TXST TRACK AND FIELD
Men’s Sprint Relay team set new standard for Texas State Track
This is the third of three articles covering the historic group of Bobcat Track Athletes who have qualified to compete at the NCAA National Track Meet.
When the Texas State 400-meter relay team of Shedrack Akpeki, Daniel Harrold, Shawn “Chuck” Collins and Dominick Yancy crossed the finish line at the NCAA West Premlins, it was not a shock that they were going to the NCAA National Outdoor Meet. It was the expectation.
“We are finishing what we started,” Yancy said. “Our first year here, regionals was at Arkansas, and my last year was at Arkansas. Then as an alternative we went to Oregon, so we are finishing what we started. Seeing some of the similar faces like Daniel then new people like Chuck, it has been a fun experience.”
Collins agreed. “I just want to go out there and show I’m one of the fastest people in the nation,” Collins said. “We just wanted to punch that ticket to Oregon.”
The quartet have dominated the track space at Texas State this season in both the outdoor and indoor seasons. Harrold broke the school record for fastest time in the 60-meter hurdles during the indoor season and qualified for nationals. He currently owns all of the top ten fastest times in the 60 hurdles.
Harrold also broke the school record for the 110-meter hurdles and owns the top eight fastest times in the event in program history.
Harrold won both the Sun Belt Track Performer of the Year Award in indoor track and the Most Outstanding Track Performer in outdoor track.
Yancy owns the school record in the 200-meter dash and broke the school record in the 400-meter dash.
Yancy earned the Sun Belt High Point Scorer award during the indoor season.
In outdoor, Yancy broke the school record in the 200-meter dash and claimed the gold medal at the Sun Belt Conference Meet.
The duo were also a part of the 2022 400-meter relay team that currently owns the school record and qualified for the NCAA National Outdoor Meet.
Collins also broke through this season earning the gold medal at the Sun Belt Outdoor Conference Championships in the 100-meter dash and earned Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year during the Indoor Season.
Akpeki, despite not winning a medal at conference, has a championship record claiming conference gold at his previous school William Carey.
The level of success all four track performers have had during the season added a championship level of thinking to relay.
“Our mentality was we have all been there before,” Yancy said. “It wasn’t anything new. We just went out there and executed. When we figured out we made the 4X100, we were not extremely excited because we expected that to happen. [All of us] were locked into the relay after the individuals knew there was a bigger plan. And there is a lot more stuff to do.”
For Harrold, it is not enough to just be competitive.
“There is a saying of ‘survive and advance,” Harrold said. “But for us, it is advance and dominate. We don’t want to survive anything. At any platform or level we can execute on, we go in with the intention to win and dominate. Anything else we are selling ourselves short.”
While the success of all four athletes in their own individual races has been outstanding to down right legendary, in a relay event where team chemistry is imperative, the group needed to find ways outside of track to find that extra boost.
Enter the famous video game Fortnite.
“This year our chemistry has been focused outside of practice,” Harrold said. “Me and the guys started playing Fortnite, which was one way we worked on bonding outside of practice. We spend so much time together in the weight room, on the track and even in the classrooms. Outside of that, it is important to have those relationships and to know our identity outside of the track.
While playing the popular battle royale game might seem a little unconventional, being able to learn about one another outside of the track space has allowed that chemistry to strengthen.
“We just play the game together and chop it up every other night,” Harrold said. “It has played a big role in our chemistry and success. Our handoffs haven’t been the best, but I trust [my teammate] is going to get the baton and not look back. That has gotten us where we are ” Playing the co-op mode where they are forced to work together, the trust in one another has transferred onto the track.
“Like Daniel said, we took a lot of [loses] on Fortnite,” Collins said. “So we don’t need to bring that losing energy on the game into the track, so we have to trust each other.”
On top of the video games, the hard training has also forced the teammates to get closer.
“Our workouts have made us strong,” Yancy said. “When we go through those hard workouts, I see my guys on the ground. We get closer because we know all the type of hard work we put in which makes our relationship and bond strong” As the Bobcats prepare for the championships, confidence won’t be lacking in the group as they make the trip up to Eugene.
“We have guys that can compete with the best in the nation,” Yancy said. “We have guys ranked among the best in the nation. Daniel was top three in the nation, and I was ranked No. 7. I went to the indoor nationals and so did Daniel. I always say the body believes, the mind achieves.”
cmcwilliams @sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc
There is a saying of survive and advance.
But for us, it is advance and dominate.
... Anything else, we are selling ourselves short.
—
Texas State Track Athlete Daniel Harrold
Left, Daniel Harrold crosses the finished at the conference meet. Harrold owns the school record in the both the 60-meter and 110-meter hurdles. Right, Shedrack Akpeki gets the baton during the 400-meter relay race. Submitted photo by Texas State Athletics
