NASHVILLE, Tenn. — During the final day of the Music City Challenge, two commodores broke a school record and six others either added their names to the track and field program’s top 10 lists or improved their standing. The team also had numerous performances that ranked as personal career bests this weekend at the David Williams II Recreation and Wellness Center.
“Everybody came in with a focus and a goal, kind of redefining what success is, and we really zoned into that” said Althea Thomas, director of track and field. “It was really a great meet and a great competition.”
A pair of Commodores broke the school record in the 3,000-meter. Seniors Niki Narayani and Caroline Eck PRed with times of 9:18.66 and 9:20.85, respectively. Narayani now holds the No. 1 spot in Vanderbilt history, and Eck holds the No. 2 spot. Narayani also moved onto the SEC’s top 10 list for the event.
Graduate student Brooke Overholt earned spots on not one, but two Vanderbilt top 10 lists. In the 60-meter hurdles, Overholt earned a spot at No. 3 on the school’s top 10 list with her time of 8.51. In the 400-meter dash, she clocked a personal best time of 54.14, the fourth fastest in school history. This time brought Overholt a fourth-place finish in the seeded division of the 400-meter and also landed her on the SEC’s top 25 list for the event.
Graduate student Beatrice Juskeviciute finished the 60-meter hurdles in 8.44, a new personal best time. This time moved Juskeviciute to the No. 2 spot on Vanderbilt’s top 10 list. Previously, she held the No. 4 spot. She finished third overall in the 60-meter hurdles.
Sophomore Rondajai Washington added her name to yet another Vanderbilt top 10 list. Today, she ran the 60-meter dash in her personal best time of 7.82, tying for tenth best in school history. Ella Escobar also posted a personal best in the 60-meter. Escobar’s time of 7.61 was third in program history. She previously held the sixth fastest spot on the list.
To close out the meet, the 4×400-meter relay team of freshman Allyria McBride, junior Kaira Brown and graduate students Overholt and Taiya Shelby won first place with their time of 3:36.99, just 0.26 short of the 25-year-old school record! The relay team now holds the No. 2 spot on the Vanderbilt top 10 list.
On day one of the Music City Challenge, freshman Kosi Umerah set a new school record and personal best in the weight throw with her 19.87 toss. Two Commodores, senior Eck and sophomore Washington, added their names to the Vanderbilt top 10 list in the mile and 200-meter dash, respectively. Eck finished the mile in 4:46.44, a new personal best and third in school history. Washington now holds the spot for fifth fastest in the 200-meter dash with her time of 24.46. A number of Commodores also posted personal bests during yesterday’s running and field events.
“We’re putting it all together. The PRs, the school records, and the top 10s are just a testament to the work they’ve put in, so it puts us in a good position going into (SEC Championships),” Thomas said. “We’re going against the best in the NCAA (at conference championships), and we’re pretty secure where we are and how we’re performing.”
Next weekend, the Vanderbilt track and field team will hit the road to attend the JDL DMR Invitational, held Feb. 17—18 in Winston Salem, North Carolina.
The Commodores will compete in the SEC Championships Feb. 24—25 in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Fans can follow Vanderbilt women’s track and field on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @VandyXCTrack.
