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Schneble Takes 3,000-Meter Win at Kentucky Invitational With Third Fastest All-time Indoor Effort by Commodore 1/18/2004
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Sophomore Erika Schneble ran the third fastest indoor 3,000 meters ever by a Commodore to win the event Saturday at the University of Kentucky Invitational. Schneble, coming off an All-SEC cross country campaign, covered the distance in 9:53.66, winning the event by less than a second over Ohio State standout Lyndsi Gay. Schneble took more than 10 seconds off her personal best at the distance to earn the win. Schneble was the only Vanderbilt athlete to claim an individual victory at the meet that drew six SEC teams and several strong squads from the Atlantic Coast Conference and Big Ten. Schneble, who won the 5,000-meter run at the Kentucky Invitational last year, became just the sixth Commodore to break the 10:00 barrier at 3,000 meters. The only Commodores to run faster at the distance are former All-American Beth Tallent (9:41.90 in 1991) and Stephanie Black (9:45.37 in 1989). Several other Commodores, including junior Josie Hahn, sophomore Amanda Mullins-Hall and freshman Ashleigh Wetzel, had solid performances in the first meet of the indoor season. Hahn, an All-America selection last year, cleared 5’8″, but finished second to the 5’10” leap by Georgia Tech sophomore Chaunte Howard. Mullins-Hall ran well in a fourth-place finish. Despite losing to two SEC runners, Ronnetta Alexander of South Carolina and Tasha Pharr of Alabama, Mullins-Hall narrowly missed the NCAA qualifying mark with a 8.47 effort. To compete at the indoor nationals March 12-13 at the University of Arkansas, Mullins-Hall needs to run under 8.45. Wetzel, running in her first indoor meet, ran an excellent mile, finishing fourth behind a pair of Kentucky seniors, Caity Phillips and Brooke Patterson, and sophomore Casey Phillips of Clemson. Wetzel becomes the 10th fastest Commodore ever at the distance with a time of 5:03.37. Another freshman distance runner, Debbie Huss, ran strong behind Schneble, finishing seventh in the 3,000 meters in 10:17.94. Senior Vanessa Lagios did not finish among the leaders in the 400-meter dash, but did set a personal best of 59:05. |
