the high jump group, saying the team’s self assurance is pushing it to places it has never been.
“In my years here we’ve never had three guys over 7-1,” Henry said. “Those guys are building confidence in themselves, and there’s a good dynamic within the group. That’s a proud group of guys over there.”
Corbin, who broke the 7-foot barrier during the invitational, said he is happy to start his senior year off on the right foot with the new mark.
“It’s hard to put into words,” Corbin said. “I’ve been waiting over four years to break that 7-foot barrier … It’s my last year, and it couldn’t have been a better time to clip that barrier. I’m so happy that it all came together.”
Freshman pole vaulter Heather Abadie took first place overall with a personal best of 4.18m. Sophomore Zach Davis also produced for the men’s pole vault, taking second place with a personal best 5.15m.
The Aggies also saw success in sprints, as freshman Keanu Jones finished second in the men’s 60-meter and junior Ryan Martin finished second in the men’s 200-meter. The women followed suit, as senior Zhane Smith took home the women’s 60 and senior Deshae Wise earned first in the 200.
A&M also found its touch with long distance. The top two spots in the women’s 3,000-meter were maroon, as junior Grace Plain took first and freshman Emily Ellis grabbed second. Junior Henry Jaques matched for the men’s 3,000, capturing a personal best time of 8:20.39 and a first place finish.
Following the meet, Henry said he was pleased with the performance of his squad, specifically complimenting the performances of several athletes, including Wise, Jaques and Smith.
“Overall, I think we got some good things out of ourselves today,” Henry said. “We got some consistency with some people that will help us down the road.”
The Aggies will travel to Lubbock to compete in the Texas Tech Open and Multis on Jan. 28 and 29.