Carbondale, Ill. – Commodore senior Josie Hahn continued her excellent form and junior distance runner Whitney Thurman notched her first collegiate individual win at the McDonald’s Invitational, staged Friday and Saturday on the Southern Illinois campus.

Hahn, who posted an NCAA provisional high jump mark of 5’10” earlier in the indoor season, captured her first event title of the season, winning the high jump with a clearance of 5’7.75″.  Hahn later returned to earn third in the 55-meter hurdle finals with a 8.42 effort.

Hahn will expected be one of the Commodores’ top individual contenders at the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships schedule February 25-27 at the University of Arkansas. She should contend in both the high jump and multi-discipline pentathlon.

Thurman’s surprise victory in the 5,000-meter run produced a personal best at the distance and valuable points toward the Commodores claiming third place team honors.  Thurman captured the event comfortably in 18:47.78.

Senior pole vaulter Paige Roberts also aided the Commodore team cause, finishing second in her specialty with a clearance of 11’0.25″.

Others to score points for Vanderbilt were:
 ? Ashleigh Wetzel, fifth in the mile, 5:01.80;
 ? Brittany Sizer, sixth in the mile, 5:01.93;
 ? Laura Miller, seven in pole vault, 9’0.25″;
 ? Alisa Cotter, seventh in the 800, 2:17.28;
 ? Catlin Shannon, eighth in the 800, 2:17.29