Volume 10, No. 34 June 13, 2011 — NCAA Men: Texas A&M Defends — by David Woods built a dynasty and college track & field, de- “It’s a tremendous group of young people Des Moines, Iowa, June 8–11—In an spite protestations to the contrary, is a team who did some things I don’t think they could NCAA Championships beset by stormy sport featuring all the drama that American do at times this weekend. But they are big weather and ennobled by Ngoni Makusha’s culture purports to appreciate. believers. During our meeting this morn- triple, two truths emerged: Texas A&M has In the final relay leg of the final race of ing, they all looked at each other and left the the final day, Texas room knowing what needed to be done.” KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT KIRBY A&M won the 4x4 Even the point totals don’t reflect how to secure a third close team standings were. For instance, the successive men’s/ disqualification of apparent runner-up Gil women’s sweep. Roberts of Texas Tech in the 400 moved No school had A&M’s Demetrius Pinder from 5th to 4th and ever won both team Miller from 8th to 7th. Without those two ex- titles three years in tra points, A&M would have been outscored a row (more on the by Florida State 54–53. women in tomor- It was another excruciating outcome for row’s TN). Florida, which has finished No. 2 four times Heading into and No. 3 once since ’04. The Gators also lost that 21st men’s by two to A&M, 48–46, in ’09. event, Florida State “We just had too many things go wrong had 54 points, Flor- for us to be the champions,” Florida head ida 50 and A&M Mike Holloway said. “It’s another two-point 45. Of the three, loss, and I’m almost at a loss for words. I am only FSU lacked an the guy in charge of the program, and I need entry in the climac- to look at myself first. I need to figure out tic relay. what we have to do to quit coming up short Tabarie Henry, like this.” the collegiate lead- Notable were the Gator failures in two er at 44.83, ran a events they were favored to win, the 100 and 44.86 anchor to 4x1. Defending champ Jeff Demps cramped finish off the Ag- in the 100 and did not get out of the semifi- Tabarie gies’ 19th straight nals. The two-time defending Gators couldn’t victory in the event. get the stick around in the sprint relay. Henry’s 44.86 Those 10 points Yet as they ultimately came up short, the anchor sewed gave A&M 55, 1 Gators were responsible for the meet’s most more than the Sem- compelling duel of the last day. In the triple up a tight inole and 2 more jump, the lead changed four times before 3-way team than the Gators. Christian Taylor prevailed over teammate A&M coach Will Claye. battle Pat Henry said Best marks were wind-aided, although it was the inabil- Taylor’s 17.80/58-4¾w was a collegiate best ity of quartermiler under all conditions. The previous best was Henry—no relation 17.72/58-1¾w by Arkansas’s Mike Con- to the coach —to ley in ’85. Claye was 2nd at 17.62/57-9¾w; qualify for the 400 final that galvanized the Aggies. Quar- © 2011 Track & Field News.All rights termiler Henry said reserved.This newsletter may not be re- he “knew it was printedor retransmitted in any formwithout over” after Bryan express written permission. Miller’s leadoff. www.trackandfieldnews.com Henry added, -286- June 13, 2011 his 17.35/56-11¼ in the third round was a a third title in the 4x1 (there was no sprint DES MOINES, IOWA school and Drake Stadium record. relay until ’64). Makusha, a 24-year-old Zimbabwean, set It was precarious. On the first exchange, JUNE 8–11 the lone Collegiate Record: 9.89 in the 100, Kemar Hyman passed to Makusha, who In the second year of a new system, the 4 breaking the mark of 9.90 set by UCLA’s Ato fumbled the baton. Hyman snatched the ba- NCAA Regionals were again replaced by a Boldon in ’96. He also broke Boldon’s meet ton from mid-air flight and passed again to 2-site “Preliminary Round” set of competi- mark of 9.92. Makusha inside the zone. tions. See eTN 32 for the men’s prelim results The race was run over a track wet from Americans totaled 10 individual titles, (the “heats” and “quarterfinals” of the races, one of the rainstorms that interrupted action one more than those from other nations. qualifying rounds in all the field events, etc.). on the middle two days. It wasn’t so much Other highlights: Weather that Makusha set the record, but the way he •Florida State’s Maurice Mitchell won the The first three days were cool & rainy with rd did so—extending the lead over the closing 200 in 19.99w after finishing 3 in the 100 lightning-storm delays; final day mild with 30 meters in a finish reminiscent of vintage in a PR 10.00. mix of sun & clouds. Carl Lewis. •Virginia soph Robby Andrews completed Attendance Earlier Friday, Makusha passed his final a last-to-first stretch run with a closing 200 in 5713/7187/7423/9054—29,377 (’08 hosting attempt of a long jump competition sus- 26.44 and won the 800 in 1:44.71, just 0.01 here in good weather drew 41,187). pended from Thursday by a lightning warn- off the meet record held by Florida’s Mark ing. His national record of 27-6¾ (8.40) rep- Everett since ’90. UC Irvine junior Charles Symbols resented his third title and the first half of the Jock led every step but the last, covering the *** = frosh; ** = soph; * = junior, all others fifth 100/LJ double in NCAA history. Others first lap in a blistering 49.86. are seniors (classes are not listed in relay were by Michigan’s DeHart Hubbard (’25), •Oregon junior Matt Centrowitz achieved prelims); ' after name = foreigner. WL, AL, Ohio State’s Jesse Owens (’35 & ’36), and an NCAA title in the 1500, something his CL = World/American/Collegiate-leading Houston’s Lewis (’81). father, an Olympian, never did. Centrowitz mark for year. Makusha went them one better by adding was tactically superb, always staying near the — TEAMS — front before finishing a 3:42.54 Scoring is 8 places: 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1: with a 53.38 last 400. nd 1. Texas A&M 55; 2. Florida State 54; 3. Final 2011 Men’s NCAA Leaders •After finishing 2 in the Florida 53; 4. LSU 46; 5. Virginia Tech 36; ¶ = record performance; i = indoors; storm-delayed 10,000 the night 6. Stanford 29; 7. Arizona 28; 8. BYU 27½; new leaders since last week are in red (the Collegiate before, Liberty senior Sam Chel- 9. Texas Tech 26; season is now over; no further changes in store); anga won the 5000 in 13:29.30. 10. tie, Arkansas & Oregon 25; 12. tie, ***=frosh, **=soph, *=junior, all others are seniors It was Chelanga’s first title at the nd Illinois, Liberty, Texas & USC 18; 16. tie, distance after finishing 2 four Iona & Kansas State 16; 18. Kansas 14; 19. Track Events times, including indoors this 100 .......... 9.89 .............*Ngoni Makusha' (Florida State) Mississippi 13; year. Iona’s Leonard Korir, the 20. tie, Indiana, Mississippi State, 200........... 20.05 ................ *Mookie Salaam (Oklahoma) 10K and indoor 5K champion, 400........... 44.80i ...................**Kirani James' (Alabama) rd Oklahoma, Penn State & Washington 11; was 3 . 25. tie, Alabama, Arizona State, Cal, Illinois 800 .......... 1:44.71 ............... **Robby Andrews (Virginia) •LSU’s Barrett Nugent, after ................. 1:44.71 ............................Cory Primm (UCLA) nd State, Louisville, Virginia & Washington State finishing 2 to Illinois’s An- 10; 32. tie, Baylor & Princeton 9; 1500......... 3:36.25 ..............................*Miles Batty (BYU) drew Riley a year ago in the 110 Mile .......... 3:55.79i .............................*Miles Batty (BYU) 34. tie, Duke, Oral Roberts & UC Irvine 8; hurdles, reversed the order with 37. UCLA 7; 38. tie, Clemson & Nebraska St ............. 8:24.87 ....................Matt Hughes' (Louisville) a 13.28w victory. Prerace favor- 3000......... 7:48.24i ................... Sam Chelanga' (Liberty) 6; 40. North Carolina 5½; 41. tie, Kentucky, ite Omo Osaghae of Texas Tech Missouri, New Mexico, South Florida & 5000......... 13:26.01i ......................*Leonard Korir' (Iona) crashed the first barrier and was 10,000...... 27:28.64 ............. *Stephen Sambu' (Arizona) Villanova 5; effectively knocked out of the 46. tie, Central Michigan, Iowa, Iowa State, 110H ........ 13.23 ..................Omo Osaghae (Texas Tech) race. 400H ........ 48.13 ......Jeshua Anderson (Washington St) Maryland, Northern Arizona & Weber State •Washington State senior Je- 4; 52. tie, Southeast Louisiana & Texas Relay Events shua Anderson, on a cool, windy State 3½; 4 x 100 .... 38.38 ..............................................Texas A&M and rainy Friday, won his third 54. tie, Bucknell, Georgia, Purdue & SUNY 4 x 200..... 1:20.45 ...................................................... LSU 400 hurdle title in 48.56. Binghamton 3; 58. tie, Akron, Delaware State, 4 x 400..... 3:00.45 .......................................... Texas A&M •Illinois State soph Tim Memphis, Sam Houston State, Southern 4 x 800..... 7:12.15 ................................................ Virginia Glover won the javelin at 263-6 Utah & Western Kentucky 2; 4 x Mile .... 16:19.98 ...........................................Princeton (80.33), becoming the fourth 64.