Feb. 6, 2016
Event: Armory Collegiate Invitational
Day, Date: Feb. 5-6
Place: New York, New York
Venue: New Balance Track & Field Center at The Armory
Live Results: HERE
The Vanderbilt track and field team still has three weeks to prepare for the SEC Championships. But from the looks of things this weekend, the Commodores have already hit postseason form.
They completed a memorable two-day performance Saturday at the New Balance Armory Invitational, taking home a fourth-place finish — and huge collection of personal records and Top-10 school marks — from the prestigious meet.
“This was a real significant meet for us in a lot of ways,” said head coach Steve Keith. “This was great practice for us in terms of getting ready for the conference meet, and was a great model of what we need to do. It was fun to see the girls getting excited about scoring points for our team and coming together the way they did.”
Simone Charley, the Commodores’ All-American triple jumper, finished first in her event with a leap of 42-11.75 (13.10m) on Saturday to add the final exclamation point to a weekend in which the Commodores compiled 16 personal bests, including two school records.
“We scored points in the sprints, distances and jumps — and that’s really who we are and what we do,” said Keith. “The things we were able to accomplish this weekend will give us a boost of confidence moving forward and preparing for the postseason.”
Other highlights on Saturday included Sara Barron and Katherine Delaney finishing fourth and fifth, respectively, in the mile. Barron posted a time of 4:46.74 and Delaney notched a personal-best time of 4:46.85, which is the No. 3 mark on VU’s all-time list.
Sarah Bell and Megan McCabe both scored for the Commodores in the pole vault, with Bell taking fourth at 13-5.25 (4.10m) and McCabe finishing sixth at 12-03.50 (3.75m).
Vanderbilt also saw two PRs set in the 3k, with Sara Tsai finishing ninth at 9:50.19 and Megan Huebner taking 12th at 9:53.74.
Freshman Ashlyn Hare set her season-best in the high jump at 5-07.25 (1.71m), and Jennifer Edobi was 22nd in the 200 at 25.05.
Vanderbilt had three representatives in the 800, where freshman Lydia Witty finished 18th at 2.15.84, Reagan Anderson was 34th at 2:18.28 and Ginger Hutton was 37th at 2.18.90.
Saturday’s success was the continuation of what the Commodores had done on Friday, when they had soared into first place in the team standings. Here’s a brief recap of the first day:
l Delaney set a school record in the 1000-meter run while storming to a victory with a personal-best time of 2:47.16.
l Edobi put her name in the VU record books by posting a time of 1:13.66 in the 500-meter run. Edobi finished first among collegiates and second overall.
l Carmen Carlos captured a victory, and set a 12-second personal record, in the 3k with a time of 9:27.90, which ranks as the No. 2 mark on VU’s all-time list.
l The Commodores notched three of the top six spots — and set three personal records — in the 5000. Vanessa Valentine took second place, and posted the No. 2 mark on VU’s all-time list, at 166:25.75. Caroline Pietrzyk finished fourth and set the No. 4 mark on VU’s all-time list at 16:37.74. Courtney Kriegshauser was sixth at 17:03.59, which ranks No. 10 on the program’s all-time list.
l Vanderbilt had four athletes in the 1000-meter run, and all four set new personal bests. Along with Delaney’s first-place finish, Sara Barron took fourth at 2:49.08, which ranks second on VU’s all-time list. Ginger Hutton was 16th at 2:55.63 and Reagan Anderson was 19th at 2:56.25. The times by Hutton and Anderson are No. 5 and 6 on Vanderbilt’s all-time list.
Vanderbilt returns home next weekend for the Music City Challenge.
SATURDAY’S RESULTS
Women’s 3000
9 – Sara Tsai – 9:50.19
12 – Megan Huebner – 9:53.74
Women’s High Jump
4 – Ashlyn Hare – 5-07.25 (1.71m)
Women’s Mile
4 – Sara Barron – 4:46.74
5 – Katherine Delaney – 4:46.85
Women’s Triple Jump
1 – Simone Charley – 42-11.75 (13.10m)
Women’s 200
22 – Jennifer Edobi – 25.05
Women’s Pole Vault
4 – Sarah Bell – 13-5.25 (4.10m)
6 – Megan McCabe – 12-03.50 (3.75m)
Women’s 800
34 – Reagan Anderson – 2:18.28
37 – Ginger Hutton – 2.18.90
18 – Lydia Witty – 2.15.84
FRIDAY’S RESULTS
Women’s 5000
2 – Vanessa Valentine — 16:25.75
4 – Caroline Pietrzyk — 16:37.74
6 – Courtney Kriegshauser — 17:03.59
Women’s 500
1 – Jennifer Edobi — 1:13.66
Women’s 1000
1 – Katherine Delaney — 2:47.16
4 – Sara Barron — 2:49.08
16 – Ginger Hutton — 2:55.63
19 – Reagan Anderson — 2:56.25
Women’s 3000
1 – Carmen Carlos — 9:27.90
Women’s 60 Hurdles
41 – Erin Hardnett — 8.94
Women’s 3000
3 – Devon Grisbaum — 10:20.22
Women’s 400
70 – Erin Hardnett — 1:01.99
