April 14, 2007
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Distance runners Erika Schneble and Carmen Mims became the fourth and fifth fastest Commodores ever at 3,000 meters with solid performances Friday at the Sea Ray Relays in Knoxville.
Schneble, a fifth-year senior from Hendersonville, Tenn., who received the SEC’s prestigious McWhorter Award last week, finished fifth overall in the 3,000-meter run, with a time of 9:46.07. Mims followed in sixth place, running a personal best of 9:47.52.
Two other Commodores, junior Val Kazmer and sophomore Amanda Scott, trailed behind Schneble and Mims, finishing with clockings of 10:13.72 and 10:16.58, respectively.
On Saturday, just prior to severe storms forcing cancellation of the meet, Commodore sophomore Lauryn Smith earned first place in the long jump with a 18’10.75″ effort. Sophomore Deanna Morelli also finished second in the open discus with a 140’10” throw.
Junior Julie Eckerly also placed for the Commodores, finishing sixth in the 10,000-meter run with a 38:24.91 effort.
Schneble, who set the Vanderbilt indoor 3,000-meter mark at the 2007 Southeastern Conference Championships, broke her previous best at the distance by seven seconds.
It was Mims’ first effort at the 3,000-meter distance this season. She took nearly a full minute off her best performance at the distance last year.
Schneble and Mims are eligible for NCAA regional competition later this summer. Both ran a NCAA regional qualifier in the 5,000-meter run two weeks ago at Palo Alto, Calif.
Other Commodore results from the Sea Ray Relays follows:
400 meters: Amani Floyd, 58.52
1,500 meters: Brittany Sizer, 4:38.54
5,000 meters: Shannon Capps, 18:08.11; Mindy Skelton, 18:09.19
100-meter hurdles: Meghan Murphy, 15.36; Garnetta Holloway, 15.77
400-meter hurdles: Lauren Fortson, 1:04.91
4×200-meter relay: Lauryn Smith, Fortson, Floyd and Holloway, 1:41.77
Hammer throw: Kasi Foster, 156’3″
Distance Medley Relay: Mims, Floyd, Sizer and Schneble, 11:52.18.
