EUGENE, Ore. – Taiya Shelby and Veronica Fraley represented Vanderbilt track and field on Friday night at the 2022 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships.
Fraley competed in the second flight of the discus, securing a spot in the top 10 with her first attempt of 58.60 meters. She improved on her second throw with an effort of 59.90 meters, her best mark of the competition. Fraley maintained her position of fourth overall and secured a spot in the finals with her third throw. She concluded the event with a fourth-place finish.
After competing in her first meet for Vanderbilt, Fraley now holds the program’s discus record with her 59.90 meter mark.
Shelby contested in the 400 meter semifinals after her seventh-place qualifying race on Thursday night. She concluded the race with a time of 52.40 and 16th overall.
Volunteer assistant coach Joe Kovacs (shot put) is set to compete in the Championships at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday. Kovacs is the 2019 world champion and has already qualified for Team USA. He is coached by his wife and associate head coach Ashley Kovacs, who was recently named the throws coach for the World Championships. She has also coached incoming freshman Sarah Marvin, Fraley, and Divine Oladipo through the collegiate season.
Marvin (shot put) will vie for a spot at the 2022 USATF U20 Outdoor Championships at 6:45 p.m. on Saturday. She is currently ranked second entering the meet and holds the Michigan Division III state title in the shot put and won the national championship in the event last summer.
