A&M hits

Volleyball takes Czech Pro team to five sets

PRAGUE, Czech Republic - The Texas A&M volleyball team closed out its 14-day European tour by taking Olymp Praha Volleyball, the level A1 defending champion in the Czech Republic professional league, to five sets in a 25-23, 25-19, 11-25, 17-25, 15-12 A&M loss. The Aggies went 6-2 overall playing against teams in Italy, Slovenia and the Czech Republic.

"Today we faced the most experienced team that we've ever played," said A&M Head Coach Laurie Corbelli. "Their players age anywhere from 22-30.

Olymp Praha built a 15-9 lead in the opening set before A&M began a comeback. Down 21-17, the Aggies went on a 6-1 run to take their first lead since scoring the first two points of the match.

Praha never trailed in the second set, although A&M stayed within striking distance at 15-13. Praha then went on a 7-1 spurt to begin to pull away. Praha later was served for the set at 24-17, but A&M staved off two set points as Mary Batis got a kill from the back row and Kelsey Bryant followed with a kill from the right side. A&M's next attack, however, went into the net, and Praha held a 2-0 set lead.

Reid, Lee win events at Olympic trials

EUGENE, Ore. - Muna Lee, a Texas A&M volunteer assistant coach, won the women's 100 final in 10.85 seconds during the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, on Saturday evening to earn her place on the American team that will compete in the Beijing Olympics this August.

Meanwhile, in Kingston, Jamaica, Aggie freshman Julian Reid won the triple jump at the Jamaican Olympic Trials on Friday evening with a jump of 52-4 (15.95) to defeat Ramon Taylor of Florida State, who produced a 52-3.25 (15.93). Reid will contest the long jump on Sunday.

Lee, who placed seventh in the 200 during the 2004 Athens Olympics, competed at LSU from 2000-04 when Aggie head coach Pat Henry led the Tiger program. Lee joined the A&M staff as a volunteer assistant this past fall. Her career at LSU included seven national titles and 20 All-American awards as Lee became the most decorated athlete in the history of the track and field program.

19 Aggies to swim at U.S. Olympic trials

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Texas A&M swimming program will have 19 current, future, and former athletes compete at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, Neb.

Six men and 13 women will compete at the Olympic trials after achieving qualifying standards established by U.S.A. Swimming in August of 2005.

On the men's side Ozzie Gardner, Brad Raiford, Casey Strange and Tyler Welch have all earned the right to swim.

The Aggie women will have an all-time best 11 swimmers from the current team competing at the trials. Those scheduled to compete will be Melissa Hain, Codie Hansen, Kristen Heiss, Marissa Jasek, Erin Mahoney, Christine Marshall, Caroline Maxvill, Emily Neal, Maria Sommer, Jenni Stratton and Sarah Woods.