COLLEGE STATION, TX -- Following a successful weekend of track and field action during the NCAA West preliminary rounds the Texas A&M men remain ranked No. 1 in the USTFCCCA national computer rankings while the Aggie women are now No. 4 after moving up two spots.
The NCAA Championship weekend takes place from June 6-9 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, where A&M returns to the site of their third consecutive set of dual national team championships they claimed a year ago. A live stream of the meet will be available each of the first three days on NCAA.com along with a broadcast on ESPN3.com (5-7:30 p.m. CT). A live telecast of the final day will air on ESPNU from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (CT).
Following the Aggie men in the top 15 of the national computer rankings this week are 2. LSU, 3. Arizona, 4. Texas 5. Florida State, 6. Florida, 7. Indiana, 8. Virginia Tech, 9. USC, 10. Auburn, 11. Texas Tech, 12. Arkansas, 13. Nebraska, 14. Mississippi and 15. Oregon.
LSU tops the women’s rankings again this week and is followed by 2. Kansas, 3. Oregon, 4. Texas A&M, 5. Clemson, 6. Texas, 7. Stanford, 8. Florida, 9. Oklahoma, 10. Arizona, 11. Tennessee, 12. Arkansas, 13. Central Florida, 14. USC and 15. Southern Illinois.
Texas A&M has qualified 24 athletes amid 25 entries in 18 events for the NCAA Championship weekend. The Aggie men will have 14 athletes among 13 entries in nine events while the A&M women have 10 athletes among 12 entries in nine events.
Three Aggie sprinters – Prezel Hardy, Jr., Ashley Collier and Dominique Duncan – will compete in three events in Des Moines – the 100, 200 and 4 x 100 relay. Natosha Rogers qualified for a NCAA double in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters.
Others A&M sprinters with an individual event and relay duty include – Michael Bryan (100, 4x1), Ameer Webb (200, 4x1), Deon Lendore (400, 4x4), Kanika Beckles (400, 4x4), Ibukun Mayungbe (400, 4x4), and Donique’ Flemings (100H, 4x4).
Wayne Davis carries the top seed time of 13.31 (wind-aided) in the 110 hurdles from the quarterfinal stage of the NCAA preliminary rounds while Henry Lelei had the top time from the NCAA West in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with his 8:48.99.
Five Aggies throwers advanced to the NCAA Championships and three are in the men’s javelin. Leading that trio is Sam Humphreys, who had the top throw from both preliminary rounds with a 255-8 (77.84) toss. A&M frosh Devin Bogert registered a career best of 236-1 (71.97) that ranks No. 6 on the all-time American junior list.
While Laura Asimakis qualified for the NCAA meet in the javelin for a fourth time Aggie frosh Dalton Rowan earned his first trip to nationals in the discus with a career best throw of 192-4 (58.62), which ranks No. 9 on the all-time American junior list.
Texas A&M became the first track and field program to ever win three straight men’s and women’s NCAA Outdoor Championships and will be seeking to extend that streak to four consecutive years. The Aggies became the first school to win dual titles in 20 years when they won their first set in 2009.
In 2010, A&M matched the rare achievement of consecutive dual NCAA titles claimed by LSU (1989-1990) under current Aggie head coach Pat Henry, who has totaled 33 NCAA Championships – 27 at LSU and currently six with Texas A&M.
