Feb. 9, 2007
Fayetteville, Ark. – Commodore distance runner Erika Schneble notched her fastest indoor 5,000 meters in nearly three years while finishing sixth Friday at the prestigious Tyson Invitational.
Schneble, who set the Commodore indoor 5,000 record at the 2004 Southeastern Conference Championships, ran the distance Friday in 16:50.65. The effort was 18 seconds behind Schneble’s team record.
Schneble, a first-year Vanderbilt graduate student, hoped to qualify for the upcoming NCAA Championships, but did not run under the 16:42 provisional standard.
Schneble, under consideration to compete in the Tyson 3,000-meter run Saturday with sophomore teammate Carmen Mims, will look to qualify for the NCAA indoor 5,000 at the SEC Championships scheduled Feb. 22-24 at the University of Kentucky.
The SEC 5,000-meter race is quickly becoming a marquee competition. Four conference foes – Kristin Heffelfinger and Jill Steffens of Georgia and Katie Flaute and Katie Van Horn of Tennessee – posted sub-16:35 performances at Tyson Invitational. Several Arkansas runners, topped by Denise Bargiachi, give quality depth to the likely SEC field.
Schneble’s performance was her fastest 5,000 indoors since she initially set the Commodore mark of 16:39.27 at this meet three years ago. Later in the 2004 indoor season, she lowered the record to 16:32.06 in a second place finish at the SEC Championships.
One other Commodore distance runner, fifth-year senior Brittany Sizer, finished 14th overall in the college mile with a 5:00.37.
While Schneble, Sizer and Mims traveled west to the Tyson Invitational, their Commodore teammates journeyed east for the two-day Tiger Invitational in Clemson, S.C.
At the meet in Clemson, S.C., freshman Cherice Robertson and senior Garnetta Holloway qualified for the 60-meter hurdles finals with clockings of 8.99 and 9.12, respectively.
Sophomore Lauryn Smith finished fifth in the long jump, narrowly missing a personal best with a 18’11.75″. Freshman Mallory Hitt and sophomore Sydney Faulkner jumped 17’9.75″ and 17’9″, respectively.
Sophomore Deanna Morelli also finished sixth in the shot put with a toss of 42’0″.
Competition at the Tiger Invitational continues through Saturday.
