NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Vanderbilt track and field team wrapped up its indoor regular season with a well-rounded showing at the Music City Challenge, during which the Commodores earned 12 first-place finishes, notched more than 30 season and personal bests, added 20 marks to the program’s record books and broke five school records.
“It’s been amazing to watch this team grow,” director of cross country and track and field Althea Thomas said. “Every goal we put out there, we are achieving. To have 12 wins this weekend, 20 top 10 changes, an additional five school records across every event is a testament to focus and execution by the coaches, athletes and support staff. It is the perfect way to end the regular season as we prepare for the SEC Championships.”
To kick off Day 2, Sam Darmanie broke the program record in the open division of the 3,000 meters with a time of 8:21.90, finishing third overall.
The Commodores’ distance medley relay Kelty Oaster, Joy Moorer, Betsy Jepkemei and Lily Kriegel earned a first-place finish with a time of 11:20.73, which is ranked sixth all-time at Vanderbilt.
Olivia Kosanovich and Jacqueline Rose cleared 3.87 meters in the pole vault, finishing first and second, respectively. The two Dores are now tied for seventh in school history.
A trio of Commodores, Falon and Santana Spearman and Taylor McKinnon advanced to the 60-meter hurdles final with the three fastest semifinals times. Vandy went on to take the top three spots in the final, led by S. Spearman’s 8.24-second mark, which is a personal best and tied for No. 3 in school history. McKinnon and F. Spearman followed in second and third place with respective times of 8.27 and 8.29 seconds.
In the 60 meters, London Jackson-Bray clocked 7.56 seconds to qualify for the final. Alima Kassim finished ninth with a time of 7.58 seconds. In the same event, Danielle Dunning turned in a collegiate-best mark of 7.60 seconds to move into a tie for eighth on the program’s all-time top 10 list. Jackson-Bray placed seventh in the final with a time of 7.57 seconds.
Josie Donelson and Faith Franklin notched collegiate-best times of 52.91 and 53.09 seconds, respectively, for a one-two Commodore finish in the 400 meters. The Dores improved their third and fourth-ranked marks in the Vandy record books.
The Dore duo of Kelty Oaster and Kenyah Conner added a pair of performances to the program’s all-time top 10 list in the 800 meters. Oaster’s time of 2:06.87 is ranked fourth in school history and earned a second-place finish. Conner clocked 2:07.67 to finish sixth overall, a personal best that is ranked eighth in Vandy history.
Brady Bliven broke is second school record of the weekend, turning in a time of 1:47.59 in the 800 meters, which is a personal best. He placed fourth overall and second among collegians in the event.
Claire Petersen and Tyla Lumley are now respectively ranked seventh and eighth in program history after recording personal-best times of 9:24.64 and 9:27.66 in the 3,000 meters. Petersen finished second, while Lumley placed fifth overall.
Sarah Marvin was the top collegiate and fourth overall finisher in the invite division of the shot put, launching a season-best 15.92-meter throw.
To close out the meet, Moorer, Franklin, Mackenzie Culpepper and Donelson won the 4×400-meter relay with a time of 3:37.96, which is the eighth-fastest mark in program history.
“We are officially a team that understands what it takes,” Thomas concluded. “We are a team that understands how to not get complacent but to be appreciative of our gains and continue to want more.”
Vanderbilt is back in action Feb. 26-28 when the Commodores head to College Station, Texas, for the SEC Indoor Track & Field Championships.
Fans can follow Vanderbilt track and field on Facebook, Instagram and X at @VandyXCTrack.
