May 17, 2008
AUBURN, Ala. – Sophomores Mallory Hitt and Cherice Robertson each finished in the top eight of the high jump and freshman Rita Jorgensen qualified for the finals of the 1500 meters to lead the Vanderbilt track and field team on day three of the Southeastern Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Hutsell-Rosen Track.
Hitt and Robertson recorded top eight finishes in the high jump to score team points for Vanderbilt. Hitt finished in sixth, tying a career best with a mark of 5’5″. Robertson finished in seventh, also recording a jump of 5’5″, but Hitt was awarded sixth because she had fewer misses than Robertson in the competition.
“Mallory and Cherice both had good performances in the high jump,” Vanderbilt track and field head coach D’Andre Hill said. “It was Mallory’s first time scoring in an SEC meet, so that was a big step for her.”
In the 1500 meters, Jorgensen finished in 10th place to qualify for the finals of the event on Sunday. The Memphis native finished with a time of 4:28.88 to solidify a spot in the finals. Tennessee’s Brittany Sheffey finished the race in first with a mark of 4:25.40. The finals of the event are scheduled for Sunday at 5:20 p.m. (CT).
“Rita ran a very nice, solid preliminary race,” Vanderbilt distance coach Steve Keith said. “We safely advanced and felt good so now we’ll have a great opportunity in the final on Sunday. The final should be very competitive and it will be all about running a smart race and finishing strong.”
Through three days of competition, Vanderbilt is currently in 12th place in the team standings with seven points.
The SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships conclude tomorrow.
