Two weeks ago, Texas A&M sophomore Jazmine Fray set a new school record for the 800 meter run. This weekend she did the same at Clemson’s Tiger Paw Invitational, setting a new collegiate record in the process. Fray’s 2:00.69 edged the previous record of 2:00.75, set by Tennessee’s Nicole Cook in 2005.
“We knew Jazmine was ready to run fast if the right situation came about,” Texas A&M head coach Pat Henry told 12thman.com. “That situation was here today and she looked fantastic. To become the fastest collegian in the 800m is really special.”
Fray gives some of the credit to her competitor, three-time NCAA 800m champion Natoya Goule.
“I have to thank Goule for a lot, because she really helped me out,” Fray said to 12thman.com. “After she came through 600m in 1:28, then I just tried to go as fast as I could over the last lap. Coach Francique had told me when Goule leaves the track you need to move. That’s exactly what I did.”
Moments before the race kicked off, Fray said the possibility of breaking the record did not cross her mind, all she was focused on running to the best of her ability.
“I just think it’s crazy, that’s not what I was striving for,” Fray told 12thman.com. “I wanted to run fast, I wanted to run 2:02 or 2:01. I didn’t even know what the collegiate record was going into the race. When I ran 2:00 I didn’t know I had broken the collegiate record.”
Later in the meet Fray split 51.99 as the third leg for the Aggie 4×400 relay, which won in a world-leading 3:29.74 that just missed the Texas A&M school record of 3:29.72 set in 2011 and anchored by Jessica Beard.
Jaevin Reed (53.02) led off the relay and was followed by Danyel White (52.41). As Fray moved the Aggies into the lead over Alabama, Kadecia Baird (52.32) anchored for the victory. Alabama set a school record of 3:30.10 in second place and had a 51.67 anchor leg from Domonique Williams.
The Aggies claimed 1st in the men’s 4X400 as well, with a time of 3:03.30. The team of Fred Kerley (45.23), Robert Grant (46.26), Devin Dixon (46.20), and Mylik Kerley (45.61) ran the fifth fastest indoor time for Texas A&M all-time. Dixon also won the 800m in a time of 1:47.85.
Jeffrey Prothro set a season best while claiming gold in the long jump, with a jump of 51-10.5
Diamond Spaulding led a crew of Aggies in the women’s 200m as she topped the field of 52 sprinters with a 23.23, which bettered the facility record of 23.31 set by professional Joanna Atkins in January. Texas A&M teammate Brenessa Thompson also won another section in 23.36 and placed third overall.
Cameron Villarreal brought another gold back for the Aggies with his victory in the 3,000m. His time of 8:11.51 earned the 12th spot on A&M’s all-time list.
Claiming her fourth top ten spot in the Aggies’ record books, Emily Gunderson claimed second place in the pole vault with a final height of 13-5.25. Gunderson also attempted the school record height of 13-11.25.
“The more shots I take at the school record the less nerve-racking it becomes, so hopefully I’ll get it one of these days,” Gunderson, who set a career best of 13-8.5 (4.18) two weeks ago, told 12thman.com ”I had a couple of second attempts today, so I had to work a bit to reach the school record height.”
The team will return to College Station on February 18th for the Texas A&M Aggie Twilight. It will be the final meet before the SEC championships February 24th.
