Feb. 14, 2015
SATURDAY’S RESULTS: HERE
The SEC Championships are quickly approaching — and the members of the Vanderbilt track and field team showed this weekend that they are ready for it.
Traveling to Fayetteville, Ark., for the Tyson Invitational, the Commodores collected a large number of the high finishes and personal records in their final full-scale tuneup before the SEC meet in two weeks.
Simone Charley once again provided one of the biggest highlights by breaking her own school record in the triple jump with a mark of 43-1.50. Also, the Commodores’ distance medley team captured first place with the ninth-best mark in school history, and Vanessa Valentine posted a Top-5 finish in the 3000 meter at 9:37.10.
“We accomplished quite a bit this weekend,” said head coach Steve Keith. “We wanted to see some individual improvements, and we did. All in all, it was a good effort from our team.”
The Commodores’ 4×4 relay team posted a time of 3:37.95 — the second-best time on Vanderbilt’s all-time list and the best since 1998. Erin Edmond capped the performance with an outstanding effort as the anchor. The Vanderbilt splits were Jennifer Edobi 54.57, Skyler Carpernter 55.44, Courtney Clayton 54.04 and Edmond 53.92.
Vanderbilt’s distance medley team — comprised of Sara Barron, Emma Radan, Sarah Goodale and Carmen Carlos — posted a time of 11:38.88 to win the event. Vanderbilt’s DMR team will compete next weekend at Notre Dame, and Keith said this weekend’s showing was an important performance.
“Great job by that group,” said Keith. “Carmen and Sara were doubling back from yesterday, so it was good to see them get two days of work.”
Charley, meanwhile, continued her outstanding sophomore season with her school-record setting leap that earned her a fourth-place finish against a stacked field of competitors.
“It was great to see her come up her and perform in this environment,” said Keith. “This improves her to the top seven or eight, right around in there, on the national list.”
Valentine took fourth in the 3000 — and posted the fourth-best mark on VU’s all-time list — with her personal-best time of 9:37.10.
“It was just a really strong effort by Vanessa,” said Keith. “She came out and really ran a great race.”
Claire Benjamin also PR’ed in the 3K with a time of 9:49.29, and Ellie Tidman took seventh in the high jump (1.72m) to bolster the Commodores’ overall efforts.
“It’s great to see the progress that Ellie is making,” said Keith. “She had a good showing today, and had some great attempts at 5-9.”
Saturday’s strong showing by the Commodores was a continuation of the good work that the team started on Friday.
The opening-day highlights included Carmen Carlos posting a personal-best time of 4:48.26, which is the seventh-best mark on Vanderbilt’s all-time performers list.
Also shining on Friday was Barron, who beat her previous best by more than two seconds in the 800, posting a time of 2:09.77 to finish seventh and set the sixth-best mark on VU’s all-time list.
Others who earned top-10 finishes in their respective event were Lily Williams, who took eighth in the 5000-meter run with a time of 17:52.32, and Reagan Anderson, who took 10th in the mile with a time of 4:55.64.
Vanderbilt will now begin preparations for the SEC Championships that begin Feb. 27 in Lexington, Ky.
Vanderbilt Results — Saturday
Women 3000 Meter Run
4 – Vanessa Valentine 9:37.10
11 – Claire Benjamin 9:49.29
12 – Rebecca Chandler 9:52.91
16 – Amira Joseph 9:58.22
Women 4×400 Meter Relay
12 – Vanderbilt 3:37.95
(1) Jennifer Edobi, (2) Skyler Carpenter, (3) Courtney Clayton, (4) Erin Edmond
Women Distance Medley
1 – Vanderbilt 11:38.88
(1) Sara Barron, (2) Emma Radan, (3) Sarah Goodale, (4) Carmen Carlos
Women High Jump
7 – Ellie Tidman 1.72m
Women Triple Jump
31 – Tierney Price 11.67m
Women Triple Jump Invitational
4 – Simone Charley 13.14m
Vanderbilt Results — Friday
Women 400 Meter Dash
27 – Jennifer Edobi 54.35
29 – Faith Washington 54.63
32 – Erin Edmond 55.02
40 – Courtney Clayton 55.85
Women 800 Meter Run
7 – Sara Barron 2:09.77
25 – Katherine Delaney 2:13.31
28 – Skyler Carpenter 2:13.91
Women 1 Mile Run
3 – Carmen Carlos 4:48.26
10 – Reagan Anderson 4:55.64
23 – Maddie Criscione 5:01.84
27 – Megan Huebner 5:05.24
Women 5000 Meter Run
8 – Lily Williams 17:52.32
Women 60 Meter Hurdles
44 – Janetra Gleaves 8.75
