By Cody Lillich
The words from Pat Henry at the end of last year were so true, saying that the nation is turning its head to Texas A&M for great Track and Field.
Last year the team conquered the outdoor men’s and women’s National Championships, and this year the team is looking to snatch the Indoor National Championship.
The Aggie men and women have both soared to the number one spot in the latest polls by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCA). The teams took away both the men’s and women’s titles on the road Feb. 5-6 in New York City at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational.
The Aggie women clinched their title in the very last event, the 4×400 relay, to squeak by BYU, 107-105. The Aggie women have won the invitational three out of the last four years, until BYU won last year.
The men won the title for the first time, beating LSU and Oklahoma.
“This is a very special group of athletes,” Head Coach Pat Henry said. “When they come to the track they come to compete. There are no slackers in this group. This group is very competitive and it’s fun to be around them.”
A School record was shattered by senior Zuheir Sharif in the triple jump with 54-3.75. The men’s 4×800 team of Sam Mutschler, Joey Roberts, Eric Gosset and Oscar Ramirez beat a record of 8:00.42 set in 1990, coming in with a time of 7:29.57.
The teams won five events on Friday, and stacked up five more on Saturday to clinch the titles.
The nation’s top track and field honor, The Bowerman award, has had Aggies on its watch list since preseason. Receiving mention on the men’s side is junior Tabarie Henry for his performance in sprints. On the women’s side 2009 finalist Porscha Lucas makes it on the list, and is joined by teammate Jessica Beard.
Back at home, the Aggies have already hosted the Texas A&M Challenge featuring the best teams from the Big 12, SEC and PAC-10. The Big 12 came out on top, highlighted by the home team racking up many of the conference’s points.
Henry said last year after the outdoor championships that Aggieland would soon be known for its track and field, and that day started last summer with the outdoor titles, and is continuing this year with an outstanding start to the 2010 indoor season. Basketball has March Madness, but for indoor track and field, it’s more like February Fever, with the Big 12 Championships at the end of the month, and NCAA Championships at the University of Arkansas in mid-March.
The team is hosting its last invite of the indoor season Feb. 13, where the best from the Big 12, SEC and Conference USA will face off in the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium. The meets at the indoor stadium are unlike some you have seen, but definitely some of the best track and field in the nation.