Two Aggies earn All-American honors for indoor track work
Sonia Grabowska, Clint Silcock and John Strang competed in the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships during the weekend, with Strang and Silcock named as All-Americans, the first twosome to do so since 1998.
On the first day of competition at Texas A&M’s McFerrin Athletic Center, Strang finished atop the field in the heptathlon high jump, second place in the heptathlon 60m dash, third place in the hep long jump and 13th place in the hep shot put, ending the day in sixth place overall with 3,150 points. During day two, Strang came out strong in the 60m hurdles and tied a personal record finishing in 8.25, good enough for eighth place. The pole vault proved once again to be one of Strang’s weaker events as he cleared 14’1.25″ for 12th place. The final event for the heptathlon was the 1,000m race where Strang set another personal best finishing in 2:50.51. His point total surpassed the WAC record he set in March at the Indoor WAC Championship meet, putting the new record at 5,532 points. This record marks the third time he has beaten the WAC’s highest heptathlon score. Strang’s total awarded him eighth place in the event, earning USU their only team point and also giving him All-American status.
“John was on a mission this week,” said longtime head coach Gregg Gensel. “This guy has progressed from a walk-on high jumper to successful on the track and in the classroom. He’s going to graduate this summer. He’s not done, he wants to get All-American in the outdoor season in the decathlon. He’s going to work hard for that.”
Silcock, sophomore from Salmon, Idaho, competed among the field of 17 high jumpers during day two of the meet. Silcock ended the day in a three way tie for ninth place clearing, 6’10.25″. The eighth-place finisher, Trent Arrivery from Washington State, also cleared 6’10.25″, but because he cleared the height on his first attempt and the rest of the ninth-place finishers cleared it on their second, Arrivery was moved to eighth place.
Silcock’s season best of 7’2.50″, which took place at the Cougar Invitational, would have been enough for second place behind the event champion, Scott Sellers from Kansas State, whose winning jump came at 7’4.50″, a facility record.
USU current women’s pole vault record holder, Grabowska, took 15th place in her event. Her jump Saturday of 12’11.50″ was in reality the fifth highest jump of the meet, but with ties and number of attempts effecting podium position, she finished as college’s 15th-best women pole vaulter.
According to USU’s athletic department, Strang and Silcock become the 22nd and 23rd male All-Americans in USU’s history. Strang becomes the first Aggie All-American in multi-events and Silcock is now the second All-American Aggie high jumper, joining 2001’s Dave Hoffman.
Although the indoor season has now come to a close USU track and field is far from getting a rest. The outdoor season kicks off at the Willie Williams Invitational in Tucson, Ariz., at the University of Arizona, March 20 and 21.
–c.h.j@aggiemail.usu.edu