Jan. 15, 2015
Event: Commodore Invitational
Day, Date: Friday-Saturday, Jan. 16-17
Site: Vanderbilt Indoor Complex
Start Times: 5 p.m. Friday l 11 a.m. Saturday
Complete Schedule: HERE
Heat Sheet: HERE
Live Results: HERE
Although they’ve already participated in one meet this season, the members of the Vanderbilt track and field team will be approaching this weekend’s Commodore Invitational as the start of a new season. Competing for the first time since the Music City Invitational on Dec. 4, the Commodores will be hosting a talented group of 24 teams (13 women’s teams and 11 men’s teams) during this weekend’s Invitational, which starts on Friday night at 5 p.m. Here’s a closer look at the two-day meet:
l WHO’S COMING TO TOWN?
The meet will have a Tennessee flavor, with seven teams from the Volunteer state scheduled to participate. But this weekend will also feature a solid group of out-of-state visitors, too, and a total of four SEC teams. Here’s a look at who’s schedule to complete: Belmont, Lipscomb, Memphis, MTSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, South Alabama, Tennessee, Tennessee State, UAB (women), Wake Forest, Western Kentucky and Vanderbilt (women).
l STATUS UPDATE:
Vanderbilt was operating with a thin roster during the Music City meet in December, and that could be true again tonight. Several of the Commodores are battling either illness or injury, and head coach Steve Keith said there could several Vanderbilt athletes who are unable to participate tonight. Here’s a look at who’s scheduled to go for the Commodores: Tierney Price (60, 200, triple jump), Faith Washington (200), Janetra Gleaves (200, 60-hurdles), Sarah Goodale (200, 60-hurdles, high jump, long jump), Erin Edmond (400), Jennifer Edobi (400), Tara Radan (400), Courtney Clayton (mile), Reagan Anderson (mile), Carmen Carlos (mile), Lily Williams (mile), Vanessa Valentine (mile), Megan Huebner (mile), Maddie Criscone (mile), Rebecca Chandler (mile), Amira Joseph (mile), Claire Benjamin (3000-meter), Sara Barron (3000-meter), Ellie Tidman (high jump), Megan McCabe (pole vault), Kaite Watts (pole vault), Sarah Bell (pole vault), Simone Charley (triple jump). Relay Teams: 4×4 (Edobi, Clayton, Edmond, Goodale); 4×4 (T. Radan, Carpenter, Washington, Barron); 4×8 (Anderson, Barron, Carpenter, Criscione); Vanderbilt men Nick Gkotsis (mile).
l KEEP AN EYE ON CHARLEY:
Vanderbilt sophomore Simone Charley enters the season looking to build on the momentum she gained during a record-breaking freshman campaign that was ultimately capped by a ninth-place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. During the indoor season last year, she posted the second-best mark on VU’s all-time performance list in the triple jump (41-8.50).
l QUOTING HEAD COACH Steve Keith:
On having a mid-January meet: The timing of this meet is good because it was nice for the kids to have been back in school for a week or two to get back in a rhythm. The December meet was basically just about finishing off the fall training, and we saw some great results. So now we are ready to take the next step. This weekend’s meet is another chance for us to see where are while keeping in mind that February is what we are aiming for.
On the quality of the field: It’s a good meet. The caliber is perfect for this time of year. We’ll have about 400 athletes for this meet, and then have about 700 next weekend (for the Vanderbilt Invitational). It’s really about trying to build each weekend throughout the season.
On the health of his team: We seem to have some flu and viruses going around, and we’re not going to have anyone compete who isn’t healthy. So for some of our athletes, it might be a day-to-day type thing. We might be missing a few this weekend.
l STRONG START FOR COMMODORES:
Led by outstanding performances from freshman Jennifer Edobi, junior Skyler Carpenter, senior Janetra Gleaves and several others, the Commodores delivered an impressive performance at the Music City Invitational in December. Edobi, making her Commodore debut, provided one of the night’s biggest highlight’s by winning the 400 with a time of 54.00, which ranks as the second-best mark on Vanderbilt’s all-time performers list. Erin Edmond finished directly behind Edobi in second place with a time of 55.23. It was a new PR for Edmond, and represented the third-best mark on VU’s all-time list. Carpenter added another one of the Invitational’s most memorable moments when she blasted to a victory in the 600 with a career-best time of 1:31.72. The time moved Carpenter up to No. 2 on VU’s all-time list in that event. Also shining for Vanderbilt were Tierney Price and Gleaves, who each had strong showings in multiple events. Gleaves took second in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.64, and finished fourth in the 200 with a time of 25.69. Gleaves’ time in the 60m hurdles was a career best and represented the third-best mark on the VU all-time performers list. Price, meanwhile, finished third in the triple jump with a mark of 39-6 — which ranks No. 3 on VU’s all-time list — and took 12th in the 200 at 26.48. The Commodores, as expected, had an impressive showing in the pole vault. Sophomore Sarah Bell, who is coming off a record-setting freshman season, cleared 12-9.50 to take second place, and Vanderbilt teammates Katie Wells and Megan McCabe tied for ninth by clearing 10-4.0. McCabe, a freshman, notched the 10th-best mark on VU’s all-time list. (Watts ranks 8th on the list with a mark of 10-11.75 that she set last season). Sarah Goodale, one of the most versatile athletes on the roster, finished 15th in the 200 (at 26.53) and was 17th in the 60m hurdles (9.13).