Spring Break
Actually Building Champions
Several years after A&M announced its athletic motto, those champions are being built.
By: Brett Sebastian
Issue date: 6/10/09 Section: Sports
In 2002, Texas A&M rocked the college sports world with the hiring of former Nebraska Athletic Director Bill Byrne to lead an athletic department in need of repair. Quickly the motto became "building champions" despite the lack of actual championship trophies. Seven years later and it's apparent that those champions have been and are being built.
At the start of summer, A&M retained the Lone Star Showdown trophy over Texas for the second year in a row. In addition, men's golf won A&M's first team national championship since David Letterman was considered a "rising star." This week, the No. 1 men's and No. 1 women's track teams are heavy favorites to make it back-to-back championships for A&M.
Track and field is arguably the biggest success story of Bill Byrne's short tenure at A&M. With mild success before, and a low point in 2005 when the men finished the year ranked 47 and the women 29, both teams are now on top of the nation going into the National Championships. This success can be seen in three places.
First is the Athletic Department's commitment to track and field, building the pre-eminent indoor track facility in the nation and giving track the tools to succeed.
Second is the hiring of Head Coach Pat Henry from LSU. Henry has coached 27 national champions and gained five national coach of the year honors. Since arriving at A&M in 2005, he has engineered a complete turn around and earned six Big 12 titles and six Big 12 coach of the year titles, with this year looking to be the best chance at his first College Station-based national championship.
Third is the commitment, heart and work put in by the athletes themselves. From the low point in 2005 to national elite in recent years, the student athletes that have made College Station their home have exemplified the motto "building champions" along with Aggie traditions such as hard work, sportsmanship and success. Four Aggies this year will participate in three events in Fayetteville, and 12 athletes are ranked in the top five in their sports, not counting the three top five relay teams. Of these, sophomore Jessica Beard is ranked No. 1 in the 400 meter, and the women's 4x100 relay team is No. 1 as well.
Track and field is truly building champions, and hopefully building a championship.
At the start of summer, A&M retained the Lone Star Showdown trophy over Texas for the second year in a row. In addition, men's golf won A&M's first team national championship since David Letterman was considered a "rising star." This week, the No. 1 men's and No. 1 women's track teams are heavy favorites to make it back-to-back championships for A&M.
Track and field is arguably the biggest success story of Bill Byrne's short tenure at A&M. With mild success before, and a low point in 2005 when the men finished the year ranked 47 and the women 29, both teams are now on top of the nation going into the National Championships. This success can be seen in three places.
First is the Athletic Department's commitment to track and field, building the pre-eminent indoor track facility in the nation and giving track the tools to succeed.
Second is the hiring of Head Coach Pat Henry from LSU. Henry has coached 27 national champions and gained five national coach of the year honors. Since arriving at A&M in 2005, he has engineered a complete turn around and earned six Big 12 titles and six Big 12 coach of the year titles, with this year looking to be the best chance at his first College Station-based national championship.
Third is the commitment, heart and work put in by the athletes themselves. From the low point in 2005 to national elite in recent years, the student athletes that have made College Station their home have exemplified the motto "building champions" along with Aggie traditions such as hard work, sportsmanship and success. Four Aggies this year will participate in three events in Fayetteville, and 12 athletes are ranked in the top five in their sports, not counting the three top five relay teams. Of these, sophomore Jessica Beard is ranked No. 1 in the 400 meter, and the women's 4x100 relay team is No. 1 as well.
Track and field is truly building champions, and hopefully building a championship.
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