University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
Tennessee Challenge
Vol Track Sharp in Regular Season Finale
May 02, 2015 | Track & Field
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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- With three wins and 15 top-five finishes, Tennessee Track and Field wrapped up the 2015 outdoor regular season with a busy day at the Tennessee Challenge. Felicia Brown grabbed an individual victory in the women's 200-meter dash while Jake Blankenship won the men's pole vault and Tavis Bailey reigned in the men's discus.
For the second time this season, Brown cruised to a win in the 200 meters in front of the home crowd when she recorded a 23.48 to best the field. It was the fifth win of her career in the event and her second at Tom Black Track after she picked up the victory at the Tennessee Relays back on April 11.
Brown also ran in the 100-meter dash on Saturday and was just edged out of the top spot. Fresh off a victory at last weekend's Penn Relays, the junior finished runner-up at the Challenge in a time of 11.62 - only 0.02 seconds behind the winning time from Sabria Hadley of Clemson.
Blankenship maintained his winning ways in the men's pole vault with a mark of 18 feet, 4.75 inches (5.61). It was the junior captain's fourth consecutive pole vault victory dating back to the Tennessee Relays on April 11. Blankenship was one of two Volunteers in the top five on Saturday as teammate Tyler Porter placed fifth overall at 17 feet, one inch (5.21). Blankenship and Porter entered the event ranked second and fourth in the nation, respectively.
The final win of the night came from Bailey as he put forth his season's best effort with a throw of 204 feet, one inch (62.20). The winning measurement gives Bailey three straight meets in which he has eclipsed the 60-meter mark. It was also his best effort since putting up a 62.14 at last spring's NCAA Outdoor Championships. Bailey has put up big numbers at the Tennessee Challenge as this year's win followed up last year's performance in which he set a new UT record in the discus (211-8/64.51).
With his season-best effort, Bailey is poised to move into the No. 3 spot on the NCAA's track and field performance list.
Tennessee went 1-2 in the men's discus as freshman Matthew Zajac finished runner-up behind Bailey in the event. He also put forth a new season-best distance with a mark of 185 feet, six inches (56.55). The second-place finish was the best of the rookie's collegiate career.
Bailey began his successful day in the field in the men's shot put where he teamed up with Matthew Hoty to give the Vols a second and third-place finish in the event. Bailey was second after using a big throw of 56 feet, four inches to climb up the leaderboard during the event finals while Hoty clinched the No. 3 position at 55 feet, nine inches (16.99).
For the second straight weekend, Tennessee looked sharp in the relays. The quartet of Jalen Hunter, Nathan Strother, Antonio Carter, and Malik Elion combined to turn in UT's best performance of the year in the men's 4x400 relay. Recording a time of 3:12.67, the relay team placed second overall in the event.
Strother's big performance in the relays came on the heels of a runner-up finish of his own in the men's 400-meter dash. The freshman moved up a spot to No. 18 in the country with his new personal-best time of 46.60 on Saturday. Fellow freshman Christian Coleman was equally impressive in the sprints as he finished second overall in the men's 100-meter dash at 10.37.
In the women's field events, freshmen Cidae'a Woods and Brielyn Rogers each had top-five finishes in their respective events. Woods placed fourth at 19 feet, 2.75 inches (5.86) in the long jump and Rogers notched a big PR in the triple jump at 40 feet, five inches (12.32) to grab a fourth-place finish of her own.
Other notable PRs from the day include: Antonio Carter (1:51.79) in the men's 800 meters, Lizzie Cornell (2:21.67) in the women's 800 meters, and Wesley Edwards (22.63) in the men's 200 meters.
Tennessee will break from action next weekend as it sets its sights toward the 2015 SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The Championships will run May 14-16 in Starkville, Mississippi.
MEN'S RESULTS AT TENNESSEE CHALLENGE
Hammer: 3. Cameron Brown (UNAT), 207-10 (63.34)!; 13. Carson Frost, 165-09 (50.53)
Long Jump: 3. Josh Wheeler (UNAT), 23-4.50 (7.12)!
Shot Put: 2. Tavis Bailey, 56-4.00 (17.17); 3. Matthew Hoty, 55-9.00 (16.99)
1500m: 9. Tyler Woodrome (UNAT), 3:53.08!; 21. Drew Kelley, 4:07.76
400m: 2. Nathan Strother, 46.60!; 13. Malik Elion, 49.17
Pole Vault: 1. Jake Blankenship, 18-04.75 (5.61); 5. Tyler Porter, 17-1.00 (5.21); 12. Ocean Walters-Carlson (UNAT), 15-7.25 (4.76)!
100m: 2. Christian Coleman, 10.37 (+0.4); 11. Josh Wheeler (UNAT), 11.11 (-0.4)
Discus: 1. Tavis Bailey, 204-01 (62.20); 2. Matthew Zajac, 185-06 (56.55)
High Jump: Wesley Edwards - nh
800m: 6. Chase Hilton, 1:51.77; 7. Antonio Carter, 1:51.79!; 9. Nick Kaiser, 1:52.70
400mH: 5. Jalen Hunter, 54.00
200m: 2. Christian Coleman, 20.94 (+0.0); 7. Nathan Strother, 21.78 (+0.0); 8. Jalen Hunter, 21.91 (-0.5); 14. Malik Elion, 22.35 (-0.5); 15. Josh Wheeler (UNAT), 22.44 (-0.5); 20. Wesley Edwards, 22.63 (-0.2)!
3000m: 6. Anthony Simpson, 8:50.02; 8. J.R. Creekmore, 8:59.88; Jack Little - dnf
4x400: 2. Tennessee `A' (Hunter, Strother, Carter, Elion), 3:12.67
WOMEN'S RESULTS AT TENNESSEE CHALLENGE
Hammer: Danielle Holdren (UNAT) - F (no distance)
Pole Vault: 5. Erin Champion, 13-00.25 (3.97); Morgan Allen (UNAT) - nh
1500m: 12. Caroline Duer, 4:47.60!
Javelin: 3. Maria Jimenez, 152-09 (46.57)
Long Jump: 4. Cidae'a Woods, 19-2.75 (5.86)
400m: 12. London Freeland, 57.42; 15. Megan Linder, 58.02
Long Jump: 4. Cidae'a Woods, 19-2.75 (5.86)
100m: 2. Felicia Brown, 11.62 (-0.5)
800m: 12. Amirah Johnson (UNAT), 2:11.78; 40. Julia Petree, 2:27.84; 29. Lizzie Cornell, 2:21.67!
200m: 1. Felicia Brown, 23.48 (+0.7); 13. London Freeland, 25.14 (-2.1); 20. Megan Linder, 25.76 (-1.1)
Triple Jump: 4. Brielyn Rogers, 40-5.00 (12.32)!
Discus: Danielle Holdren (UNAT) - f
Players Mentioned
