Pair of Aggies come short of matching season bests’ at indoor track nationals
Two of Utah State’s school record holders took their talents to College Station, Texas, to see how they matched up against the cream of the crop at NCAA Indoor Nationals, hosted by Texas A&M University. Senior Clint Silcock and junior Sonia Grabowska, who have both previously qualified for Indoor Nationals, represented the Aggies in the men’s high jump and women’s pole vault, respectively. Silcock tied for 11th place with Indiana State’s Major Clay. Silcock cleared a height of 7’00.5″, well under his season-best school record jump of 7’4.25, on his first attempt.
He missed at the next height of 7’2.5″. Derek Drouin of Indiana was the top high jumper and won the event with a jump of 7’7.75″. Silcock’s school record jump of 7’4.25″ would have been good for second place, had he jumped the height during Nationals.
“Everybody was having some trouble because the runway was a little slippery, but really that’s not an excuse for how things turned out,” USU head coach Gregg Gensel said of his athlete’s performance. “There’s no one out there in track and field blocking you or running in front of you while you’re vaulting. It’s just you against the bar. I have a hard time believing that the pressure got to them. You have your days when you perform very well and days where you don’t perform as well as you hoped. That’s the way it goes.”
Grabowska missed all three attempts at the opening height of 13’1.5.” The winner of the women’s pole vault, Tina Sutej of Arkansas, cleared 14’7.25″ to take home the title. Grabowska’s best in the event is 13″11.25.”
“Anytime the athletes make it to that high of a stage it’s a great thing. She still had a great season and accomplished a lot. She PR’d and she got the school record. She’s disappointed, but a hundred people would die for the opportunity she had. I was sad to see her no-height, but that happens on this stage,” Gensel said.
There will be little rest for these Aggies, as they jump right into the outdoor track season at the Willie Williams Invitational in Tucson, Ariz., on March 17. The meet is hosted by the University of Arizona and has been a frequent stop for the Aggies as they’ve begun the outdoor track and field season in the past. They will get the opportunity to match up with perrenial standout track programs like the University of Arizona and BYU.
– michael.d.rees@aggiemail.usu.edu