Texas A&M All-American Tyra Gittens, who ranks No. 3 all-time in the NCAA pentathlon with 4,612 points and ranks in the top 13 in the world this year in the pentathlon, high jump and long jump, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to recap her exceptional first month of the season and look ahead to the next competition Feb. 12-13 at the Tyson Invitational at Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, with the No. 2 Aggies squaring off for the first time this season against top-ranked Arkansas. Gittens, the reigning Southeastern Conference pentathlon champion, revisits her personal-best 8.28 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles Feb. 6 at the Charlie Thomas Invitational. She also analyzes her consistency in the long jump and high jump, including a collegiate-leading 6-3.25 (1.91m) in the latter. Gittens examines the success of teammate Deborah Acquah, the reigning SEC long jump champion who has jumped beyond 21 feet in all three competitions this season, including a 21-10 (6.65m) effort Jan. 23 at the Aggie Invitational. She also shares her consistency in the long jump, with a personal-best 21-8.75 (6.62m) on Jan. 16 at the Ted Nelson Invitational, and the possibility of her taking on both events, in addition to the pentathlon, March 11-13 at the NCAA Division 1 Indoor Championships in Arkansas. Gittens, who represents Trinidad and Tobago, reflects on her outstanding pentathlon performance, and how much she still needs to improve on the shot put and 800 meters, in order to eclipse the 2016 collegiate record of 4.703 achieved by four-time champion Kendell Williams of Georgia. Gittens looks forward to her first high jump matchup at the Tyson Invitational against LSU senior Abigail O'Donoghue, who has cleared 6-2.25 (1.89m), along with the anticipated pentathlon showdown Feb. 25 against Georgia sophomore Anna Hall at the SEC Indoor Championships. Gittens speaks about the impact of freshman Athing Mu on the Texas A&M program, and emphasizes the depth and versatility of the Aggies' lineup as key factors in a potential run to a national title after the pandemic canceled last year's final.

QUARANTINE CONVERSATIONS - EP58 - ELLEN EKHOLM, TYRA GITTENS AND ABIGAIL O'DONOGHUE

QUARANTINE CONVERSATIONS - EP62 - MICHELLE ATHERLEY, TYRA GITTENS AND LAUREN TAUBERT