Ahead of the first outdoor conference championship on the track in 20-plus years in Aggieland, Texas A&MTrack & Field head coach Pat Henry and his assistant Milton Mallard joined in-studio for this week's edition of the Track & Field Report.
Key notes from Pat Henry interview
- Teams started showing up for the SEC Championships yesterday. Today is another practice day before the meet this weekend. The SEC Championships is maybe the best track meet in the country except for the NCAA Championships, which has been dominated by the SEC for the last decade. Oregon has had a good group for a while, as has USC. This is a good preview for the NCAA Championships, and Aggies get to see it right here in town.
- Each of these schools will bring 70 people to this track meet times 14 teams, plus parents and fans. There are a lot of people in town, so we will fill up some hotels and restaurants this weekend. The NCAA Regional will be even bigger. There was a drought from Texas A&M for years and years because our facility couldn't host events like this. It was a process, but I want to thank the 12th Man Foundation, donors and fans for making this happen.
- We have the opportunity to fill the stadium. If you come out there, you're going to get in the stadium and watch the track meet.
- At most of our competitions, we'll see two or three SEC schools at a time. There were three of us at the Texas Relays. It has been a different year. All years are hard to figure the SEC Championships unless all of the schools are there. When the big lights come on, and that's this weekend, the great ones come to the top while others struggle in this situation. Somebody is going to do something nobody expects, and it could be you. Rise to the occasion.
- Arkansas' squads are good and have great depth. Our ladies were second indoors at the national championship, and Arkansas beat us. We won many events, and they didn't win any. If everything falls right, we've got some event areas outdoors that aren't on the indoors. It doesn't take a lot of points to make a big difference. On the ladies' side, Arkansas has a good mile relay, but they don't have a hurdler that will be in contention. We could. There are slight differences from indoors to outdoors. The events offer you the opportunity to be different, and it's just about who shows up.
- We do everything we can to be successful at the SEC Championships. We recruit that way. We want to line up in all events. This is an important championship for us. We want to win this one, but we can win the national championship without winning the SEC championship. There are differences in the meets. The elites make it different. We have some elites on both the men's and women's sides. You can have a great team and not win the national championship.
- Our short sprinters looked good last week. The men's short relay was fast. Hurdlers on the ladies' side were good. Track is one of those sports where you miss a meet, there is no making it up. You cannot have a track meet on Tuesday or Wednesday night. When you miss a weekend, you miss a weekend. There are only about six or seven weekends. For us to have that meet last week was important. We had some good things happen, so it leads into the SEC Championships.
- Jon Bishop was the academic athlete of the year. Our team across the board is going well athletically and academically. We're excited about the people who got to win those awards yesterday.
Key notes from Milton Mallard interview
- This is a dream come true for me. Working for my mentor and my former head coach is a great opportunity. I am cherishing every moment. I am excited about our team, and it's a championship season for us. I'm excited to get going.
- I go back and think about Athing Mu's recruiting process. I remember that she's a better person than an athlete, which makes her easy to coach. She has tremendous, God-gifted ability. She works hard. It makes it even better to watch her flourish. I'm on the front row to watch the best in college track & field. I am blessed.
- The focus is on being consistent. We've been training for the last few months, getting prepared for this. Then I want them to have fun. It's organized recess.
