13 Questions with Texas A&M sprinter Jeneba Tarmoh

You might be hearing lot about Jeneba Tarmoh after her blistering individual and relays races at the NCAA Championship that helped Texas A&M defend their NCAA crown.

Is Tarmoh the next great collegiate sprinter?

The Aggies travel to Eugene to defend their title. Enter Tarmoh. In just her first season at Texas A&M after transferring from Tennessee, Tarmoh narrowly placed runner up (22.92 ) in the 200 meters to teammate Porscha Lucas, ran 11.13 to finish third in the 100 meters and ran pivotal legs on the victorious Aggie 4×100, and 4×4 relays teams.

The Texas A&M sophomore talks abou running for Texas A&M, her educational pursuits and the lesson she learned this season.

PRJ: Winning the 100 meter in 11.00 (wind-aided) at NACAC against top international talent from North America, Central America and the Caribbean – does that make your title mean more? Of course winning always has a positive effect on a person. But what makes my title mean the most is the time I ran.
JT: Of course winning always has a positive effect on a person. But what makes my title mean the most is the time I ran.

PRJ: What’s it like to be the NCAA Champs?
JT: It’s a honor, not many teams have the talent and depth Texas A&M has. I never thought that I would be part of a team that has so much talent and it makes me feel blessed to be part of it. The feeling still has not sunk in.

PRJ: How confident were you that Texas A&M could overcome such a talented Oregon team after finishing second to the Ducks at the Pepsi Invitation back in April?
JT: I was very confident, I know that Oregon is a talented team but I also know we are just as talented.

PRJ: What amazing runs you had in the 100 and 200 meters – how do you feel about your races at the NCAAs?
JT: PROUD! Like many athletes my journey over the course of the year made me doubt my ability to attain the goals I set for myself. But a person comes to realize that the journey they go through is what makes the end product mean what it does.

PRJ: How did the team react to losing Gabby Mayo in Eugene?
JT: The team was sad for the most part, but we are aware that Gabby is not what makes the team good. We all practiced hard when it was time to, so therefore we all have trained to compete hard under every circumstance good or bad.

PRJ: What about Coach Henry? How much does it mean for you to give him back-to-back national titles and the first in school history?
JT: It always a good feeling to please some else. It made me happy because when Coach Henry smiles it means that someone has really touched his heart and it felt good to see him smile ear to ear.

PRJ: You lose some runners next year but you have some help on the way?
JT: We have plenty of help on the way and by the grace of god we also have athletes coming back stronger than last year mentally and physically.

PRJ: You were at Tennessee before transferring to College Station? Were you nervous at all about the transfer?
JT: Of course. In my mind I was afraid the team was too good for me and that I would not be able to contribute. But the reason why Coach Anderson recruited me was because I can contribute and I was wanted.

PRJ: What is campus life like at Texas A&M?
JT: For the most part it is fun. I have friends who make life so much more exciting.

PRJ: Have you thought about what you might get your degree in?
JT: I made up my mind about becoming a psychologist in high school and I’m still sticking to it. I’m almost done now so there’s no turning back.

PRJ: So when did you start running?
JT: I started running my freshman year in high school when I was 14 but it took me many years to get serious about the sport.

PRJ: What are you doing outside of track?
JT: I do everything a girl my age does. I watch tv, read, and just relax with friends and family.

PRJ: What has this last year taught you?
JT: Everything happens for a reason. God always has a plan. I learned to stand still in the midst of a trial, I hated that I had to sit the year out, but looking at how this year turned out I’m glad because I learned more about myself as a child of God, and as a person.

Texas A&M’s Anderson is National Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year For Third-Consecutive Time Aggie sprinters, hurdlers, and relays accounted for 65 of 72 national team points

June 23, 2010-(NEW ORLEANS)– The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) named Texas A&M’s Vince Anderson as the 2010 National Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year for outdoor track & field as voted by the nation’s coaches. Anderson, with coaching responsibilities at Texas A&M with sprints and hurdles, is a three-time consecutive winner of the award.

On the way to their second-straight national title, Texas A&M racked 65 of their 72 points at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the sprints, hurdles, and relays – areas in which Anderson has direct or shared roles of coaching responsibility.

At the NCAA Championships, Porscha Lucas won the 200-meter dash national crown for the second-straight year and added a runner-up showing in the 100. Sophomore Jeneba Tarmoh was runner up to Lucas in the 200 and was third in the 100 at the national meet. Junior Jessica Beard was second in the 400, sophomore Dominique Duncan placed fifth in the 200, and sophomore Vashti Thomas took sixth in the 100-meter hurdles.

In addition, Anderson, along with Head Coach Pat Henry, supervised the Aggie 4×100-meter relay to a fourth-straight NCAA title and a runner-up showing in the 4×400. Lucas has been the second leg on each of the four Texas A&M championship 4×100 squads and is the first in NCAA to accomplish the feat. In addition, Texas A&M is undefeated in the sprint relay during postseason races over the past four years, which includes 19 races and 11 finals. The Aggies four-year average of winning times from 2007 to 2010 is a very impressive 42.71. The only other team to win four or more consecutive relays is LSU. The Tigers top four-year winning average was a 43.14 from 1994-1997. They also have a 43.22 average from 1992-1995 and 1993-1996.

Texas A&M’s sprinters and hurdlers tallied 98 of the team’s 157 to win a fourth-straight outdoor Big 12 team title. The Aggies won six of the seven sprint, hurdle, and relay events at the league meet. In addition, eleven athletes qualified for the NCAA West preliminary and nine advanced to Eugene. Plus, Aggie relays set collegiate records in winning Penn Relays titles in 4×200 and shuttle hurdle relays in 2010. The 4×100 squad also ran a world-leading time of 42.49 in the NCAA quarterfinal (West preliminary round).

Anderson is his 25th year of collegiate coaching and his sixth at Texas A&M. Anderson also won this award in 2009 and 2008, with 2008 being the first year in which the award was presented.

Past National Women’s Assistant Coaches of the Year:

2010: Vince Anderson, Texas A&M
2009: Vince Anderson, Texas A&M
2008: Vince Anderson, Texas A&M

USTFCCCA 2010 National Award Winners, Division I, Outdoor Track & Field

MEN
National Track Athlete of the Year: Andrew Wheating, Oregon
National Field Athletes of the Year: Ashton Eaton, Oregon / Ryan Whiting, Arizona State
National Assistant Coach of the Year:
National Coach of the Year:

WOMEN
National Track Athlete of the Year: Lisa Koll, Iowa State
National Field Athlete of the Year: Brianne Theisen, Oregon
National Assistant Coach of the Year: Vince Anderson, Texas A&M
National Coach of the Year:

PreRaceJitters Podcast: Tabarie Henry making the smooth transition

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The Aggies have not won a Big 12 400m title before he stepped on campus.  Jay Hicks talks with Tabarie Henry about knocking off rivals Baylor University, transitioning to Texas A&M, likely outcome at the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Plus Henry weighs in on the Aggies team chemistry and more.

2010 Indoor Track & Field Conference Weekend Wrap Up

Saturday, February 28, 2010 — New conference champs in the collegiate track and field. The champions were crowned in the ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Conference USA, MPSF, SEC, WAC, conference championship meets held over the weekend.

The NCAA meet is set up

With so many noteworthy performances it is difficult to know where start. Up until this point in the season not a lot matters, however the conference weekend is where it all begins.

Is this a dynasty in the making? The Lady Aggies of Texas A&M made some serious noise that will echo at the 2010 NCAA Track & Field Championships in two weeks. For the second year in a row, Gabby Mayo went about her business carving up the track, winning the 60m (7.30) and 60m hurdles (8.05) earning high point honors while helping her team to its fourth consecutive team title.

Jessica Beard wrapped up the 400m, while Porscha Lucas continued her dominance in the 200m and both claim titles in their respective events for the third straight year.  It has to be noted that Lucas lead Texas A&M’s 1-2-3 sweep of the top three spots in the women’s 200m.

Then the women’s 4 x 400 relay finished off the meet by winning for a fourth consecutive year.

“Across the board if you look at everything the team did, they really got after it today,” Aggie head coach Pat Henry said. “It’s a tough meet for us to win.  “You can have a really good team and come in here and be third or fourth, but still have a good track team at the next meet. I’m extremely pleased with the overall effort of our team.”

Already the 2009 NCAA champion in the 60-meter hurdles, Ronnie Ash added another title with his win in the 60-meter hurdles, recording a personal best 7.59. The time is the best among collegians this year and ranks fifth this year by an American on any level.  Ash helped the University of Oklahoma men’s track and field team nab the program’s 18th conference title Saturday when it won the 2010 Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Championship

His silence is broken. Charles Clark burst onto the scene, opening up his indoor season with 20.67 winning the ACC 200 meters and registering the top NCAA time as Florida State recorded its’ eighth consecutive, ninth overall, ACC Indoor Championships title. Teammate Kimberly Williams is still on fire, leaping 46-8 1/4 inch winning the triple jump.

On his home court, Lee Emanuel was victorious in the 800, miles and DMR leading New Mexico to a fourth place finish.

Is she college track’s best all-around athlete? Queen Harrison’s record setting day gives her a strong look in the conversation. The Virginia Tech senior ran 7.94, setting a conference meet record and lowering her own school record. But the day was not over as she lowered her own school record in the 400 meters, placing second in 53.06.

The next great Oregon distance runner set the tone in Seattle.  Freshmen Jordan Hasay continues to make her mark, running 4:35.01 a three second personal record to win the women’s mile. That is a new conference meet record and of course an automatic qualifier.

The Oregon women won the MPSF title for the first time in school history with 133 points. Stanford was second with 113 points, followed by Arizona (109) and Arizona State (75).

How the west was won. Lacy Cramer lead BYU’s 1-2-3 sweep in the 800 meter running 2:05.55, ahead of teammates Nachelle Stewart 2:07.06 and Angela Wagner 2:08.90. The BYU men and women emerged victorious at the Mountain West Conference meet in Albuque, N.M.

Not to be overlooked senior Jason Colwick of Rice vaulted a crazy 5.18 meters or 17 feet, setting a Conference USA meet record in Houston and establishing himself as an NCAA title contender.

Day 1 NCAA Champioships, Gerald Phiri - Texas A&M

Day 1 NCAA, Gerald Phiri - Texas A&M from PreRaceJitters on Vimeo.

Gerald Phiri talks with PreRaceJitters.com after winning his semifinal heat of the 100 meter dash.

Day 1 NCAA Championships, Porscha Lucas of Texas A&M

Day 1 NCAA Champs, Porscha Lucas of Texas A&M from PreRaceJitters on Vimeo.

After running 11.14, she stopped by to discuss the 100 meter race with PreRaceJitters.com. Texas A&M’s Porscha Lucas won her preliminary heat of the 100 meter and is tied for the third fastest time of the day.

PreRaceJitters’ Podcast #29 with Porscha Lucas of Texas A&M

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Last year she was with runner up in the 200 meters in 22.67 seconds at the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa.

This year Porscha Lucas is gunnin’ for that #1 spot, qualifying in the 100, 200 and 4×100 meter relay for the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Lucas discusses challenging the collegiate 4×100 meter relay, her own expectations and more.

2009 NCAA Indoor Championships, Porscha Lucas, Texas A&M

2009 NCAA Indoor Championships - Porscha Lucas, Texas A&M from PreRaceJitters on Vimeo.