TCU
Aggie Invitational
Preview: Aggie Invitational
1/21/2021 9:40:00 AM | Women's Indoor Track
FORT WORTH —TCU's men's and women's track and field teams begin its 2021 indoor season campaign on Saturday in College Station, Texas.
Meet Day Information
Date: Jan. 23, 2021
Location: College Station, Texas
Venue: Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium at the McFerrinAthletic Center
Teams attending: Texas A&M, Baylor, Houston, TCU, Utah (women only), UTSA
TV: SEC Network+ on Watch ESPN will carry the Aggie Invitational on Saturday.
USTFCCCARankings
The United States Track and Field and Cross Country Association (USTFCCCA) will release its first set of national and regional rankings during the week of January 25. Given the circumstances of the season, it decided to forgo producing a preseason ranking.
TCU's men's track and field program was ranked No. 18 in the nation in the final regular season update of 2020. The Horned Frog men entered the 2020 indoor season at No. 17.
Men's 4x400 Success
The men's 4x400 relay team (Jostyn Andrews, Simbarashe Maketa, Tinotenda Matiyenga, Derrick Mokaleng) took home its fourth Big 12 title in the past five years between indoor and outdoor seasons last year. Mokaleng's45.47 anchor leg propelled the Frogs from third to first in the final 400m of the race, finishing in 3:06.90.
The squad also garnered All-America status. TCU's 4x400 relay registered First-Team All-America accolades the previous two indoor seasons, while achieving second-team the past two outdoor seasons.
Returning Indoor All-Americans
Jill Johnson - High Jump
TJ Brock - 60m
Chengetayi (Du) Mapaya - Triple Jump
Due to the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships, the NCAA Division I Track & Field Executive Committee did not differentiate between first-team, second-team or honorable mention.
Returning Outdoor All-Americans
Destiny Longmire- First-Team - Long Jump
Chengetayi (Du) Mapaya- First-Team - Triple Jump
Derrick Mokaleng- Second-Team - 400m
Andrews, Bender, Matiyenga and Mokaleng - Second-Team - 4x400
Record Breakers
Jill Johnson broke TCU's women's indoor high jump record by clearing 1.81m (5-11 1/4) at the Texas Tech Shootout her freshman year. She won the event and owned the top mark in the Big 12 at the time, which was also tied for 9th nationally.
Junior Tysen Townsendbroke former fellow teammate Kendahl Shue's pole vault record by clearing 12-11 3/4.
Mariah Castillo broke TCU's 800m record twice at the 2020 Big 12 Indoor Championship. Her 2:08.54 placed her fourth overall. The record had previously stood since 1986.
Just Du It
Chengetayi (Du) Mapaya returns for his senior indoor campaign to defend his national title in the outdoor triple jump from 2019. He also garnered a bronze medal at the 2019 NCAA Indoor Championships as well. As a freshman in 2018, Mapaya reached the championship in the triple jump and finished third with a 16.38m (53-9) jump.
Mapaya secured the national championship in the most dramatic fashion possible. Going into his sixth and final jump of the night, Mapaya was in third place after a jump of 16.94m (55-7) in his fifth attempt. On the final jump of the competition, Mapaya jumped 17.13m (56-2.5) passing up event leader Jordan Scott of Virginia (17.01m, 55-9.75) and winning the national championship. It was TCU's first national title in track and field since Ronnie Baker won the 60m dash in 2016.
Mapaya, who also earned First Team All-America Honors, shattered his own school record of 16.64m (54-7.25), which was set earlier in the season at the National Relay Championships in Fayetteville, Ark.
He continues to build on his already illustrious Horned Frog career. The Harare, Zimbabwe, native's worst finish at an NCAA Championship event is fifth place back when he was a freshman. The junior is now a five-time All-American.
The Bowerman
Mapaya was named to The Bowerman's Preseason Watch List in 2020. He is the third student-athlete from TCU to appear on the watch list (Ronnie Baker, 2016) (Whitney Gipson, 2012). Charles Silmon was a semifinalist for the award in 2013, but did not appear on a watch list -- a distinction that is announced after the season is over.
The Bowerman is the highest honor bestowed to collegiate track & field's most outstanding athletes of the year. This is the 12th year of the award program, having started in 2009.
Only ten men and ten women will be on the official watch list during each update. Semifinalists from the previous year are automatically on the preseason watch list provided they are returning.
TCU Indoor History
TCU has a tradition of national success during the indoor season. Two years ago, the Horned Frogs left the NCAA meet with a third-place finisher, three First-Team All-America individuals and one Second-Team honor. Three years ago, TCU left the NCAA meet with a third-place finisher, four total First-Team All-America honors, and three additional Second-Team honors. The national meet in 2020 was canceled due to COVID-19.
