April 28, 2018
PHILADELPHIA – For the second consecutive day, a Commodore middle-distance relay foursome ran extremely well at the Penn Relays but could not eclipse the existing school record.
The 4×800-meter relay unit of senior Courtney Clayton, junior Ginger Hutton, sophomore Kendall Derry and sophomore Reagan Bustamante finished the race in 8:41.71, the second fastest time ever recorded by a Vanderbilt foursome. The effort earned a fifth-place finish behind Villanova, Indiana, Monmouth and Penn.
Like the Commodores’ 4×1,500-meter relay attempt on Friday, the 4×800-meter foursome narrowly missed lowering the school record of 8:38.34 established at the 2017 Tennessee Relays.
While the Vanderbilt middle distance corps was impressing in Pennsylvania Saturday, freshman sprinter/jumper Sophia Falco produced two collegiate-bests and matched another competing at the Lyles-Wood Track and Field Invitational in Louisville.
Clayton, a senior who is showing excellent form after missing two months of competition, provided a strong opening leg for the Commodores, handing the baton to Hutton after a 2:08.83 split. Hutton maintained the team’s position with a 2:11.73 segment, handing off to Derry, who produced a 2;12.69 split. Bustamante capped the relay with an impressive 2:08.48 anchor leg.
Vanderbilt head coach Steve Keith came away from the prestigious meet happy with the Commodores’ two relay performances.
“The Penn Relays was a tremendous experience for our girls because it offers such a unique racing environment,” Keith said. “I thought we ran really well both days against outstanding competition. While we didn’t bring home new records, we ran well and got in some excellent race experience as we get ready for SEC Championships.”
Falco put together her best outdoor meet of the season in Louisville. A product of Lakewood Ranch, Fla., Falco produced a season-best in the triple on her first attempt, leaping 40-05 (12.32 meters) to earn a second-place finish. Later in the meet, she followed the triple jump effort by going 19-04 (5.89 meters) on her first attempt in the long jump to claim a third-place finish.
Falco now ranks fourth and fifth all-time among Commodore jumpers in the triple jump and long jump, respectively.
Falco also matched her collegiate-best in the 100-meter dash with a 11.92 effort in preliminaries. She finished seventh in the finals with a 11.96 performance.
Sophomore Margaret Ollinger also finished in a tie for second place in the pole vault with a clearance of 12-08.25 (3.87 meters).
Penn Relays
4×800-meter relay – 5. Vanderbilt (C. Clayton, G. Hutton, K. Derry, R. Bustamante) 8:41.71.
Lyles-Wood Invitational
100-meter dash – 7. S. Falco 11.96 (11.92 in prelims).
Long jump – 3. S. Falco 19-04.00 (5.89m).
Triple jump – 2. S. Falco 40-05.00 (12.32m).
Pole vault – T-2. M. Ollinger 12-08.25 (3.87m).
