March 27, 2015
BLACK AND GOLD INVITATIONAL: DAY 1
Friday’s Results: HERE
Saturday’s schedule: HERE
Start Lists: HERE
Live Results: HERE
From beginning to end, the Vanderbilt track and field team gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about on the opening day of the Black and Gold Invitational on Friday.Â
Vanderbilt senior Erin Edmond got things rolling by delivering an entertaining performance in the 200 in the meet’s first running event, and a trio of Vanderbilt men — Jake Van Geffen, John Ewing and Nick French — produced a strong showing in the 5000-meter run near the end of the night to cap the Commodores’ solid work on the first day of the two-day meet.
Although the weather conditions were less than ideal — with chilly temperatures and occasional stretches of light rain — all of the day’s events were completed as scheduled.
“Good efforts out there today,” said head coach Steve Keith. “Our kids fought well. … It was a cold but good night.”
The meet — which features a total of roughly 600 athletes — resumes on Saturday, with field events beginning at 10 a.m. and running events starting at noon. Saturday’s schedule will also include Vanderbilt’s Senior Day recognition ceremony at 11:50 a.m., which helps highlight Vanderbilt’s lone home meet of the outdoor season.
“We will look forward to a little sunnier, less windy day (on Saturday),” Keith said, “and we think it can be a good day for us.”
During Friday’s action, Edmond set the tone for the Commodores by taking second place in the 200 with a personal-best time of 24.74. Edmond, who won her heat, recorded the No. 8 mark on VU’s all-time performer’s list. Emma Redan also won her heat in the 200, and finished 11th overall with a time of 25.54.
Roughly two hours later, in the final running event of the evening, the Commodores put an exclamation point on their day by placing three runners among the top-five in the men’s 5000-meter run. Van Geffen set a PR and took third place with a time of 15:09.83, Ewing was fourth at 15:12.02 and French was fifth at 15:13.33.
In between the performances by Edmond and the Vanderbilt men’s trio, there were numerous other shining moments for the Commodores.
Sara Barron finished second in the 1500 with a time of 4:28.05. Barron led the race for much of the way, but was nudged out by Bradley’s Emily Delvo (4:27.70) near the finish.
Barron was the leader of a strong Commodore contingent in the 1500, as Vanderbilt claimed nine of the Top-25 spots, including three of the Top-10. Katherine Delaney was sixth at 4:32.21, Reagan Anderson was seventh at 4:32.57 and Vanessa Valentine was eighth at 4:34.53.
Courtney Kriegshauser was 14th at 4:42.60, Lily Williams was 15th at 4:44.08, Claire Benjamin was 17th at 4:44.84, Maddie Criscione was 23rd at 4:48.61 and Megan Huebner was 24th at 4:49.04.
In the men’s 1500, Nikolaos Gkotsis finished ninth at 4:05.12 and Andrew Fix was 26th at 4:15.68.
YOUTUBE VIDEO WITH COACH KEITH: HERE
