Newcomers Make School History

Track & Field | January 28, 2018

HOUSTON, Texas - With the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men getting their first shot at this year's combined events at the Texas Tech Classic and Multis in Lubbock, the remainder of the Islander side completed day two of the Houston Invitational this Saturday afternoon. 

In just his second meet since coming to the Island, newcomer Colton Cohea became the first Corpus Christi athlete in school history to clear five meters in the pole vault this weekend, coming in first overall among college-attached athletes. His 5.05m clearance ranks third-best in the Southland Conference, and sits ahead of the record-setting mark freshman James Manders tallied just the previous week at the Red Raider Invitational (4.87m).

Over at the women's high jump, junior Sashane Hanson continued her conference dominance with a season-high clearance of 1.75m. Hanson's jump sits just a tenth of a meter short of the personal best, and program record mark, of 1.76m she set in 2016. The Islander high-jumper has broken the 1.70-meter barrier three-times in 2018, and is the only athlete in the SLC to have done so this indoor season.

In his first heptathlon performance since coming to Corpus Christi, Manders scored a point total of 4863 in the Texas Tech Classic and Multis, to set a new Blue and Green freshman record. After just two meets the first-year Islander already owns a pair of freshman program records, with this week's heptathlon score sitting second in the history of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi track and field.

Manders would finish sixth overall among college-attached athletes in Lubbock, followed closely by teammate Bjoern Adden in ninth. With a score of 4590, Adden recorded a personal record over two days of events, simultaneously posting personal bests in both the pole vault (3.94) and the 1000m (3:08.3) this Saturday alone. 

Top Islander Performances

Men's Pole Vault
1. Colton Cohea (5.05m) - SR

Women's High Jump
2. Sashane Hanson (1.75m)

Men's High Jump
3. Zhafear Ray (1.95m)

Men's Heptathlon Point Total
6. James Manders (4863) - FR
9. Bjoern Adden (4590) - PR
13. Bryan Wersterfer (4412) - PR

Men's Heptathlon Pole Vault
1. James Manders (4.84m)
9. Bjoern Adden (3.94m) - PR

Men's Heptathlon 1000m
6. James Manders (2:56.80)
15. Bjoern Adden (3:08.3) - PR

SR: School Record
FR: Freshman Record
PR: Personal Record
MR: Meet Record

COMING UP NEXT 
The Blue and Green will be taking a break this coming weekend before turning back toward Lubbock for the third time this season on February 9-10th. The side will prepare to compete in the Texas Tech Shootout in their last regular season test before the Southland Conference Championship, set to be held in Birmingham, Alabama on February 21st & 22nd.

For more information on Islanders track and field, follow the team on Twitter (@IslandersTFXC), Instagram (@go_islanders) and like their Facebook page (Islanders Track & Field/Cross Country).