TAMUC – Sports

TRACK

Obst in contention in heptathlon, Romero advances to 800m final in the first day at Division II National Championships

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Texas A&M University-Commerce, indoor track, and field team began its weekend at the NCAA Division II National Championships on Thursday with five Lions competing.

Florian Obst is in prime position after four events in the heptathlon, sitting in fourth place. A 14.03-meter shot put, the longest in the competition by 78 centimeters, boosted his 2,904-point total. He was the eighth finisher in the 60 meters and long jump, and 11th in the high jump, with personal bests in the long and high jumps. He will face close competition in the final three events Friday, as the heptathlon closes with the 60-meter hurdles, pole vault, and 1,000 meters.

Luis Romero will have a chance to defend his 800-meter national title on Saturday after winning his heat in Thursday’s preliminaries. With a time of 1:52.66, Romero is seeded third in the highly competitive final.

Gage Bowles finished just out of the points in his first event of the weekend, placing ninth in the long jump. His first jump of the day at 7.22m was the longest of his six jumps, eight centimeters out of the points.

Elliot Martynkiewicz finished 11th in the 5,000 meters with a time of 14:31.00. He was in the top eight at the 2,000-meter split but was unable to push ahead and onto the podium.

Isaiah McFail ran in the 60-meter preliminaries, but his time of 6.84 seconds placed him in 12th, not advancing to Saturday’s finals.

The Lions will compete in three events Friday, with their strengths on display. In addition to Obst’s chance to earn points in the heptathlon, Bowles and defending national champion DeVontae Steele will jump in the triple jump, starting at 11:55 a.m.

At 6:15 p.m., Romero, Luis Osornio, Austin Yaeger, and Dedrian Windham will take to the track in the Distance Medley Relay.

Live results will be available throughout the weekend at http://results.leonetiming.com/?mid=1140.

SOFTBALL

Softball series vs. Midwestern State changed to doubleheader Friday, single game Saturday

COMMERCE– The Texas A&M University-Commerce softball schedule modified for this weekend due to potential inclement weather.

The Lions’ three-game Lone Star Conference series against Midwestern State University will now consist of a doubleheader on Friday at 3 and 5 p.m. and then a single game on Saturday at 1 p.m.

A&M-Commerce enters the series with a 12-8 overall record and 2-4 LSC record, while MSU is 12-13 overall and 3-6 in the league.

GOLF

Emily Taylor named Lone Star Conference Golfer of the Week

RICHARDSON – Texas A&M University-Commerce women’s golfer Emily Taylor has been named the Lone Star Conference Women’s Golfer of the Week, as announced by the LSC office on Thursday.

Taylor – a senior from Howe – wins the award for the second time this season, having won in the fall season. Taylor finished in the top 10 of the Lions’ home event at Tanglewood despite incredibly windy conditions. She shot 165 (85-80, +21) in a tournament that saw minimal rounds under 80.

Taylor and the Lions return to the links next Monday and Tuesday in Wichita Falls at the Midwestern State Mustang Invitational.