Tigers' Track And Field Program Making Strides

Note: Over the next couple of days on the Memphis track and field/cross country twitter (@MemTigersTF_XC), the Tigers will honor those that earned All-American Athletic Conference accolades at last weekend's league championships.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – To protect himself from a blistering sun on an unseasonably warm mid-May afternoon, University of Memphis track coach Kevin Robinson has a torn and tattered Tiger track baseball cap pulled snuggly over his forehead.

Robinson's five-year-old cap has survived during an impressive stretch for his program. After last weekend's runner-up finish at the American Athletic Conference Men's Championship in Cincinnati to national power Houston, the Tigers have posted four Top 3 finishes in the five-year history of the conference.

The 147.5 points the Tigers amassed last weekend represented the most since winning the Conference USA title in 2007.

As members of the team (men and women) prepare for next weekend's NCAA East regionals in Tampa, Robinson finds himself taking stock of one of the better runs in the program's history. The Tigers are sending 23 athletes – a program record -- to the regionals.

"To be honest, the bottom line is it all comes down to recruiting," Robinson said. "And you've got to get (the athletes) to buy in to the program.

"We are always looking for that blue-collar, work-ethic kind of kid. It's all about attitude. When you start getting to know some of these recruits, you can kind of pick up what kind of kid they are, what they are interested in, how disciplined they are, how determined they are. To me, that's the driving force – finding the right fit, the right personality, right character because this is a hard sport. You have to be intrinsically motivated."

It appears as if Robinson has found the properly motivated student-athletes. Eighteen school records have been broken the past four seasons, including eight outdoor marks. Among the records set were two 40-year-old marks by the men's relay teams.

And thrower Luke Vaughn, named the Most Valuable Performer at last weekend's AAC Championship after winning the shot and the discus, is ranked third nationally in the discus.

"I've been proud of what they've done," said Dr. Adam Walker, a senior associate athletic director who oversees the program. "They've stepped it up recruiting-wise and been able to find some gems."

A former track athlete at Kansas State from 1999-2004, Walker said the team's sustained success can be attributed to balance.

"The team used to be field(-events) heavy," said Walker, a former thrower at K-State. "Now the team is more balanced.

"I believe the success right now will propel them recruiting-wise in the future. This is a program that finished second in the league indoors and outdoors."

Michael Criticos, a senior from Australia, placed third in the javelin (227-3) at last weekend's AAC Championship. He's been a contributor to the successful five-year run, winning 17 career javelin titles, participating in two NCAA Championships and earning two All-American honors.

Winner of the 2016 AAC javelin title with a school-record throw of 235-9, Criticos expects the success to continue after his college career ends.

"Coach Rob has done a great job of bringing in athletes and developing them," Criticos said.

As for 18 records set in the past four years, Criticos called the accomplishment "pretty ridiculous."

"It's another level we've been performing at the last couple of years," Criticos said. "It seems like it's exploded. But it's always been there. People are starting to understand the purpose coach Rob is trying to deliver. Everything is coming alive, coming together."

Rafael Vallery, also a senior, has been an anchor of the throws group the past four years. Like Criticos, he points to coach Robinson's ability to spot and fully develop talent.

"We have a good team vibe, too," Vallery said. "We're pretty close."

Criticos said the team's showing at the AAC Championship was made more impressive by the fact the Tigers only sent 23 athletes, or 13 fewer than champion Houston, yet were in contention to win the title.

"I've been here for a while now," Robinson said. "I've seen the program grow and change from where it was to where it is now. It seems to me the more success we have, the more it allows us to recruit a higher-level athlete. By showing how some of these performances were developed (by the coaching staff), that's a big recruiting tool."

University of Memphis Athletics

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Michael Criticos

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