Athing Mu Commits To Texas A&M

Athing Mu Commits To Texas A&M

Athing Mu, the overall No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2020, has signed with Texas A&M University.

Dec 9, 2019 by Denise Spann
Athing Mu Commits To Texas A&M
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Article courtesy of MileSplit. Check out their full recruiting coverage.

Athing Mu, the overall No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2020, has signed with Texas A&M University.

Mu announced her commitment while receiving the Youth Athlete of the Year award at the USATF Night of Legends on Saturday. 

After a late start to the recruiting process, eight home visits and an undisclosed number of official visits, Mu was ready to share the decision that everyone was waiting for ... when they least expected it.

In mid-October, the senior went on her first official visit to the Aggies, but she was also showing interest in Oregon, Penn State, Illinois, Ohio State, Kansas, Tennessee and Arkansas.

See: MileSplit's Top 50 Class of 2020 Recruits

The Aggies, who produced 2019 World Athletics 800-meter Champion Donovan Brazier, have already done some stellar recruiting this season, with the commitments of Dominique Mustin, Laila Owens, Alicia Burnett and Angelica Street, but the future dominance of Mu -- an Olympic hopeful and potential pro-prospect -- brings this group over the top.

The women of Texas A&M have placed at least top five at outdoor nationals 11 times in the past 13 years. The Aggies' last national championship was in 2014, but after placing fourth in 2019 they could be on the horizon of something special with this new group. 

Mu will definitely be the catalyst for the Aggies, and she is arguably their most decorated commit in history, following the likes of Samantha Watson.

Still, the remaining two seasons of 2019-2020 remain important for Mu. Indoors, she was US No. 1 at 400m, 600m, 800m and 1,000m. She went on to set the American record in the 600m with a time of 1:23.57, becoming the youngest American to do so.

During the outdoor season, she dropped her 400m to a new PR of 51.98 at New Balance Nationals Outdoors, third best in the country. Following that performance, her season became 800m focused.

Mu placed fifth in the 800m at the USATF Outdoor Championships in 2:01.17.

She was also named to three USATF teams last summer: The Pan American U20 team, Pan American Games team and the USA v Europe Match team.

As the sixth-fastest 800m runner in high school history, Mu's impact will be immediate. She's the fastest half-miler since former Aggie, Sammy Watson, in 2017.

With her current PR's, Mu would've been within hundredths of a 2019 NCAA indoor title and possibly obtained an outdoor championship title in her 2:01.17 effort.

The Aggies are solidifying themselves as the 800m powerhouse in the NCAA. They've produced two national champions in Jazmine Fray (2019) and Watson (2018) and a NCAA runner-up in Devon Dixon (2019).

Texas A&M is looking to continue this dominant tradition, by bringing in the best the event has to offer in each gender.

In addition to Mu, the Aggies gained US No. 8 half-miler, Mustin; the fastest male 800m runner in the class of 2020, Brandon Miller; and Asian U18 champion, Allon Tatsunami Clay.

Mu and her fellow incoming recruits have made College Station the place to be. The women of Texas A&M could arguably have the best recruiting class this year with Mu leading the way.

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