Sept. 11, 2014
Event: Commodore Classic
Start Times: 9 a.m. Men’s 8k l 10 a.m. Women’s 5k
Place: Percy Warner Park
After an impressive showing at the Belmont Opener two weeks ago, the cross-country Commodores are ready for their next challenge: The Commodore Classic.
And although the site will be same — Percy Warner Park — the second meet of the season will have a different feel to it for several reasons.
l The field. With a total of 29 schools and more than 250 runners scheduled to participate, this weekend’s race is certain to be more congested than the Belmont Opener, which featured only a dozen teams. This weekend’s race has 17 Division I schools, including a pair of SEC teams, Ole Miss and Miss. State. (See complete list at bottom of page).
“It’s a good field,” said Vanderbilt head coach Steve Keith, “and it will be good to get some SEC flavor in there.”
l The weather. Conditions are expected to be much cooler on Saturday morning than they were for the Commodores’ first race on Aug. 29. The forecasted high for Saturday is 75 degrees, which is a noticeable drop off from the 90-degree heat that the Commodores dealt with during the Belmont Opener.
l The host. Saturday’s race will be the Commodores’ first — and only — home event on the schedule, and the Vanderbilt runners hope to make the most of it.
“Our athletes take a lot of pride in being on their home course, and you obviously never want to lose at home,” said Vanderbilt assistant coach Rhonda Riley. “I am sure their will be a good number of friends and family there to watch us on Saturday, so that will be exciting.”
Riley said that opening the schedule will consecutive meets at Percy Warner (the Belmont Opener and the Classic) allowed the Commodores to avoid some of the distractions that come with a road trip.
“For us to have two meets in Nashville is big, especially for the freshmen,” she said. “They are still getting used to everything that college life is throwing at them, so it’s nice that we haven’t had to add travel to the mix just yet.”
Keith said he believes Saturday’s race will be a good measuring stick for the Commodores.
“The concentration will definitely have to be turned up,” he said. “We want them to be focused and let their fitness show.”
SCHEDULED TO COMPETE FOR VU
Women: Emma Abrahamson, Reagan Anderson, Sara Barron, Claire Benjamin, Carmen Carlos, Rebecca Chandler, Maddie Criscione, Katherine Delaney, Megan Huebner, Amira Joseph, Hannah Jumper, Courtney Kriegshauser, Vanessa Valentine, Lily Williams
Men: Andrew Bachman, Matthew Cleveland, Sam DeFabrizio, John Ewing, Andrew Fix, Nick French, Nikolaos Gkotsis, Dan Henderson, Jake Van Geffen
LOOKING BACK
Competing in their first meet of the season, the No. 23-ranked Vanderbilt women stormed to a first-place finish at the Belmont Opener. The Commodores took the 12-team, 5k race with 20 points. Kentucky finished a distant second with 79 points.
All 12 of Vanderbilt’s representatives finished within 36 seconds of one another, and they each earned spots among the top-17. The list included seven Commodore who crossed the line in succession while claiming the No. 2 through No. 8 finishes.
Katherine Delaney was the Commodores’ top finisher in the women’s race, earning second place with a time of 17:40.42. She was followed directly by teammates Lily Williams (17:51.13), Carmen Carlos (17:54.47), Reagan Anderson (18:00.70), Sara Barron (18:02.39), Vanessa Valentine (18:02.58) and Rebecca Chandler (18:02.75).
The second wave of Commodores claimed the No. 12 through 15 spots — beginning with Claire Benjamin (18:08.51), who was followed by Amira Joseph (18:09.04), Emma Abrahamson (18:09.31) and Megan Huebner (18:09.72). Maddie Criscione (18:17.45) finished on their heels, taking 17th.
Abrahamson, Huebner and Criscione, all freshmen, were running in their first collegiate race, and they each contributed to the Commodores’ stout showing.
The Vanderbilt men also had a strong effort, finishing sixth. The Commodores top finisher was Nick French, who took 29th at 15:58.11. John Ewing was 37th at 16:08.69, and Jake Van Geffen was 38th at 16:08.81.
COMMODORE CLASSIC PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS
MEN
U. of the South
Mid. Tenn. State
Atl TC / Unattached
Tennessee St.
Western Kentucky
Vanderbilt
Union (Tenn.)
Tennessee Tech
Davidson
Lipscomb
Rhodes
Samford
Central Arkansas
Blue Mountain
Belmont
Kentucky Wesleyan
Freed-Hardeman
Bryan
Harding
Chattanooga
Memphis
Louisville
Mississippi
Trevecca Nazarene
Nashville Harriers
Lee (Tenn.)
Miss State
Brescia
Alabama State
WOMEN
Blue Mountain
Rhodes
Alabama A&M
Samord
Western Kentucky
Mid. Tenn. State
Kentucky Wesleyan
Vanderbilt
Trevecca Nazarene
Brescia
Tennessee Tech
Louisville
Mississippi
Davidson
Tennessee St.
Harding
Chattanooga
Bryan
Miss State
Freed-Hardeman
Belmont
U. of the South
Memphis
Central Arkansas
Lipscomb
Alabama State
Union (Tenn.)
