March 22, 2018
Meet info, Schedule & Results
NASHVILLE — Nineteen members of the Vanderbilt women’s track and field team will open the outdoor track season this weekend on campus at the Black & Gold Invitational.
The Commodore contingent are among more than 500 athletes from 15 teams participating in the Black & Gold Invitational, which is scheduled Friday and Saturday, March 23-24, at the Vanderbilt Track and Field Complex.
The meet also marks the first collegiate competition on the Mondo surface recently installed at the facility.
Vanderbilt head coach Steve Keith is eagerly anticipating a fast track for collegiate athletes competing at the venue for the first time in nearly two years.
“I’m excited to see the Commodores back competing at our facility and I’m excited to hear how the competitors react to the new surface. It should be a fast track for all the athletes,” Keith said.
The meet opens Friday with field events beginning at 4 p.m. and a limited schedule of track events from 5-8 p.m. On Saturday, field events begin at 10 a.m., with activities on the track starting at noon.
Admission is $5 per day. Parking is available in the 25th Avenue Garage (off Highland Avenue) and surface lots across Natchez Trace from the track complex.
The Vanderbilt roster features sprinter Jenn Edobi, middle distance runners Reagan Bustamante, Kendall Derry and Ginger Hutton, and pole vaulter Kristin Denk. All five Commodores are coming off strong performances at the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships in late February.
Edobi will run the 200 meters on Friday. In her last competition, Edobi finished seventh in the 400 meters at the SEC Indoor Championships. Her qualifying time of 53.45 at the indoor meet was the second-fastest ever by a Commodore.
Edobi also joined Bustamante, Hutton and Becca Schulte for a fifth-place result in the SEC indoor distance medley relay. Bustamante and Hutton are scheduled to double in the 800 and 1500 this weekend.
Denk, who became the No. 2 indoor pole vaulter in Vanderbilt history with a 13-9.25 clearance at SECs, will join talented teammates Caleigh Lofstead and Margaret Ollinger in the event on Saturday.
Derry, who set a personal-best of 4:52.22 in the mile at the SEC indoor meet, will compete in the 800.
Freshman Sophia Falco expects to display her versatility, competing in the 100, 200, long jump and triple jump.
The full Vanderbilt contingent of participants follows:
Track events:
100 meters – Sophia Falco
200 meters – Regan Clay, Jenn Edobi, S. Falco
800 meters – Reagan Bustamante, Kendall Derry, Ginger Hutton
1,500 meters – R. Bustamante, K. Derry, Devon Grisbaum, Megan Huebner, G. Hutton, Mailin Struck
3,000 meters – Reagan Anderson, Maddie Criscione, D. Grisbaum, M. Huebner, Anna Grace Morgan, Gillian Mortimer, Caroline Pietrzyk, M. Struck, Sara Tsai
2,000 meter steeplechase – Kacie Breeding
Field events:
Long jump – S. Falco
Pole Vault – Kristin Denk, Caleigh Lofstead, Margaret Ollinger
Triple jump – S. Falco
