University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
NCAA Outdoor Championships
Bailey National Runner-Up in Discus
June 13, 2015 | Track & Field
June 12, 2015
EUGENE, Ore. -- Senior Tavis Bailey earned a national runner-up finish in the discus finals and the Tennessee men finished in 18th overall to close out the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Friday night.
"What a phenomenal competition in the discus," said director of track and field/cross country Beth Alford-Sullivan. "Tavis showed up big-time today and it was his goal all year long to be a national champion and he threw very well. It's a heartbreak to lose at the end the way he did, but that's the nature of sport and we're just so proud to have been able to play a part of his last season in the Orange and White."
Bailey, competing in his final collegiate competition, led the men's discus field for four of the six rounds on Friday only to be overtaken at the death. The Kannapolis, North Carolina, native opened his day with a throw of 190 feet, six inches (58.06), but it was his next throw -- which traveled 203 feet, two inches (61.92) -- that set the pace early. That toss vaulted him to the top of the discus leaderboard and he would maintain that position over the next three rounds despite fouling on each of his next three attempts.
The final thrower of the competition, Bailey still held the lead when Penn's Sam Mattis took to the ring for the final time. The junior, who had spent the majority of the competition in second-place, unleashed a big effort of 205 feet to eclipse Bailey's previously-leading mark. Bailey had one final opportunity to become Tennessee's first national champion in the throws since 1976, but he fouled on his final attempt to secure an impressive runner-up finish.
With the silver, Bailey is a first team All-American and an NCAA medalist in the discus for the second consecutive year. In 2014, he placed third with a throw of 203 feet, 10 inches (62.14). At the time, his third-place finish was the highest ever recorded by a Tennessee discus participant.
Bailey's runner-up finish was not without its controversy, though, as he had a huge effort on his fifth attempt waived off due to a signaled footfall. While no official distance was recorded, the senior's throw landed well beyond the 60-meter line before being disregarded. Upon seeing the red flag rise, Bailey was visibly confused, raising his hands to his shoulders in disbelief as he glanced at the near official.
Sullivan filed an official protest at the conclusion of the competition, but her petition was denied.
"Tony Tenisci, the throws coach at UPenn has been a friend of mine for a long time and if we had to lose to somebody I'm glad it was to someone of his esteem and class," Sullivan said. "His athlete and today's winner, Sam Mattis, had a great series of throws out there today."
As the national runner-up, Bailey recorded the highest finish in any throws competition for Tennessee since 1991 when John Richardson was second in the javelin.
With two top-10 finishes, the 17th-ranked Tennessee men finish the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 18th place. The Vols recorded 10.5 points for the weekend to claim their second straight top-20 finish. The women also had a top-10 finisher in Chelsea Blaase in the 10,000 meters and her sixth-place finish is good for three points. The UT women will await the final results after Saturday's finals to determine their team finish.
"I believe we entered the competition ranked 17th and we finished 18th so we were right there," Sullivan said. "The positive part is that we pulled it off during a difficult weekend for the Volunteers. We had a misstep in the pole vault and Christian Coleman and Nathan Strother represented well in their sprints, but didn't advance. But we have been small but mighty all year and I'm very proud of this team and the momentum we've created as we continue to rebuild this program."
With the collegiate season now over, several Tennessee track and field athletes will turn their attention to the USATF Outdoor Championships and Junior Outdoor Championships. Those events run June 25-28 and will also be contested in Eugene at Hayward Field.
MEN'S RESULTS AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Wednesday
Pole Vault: 6. Jake Blankenship, 17-8.5 (5.40); 11. Tyler Porter, 17-4.5 (5.30)
Shot Put: Tavis Bailey - F
100m (Semi): 15. Christian Coleman, 10.19 (+1.7)! - dna
200m (Semi): 15. Christian Coleman, 20.61 (+1.7) - dna
400m (Semi): 22. Nathan Strother, 47.22 - dna
Friday
Discus: 2. Tavis Bailey, 203-2 (61.92)
WOMEN'S RESULTS AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Thursday
Javelin: 23. Maria Jimenez, 147-5 (44.94)
200m (Semi): 10. Felicia Brown, 22.96 (+1.8) - dna
10,000m: 6. Chelsea Blaase, 33:27.73
