Spring Break
Men's track team wins Texas A&M Invitational
By: Patrick Hayslip
Issue date: 2/16/09 Section: Sports
The Texas A&M men's track team won the Texas A&M Invitational by 55 points with the women coming in second at the Gilliam Indoor Track and Field Stadium Friday and Saturday with a two-day attendance of 5,425.
The Aggie men, scoring a total of 140 points were led by a victory by sophomore Gerald Phiri in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.68 and a fourth place finish by junior Dominique Stafford (6.75). The next closest team was Texas Tech with 85 points, Baylor with 74, and Texas with 73.
"The points are not very important to us right now," said head coach Pat Henry. "It's putting people in positions to try to figure out what and who is going to be able to contribute to a team effort at the conference in two weeks. Winning a conference isn't always about first place. It may be that we get sixth or seventh."
In the 200-meter dash, the Aggie men had a 2-3-4 finish with senior Chris Dykes taking second with a time of 21.07, Phiri third with a time of 21.24, and sophomore Tran Howell fourth with a time of 21.36.
Sophomore Melvin Echard, set a career best time in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.06 which placed him fourth and teammate junior De'Lon Isom right behind him in sixth with a time of 8.11.
"I just go out there and do the best I can do," Echard said. "In the prelims I knew I didn't have too good of a race and I actually had been off of the hurdles for about two weeks because of my hamstring. I got back and I knew I needed to get back into the mood and driving out and doing what I need to do to PR and it was really big for me."
Also, in the men's triple jump, sophomore Keenan Hall place second with a jump of 15.86 meters and Echard taking fifth with a jump of 15.36 meters.
"I just want to keep PRing. If I can do that then I'm in really good standings with myself," Echard said. "I just really want to get out there and get into the national championship. That's my ultimate goal."
For the Aggie women, the overall second place finish of 87 points was spearheaded by sophomore Gaby Mayo, who took first place in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.23 and freshman Vashti Thomas placing fifth with a time of 8.42. junior Porscha Lucas took fourth place in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.38 and Mayo with a time of 7.39 came in fifth.
The Aggie men, scoring a total of 140 points were led by a victory by sophomore Gerald Phiri in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.68 and a fourth place finish by junior Dominique Stafford (6.75). The next closest team was Texas Tech with 85 points, Baylor with 74, and Texas with 73.
"The points are not very important to us right now," said head coach Pat Henry. "It's putting people in positions to try to figure out what and who is going to be able to contribute to a team effort at the conference in two weeks. Winning a conference isn't always about first place. It may be that we get sixth or seventh."
In the 200-meter dash, the Aggie men had a 2-3-4 finish with senior Chris Dykes taking second with a time of 21.07, Phiri third with a time of 21.24, and sophomore Tran Howell fourth with a time of 21.36.
Sophomore Melvin Echard, set a career best time in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.06 which placed him fourth and teammate junior De'Lon Isom right behind him in sixth with a time of 8.11.
"I just go out there and do the best I can do," Echard said. "In the prelims I knew I didn't have too good of a race and I actually had been off of the hurdles for about two weeks because of my hamstring. I got back and I knew I needed to get back into the mood and driving out and doing what I need to do to PR and it was really big for me."
Also, in the men's triple jump, sophomore Keenan Hall place second with a jump of 15.86 meters and Echard taking fifth with a jump of 15.36 meters.
"I just want to keep PRing. If I can do that then I'm in really good standings with myself," Echard said. "I just really want to get out there and get into the national championship. That's my ultimate goal."
For the Aggie women, the overall second place finish of 87 points was spearheaded by sophomore Gaby Mayo, who took first place in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.23 and freshman Vashti Thomas placing fifth with a time of 8.42. junior Porscha Lucas took fourth place in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.38 and Mayo with a time of 7.39 came in fifth.
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