VYPE U: Oak Ridge's Rowan Leading Houston-Area Tracksters to NCAA Nationals

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A year ago, Dalton Rowan won the Texas high school state meet in the discus throwing 189-feet 5-inches as a senior at Oak Ridge High School. He also won the state meet as a junior. He's also held the nation's best throw in high school as well with a toss of 194-feet.

The 6-foot-4 Rowan found his passion, he's stuck with it and has nearly mastered it. His other passion is Texas A&M and as a War Eagle his dream was always to go to Aggieland.

Well Hullabaloo, Dalton Rowan accomplished that goal as well, earning a spot on the nationally-ranked Texas A&M Aggie track squad under the direction of highly-decorated track coach Pat Henry. Henry has won a national championship at Texas A&M and several while coaching LSU to dominance.

"The college experience is amazing and Texas A&M is everything I had hoped for and more," he said. "The coaches here are some of the best In the country, they are all incredibly supportive are very knowledgeable. I cannot begin to describe to you how much I love being here.

"From the people I've met and the dear friendships that I have made, to the amazing campus that I have the privilege of walking on every day. Putting on my track uniform to fight for the 12th Man gives me incredible pride."

When participants move to the college level, they begin throwing the Olympic-sized discus, which often separates the men from the boys. Well Rowan must be a full-grown man as he had ripped up the competition as a true freshman.

"I have had a pretty good transition from the high school to the Olympic size discus," he said. "All the thanks here at Texas A&M goes to coach Juan De La Garza, our throwing coach."

At the end of May, Rowan put another notch in his belt. Having to finish high in the NCAA Regional meet in Austin, Rowan threw a personal best of 192'4" to finish third and earn a coveted spot in the NCAA National Meet in June.

Entering the NCAAs in Des Moines, Iowa, Rowan is currently ranked No. 3 in the country. Texas A&M as a team is ranked No. 1.

"All of the hard work we have done is finally paying off and It has earned me good position for nationals," he said. "My ultimate goal is to throw professionally for Nike, make team USA and place in the top eight in the 2016 Olympics in Rio, so I have much more to work on."

Several other Houston-area athletes have reached the NCAA Nationals as well. Dulles sprinter Sheroid Evans will compete in the 4x100-meter relay for Texas, while Texas City's Whitney Prevost will compete in the same event for Baylor. Klein's Xavier Boyd is on Houston's 4x200 relay with Pearland Dawson's Dominique Charles and Lamar Consolidated's Errol Nolan.

On the girls' side, Kimberlyn Duncan of Cy Springs is the nation's fastest college runner. She has the top time in the 200-meters and the second fastest time in the 100-meters. She runs for LSU. Texas A&M's Dominique Duncan of Wheatley will also compete in the several events in the NCAA Nationals. Westside's Diamond Dixon in the nation's No. 2 400-meter runner at Kansas.