NASHVILLE, Tenn. – On a snowy Saturday in Nashville, Vanderbilt track and field opened its indoor season at the Commodore Challenge where nine Dores added their names to the program’s all-time top 10 lists and seven recorded personal bests.
“Today was a good meet,” director of cross country and track and field Althea Thomas said. “We didn’t compete everybody, but we’re definitely at a point with our depth and quality where we can individualize. It was good to see the upperclassmen come out and continue to do what they do and build on the momentum from the last three years and to see out newcomers come out and have the same confidence they’ve had at high school meets in a new setting and at a higher level.”
To start the morning, sophomore Rowan Houston cleared 1.71 meters in the high jump, which is a personal best and tied for the No. 7 mark in school history.
On the track, junior Allyria McBride turned in a time of 1:31.29 in the 600 meters, which is the No. 2 time in program history. Freshman Kenyah Conner was less than a second behind and clocked 1:31.72, tied for fifth all-time at Vandy.
Senior Julia Rosenberg and junior Audrey Allman finished first and second, respectively, in the 1,000 meters. Allman’s time, 2:48.69, is a personal best and ranked fourth in school history. Rosenberg crossed the finish line in 2:48.46 to win the race.
In the long jump, freshman Anya Carey recorded a personal-best 5.45-meter mark to place ninth. Sophomore Anaya Carey earned a fourth-place finish with a 5.66-meter jump.
Three Commodores, junior Taylor McKinnon and freshmen Pryncess Jackson and Devyn Parham, advanced to the 60-meter hurdles final. McKinnon clocked 8.56 seconds in the prelims, the day’s fastest qualifying time, and 8.53 seconds in the final to win the event and move to No. 7 on the all-time performers list. Both marks were personal bests. Parham turned in a time of 8.66 seconds in qualifying and of 8.56 seconds in the final. She is now tied for eighth in school history in the event. Jackson recorded respective times of 8.90 and 8.93 seconds in the prelims and final.
Freshman Jacqueline Rose cracked into the school’s all-time top 10 in the pole vault clearing 3.65 meters to finish first among freshmen and second overall.
Graduate student Tina Benzinger and junior Falon Spearman added their names to the record books in the 300 meters. Benzinger ran the fifth fastest 300-meter race in school history, turning in a time of 39.34 seconds to finish second overall. Spearman placed third in the race, clocking 39.87 seconds, which is the 10th-ranked time in program history.
In the throws ring, senior Sarah Marvin finished fifth overall, third among collegians in the shot put with a 14.58-meter mark.
To end the meet the 4×400-meter relay squad of freshman Isabella Dagrosa, junior Mackenzie Culpepper, Webster and McBride took third with a time of 3:48.77.
Junior Santana Spearman, Culpepper and sophomore Elsa Steer recorded personal bests Saturday. Spearman recorded times of 7.94 and 25.55 seconds in the 60 and 200 meters. Culpepper’s 1,000 meter time was 2:54.24. Steer recorded a time of 5:04.76 in the mile.
“Whenever you see that many personal bests, meet winners and runners-up, it is a very good meet,” Thomas said. “Considering the circumstances, I think the team did a really good job adjusting to the weather delays and modifications. I’m very pleased with the composure they had for the meet.”
The Commodores’ home stand continues Friday and Saturday when they host the Vanderbilt Invitational.
