University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
NCAA Regional Championships
Blaase, Jimenez Headed to Eugene
May 28, 2015 | Track & Field
| Name | Event/Place/Mark |
|---|---|
| Christian Coleman | 100m (1st Rd)/8th/10.35 (+1.8) |
| Nathan Strother | 400m (1st Rd)/11th/46.24 |
» Full Results
| Name | Event/Place/Mark |
|---|---|
| Maria Jimenez | Javelin/8th/160-7 (48.95) |
| Chelsea Blaase | 10,000m/2nd/33:47.20 |
» Full Results
Jimenez, who had entered the javelin competition ranked No. 19 in the East Region, saved her best performance of the year for the big stage as she reeled off back-to-back PRs to finish inside the top 10 and secure a spot in Eugene.
Competing at his first national-level meet, Strother put up a big PR in the first round of the men's 400-meter dash. His time of 46.24 was the third-fastest in his heat and gave him automatic qualification to Friday's quarterfinal race.
May 28, 2015
JACKSONVILLE -- Chelsea Blaase and Maria Jimenez punched their tickets to the 2015 Outdoor Track & Field Championships and freshmen sprinters Christian Coleman and Nathan Strother advanced to the quarterfinals of their respective events as Tennessee opened its weekend at the NCAA East Preliminary Round at Hodges Stadium on the campus of the University of North Florida.
"Today was a great day," said Tennessee director of track and field/cross country Beth Alford-Sullivan. "Maria punched her ticket with a great competition early on and we had a couple great runs out of the young men. Both freshmen stepped up to the plate. Then we cap it off with a really clean run from Chelsea. So we're thrilled with those performances."
Blaase looked strong in qualifying for her first-ever NCAA Championships, turning in a 33:47.20 in the women's 10,000-meter semifinal --punctuated by a big kick down the final stretch. That time gave Blaase a runner-up finish in a crowded field of 48. Running in a field of 48, Blaase needed a top-12 finish to secure her place in Eugene. Her fate was never in doubt as the junior maintained a steady position near the front of the pack for the majority of the race before kicking it down over the final stretch.
"This has been Chelsea's goal all year, to punch the ticket to Eugene," Sullivan said. "She went out there and had a great race, running very comfortably with very minimal effort put out and got the job done."
The school record-holder in the 10,000, Blaase will head to Eugene for the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships looking to add to her already impressive haul of individual honors this season. Having achieved All-America status in both cross country and track and field, Blaase will be looking to achieve the trifecta while also pursuing her first NCAA medal.
Tennessee opened the day with a bang as Maria Jimenez became the first UT women's javelin contestant to qualify for the NCAA Championships since 2001. The sophomore transfer will close out her first season with the Vols in Eugene after placing eighth overall in the javelin competition with a new PR of 160 feet, seven inches (48.95). Having only three throws to work with, Jimenez reeled off back-to-back career-best efforts after a disappointing start.
The Vineland, New Jersey, native found herself in 24th place after an initial throw of 131 feet, three inches (40.01), but she bounced back in a big way by notching a new personal-best of 158 feet, four inches on her very next throw. That big mark catapulted her into third place on the leaderboard and she solidified that position with her second PR of the day on her final attempt.
"It was really cool to see her just compete and each throw got better and better," Sullivan said of the performance. "And with only three throws to work with she really put it together and got herself to Eugene. It was a great surprise and a great competition."
A final flight of 16 additional contestants proceeded Jimenez's round, but her 160-7 stood firm and closed out the competition inside the 12-spot qualifying zone in eighth place. The trip to Eugene and the National Championships will be the first of her career.
The 23rd ranked Tennessee men got the weekend started on the right foot as freshmen Christian Coleman and Nathan Strother advanced to the quarterfinals in their respective events. Running at their first-ever NCAA East Preliminary Round, Coleman breezed into the men's 100-meter dash quarterfinal in a time of 10.35 while Strother posted a career-best time of 46.24 to move on to the next round of the men's 400 meters. Coleman's 10.35 was the fastest time in the second of six heats and came in at No. 8 overall. Meanwhile, Strother earned automatic qualification when he placed third in his heat and 11th overall.
"It was great to see Coleman winning his heat and Strother having a great PR to get himself to the next round of this competition as well," Sullivan concluded.
With a berth in the quarterfinals, Coleman and Strother are back in action on Friday night. A top-12 finish in their respective events will secure them a place on the entry list at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in two weeks' time. Strother will run in the 400-meter quarterfinal at 6:15 p.m. ET on Friday night with Coleman to follow in the 100-meter dash at 6:45.
Coleman will have just a short resting period following the 100 to prepare for the first round of men's 200-meter dash at 8:25 p.m.
Elsewhere on the opening day of the NCAA East Preliminary Round, Erin Champion wrapped up her season in the women's pole vault with a 39th-place finish at 12 feet, 10.75 inches (3.93). Felicia Brown (11.74) was 30th in the opening round of the women's 100-meter dash and Felecia Majors ran a 54.67 to place 45th in the women's 400 meters. Neither Brown or Majors advanced to Friday's quarterfinal, although Brown's weekend is not yet finished as she will compete in the first round of the women's 200-meter dash on Friday.
The Vols have seven events on tap for Friday, beginning at noon when Kyle Quinn looks to join Jimenez as a UT javelin qualifier. Quinn will throw in Flight 3 of the men's javelin competition. The men's squad has more action in the field events lined up for the late afternoon as Tavis Bailey and Matthew Zajac take to the discus at 4 p.m. before Jake Blankenship and Tyler Porter open up the men's pole vault at 4:30.
Strother's 400 quarterfinal appearance opens up Friday night's track events. The first round of the women's 200-meter dash, featuring Felicia Brown, begins at 8 p.m. and Coleman concludes proceedings at 8:25 with the first round of the men's 200.
Stay up-to-date on all things Tennessee Track & Field by following @Vol_Track on Twitter or by liking the team's official Facebook page at facebook.com/tenntrack.
MEN'S RESULTS AT NCAA EAST PRELIM
Thursday
100m (1st Rd): 8. Christian Coleman, 10.35 (+1.8) - adv
400m (1st Rd): 11. Nathan Strother, 46.24! - adv
WOMEN'S RESULTS AT NCAA EAST PRELIM
Thursday
Javelin: 8. Maria Jimenez, 160-7 (48.95)!
Pole Vault: 39. Erin Champion, 12-10.75 (3.93)
100m (1st Rd): 30. Felicia Brown, 11.74 (-0.6) - dna
400m (1st Rd): 45. Felecia Majors, 54.67 - dna
10,000: 2. Chelsea Blaase, 33:47.20
