April 21, 2007
Photo Gallery by Mike Strasinger | View Day One Results
Nashville, Tenn. – Four Commodores notched impressive personal bests Friday during the first day of competition at the Vanderbilt Invitational track and field meet.
Seniors Garnetta Holloway and Ashleigh Wetzel, and a pair of sophomores, Lauryn Smith and Deanna Morelli, posted personal records as the Commodores moved out to a comfortable lead in the women’s team competition with 61 points. Tennessee and Middle Tennessee were second and third with 26 and 21 points, respectively.
Eastern Illinois holds a one-point margin over Memphis and Illinois State in the men’s divison with 29 points. The invitational continues Saturday with a full schedule of events starting at 12 noon.
Holloway was the only Commodore to claim an individual victory, capturing the javelin with a throw of 133’3″. The throw ranks third all-time among Commodores, and is a three-foot personal best for the reigning Southeastern Conference heptathlon champion. Morelli pushed her personal best to 132’6″ to claim the runnerup position.
Smith took second overall in the long jump with a leap of 19-7. The effort vaults Smith to No. 2 all-time on the team behind the 19’10.25″ leap by Ryan Tolbert in 1996.
Wetzel might have achieved the biggest personal best. Running in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, Wetzel lowered from career best by nearly 35 seconds with a 10:39.59 clocking. The effort moves Wetzel to No. 2 all-time in the event behind only the 10:34.15 performance by Kylene Kownurko in winning the SEC title in 2002.
In other action, sophomore Carmen Mims finished second in the 3,000 meters with a 9:48.25 performance. In the 1,500 meters, seniors Erika Schneble and Brittany Sizer ran fifth and sixth with clockings of 4:31.26 and 4:31.66, respectively.
Vanderbilt Invitational
Women’s Division
1500: Phoebe Wright, Tennessee, 4:27.09. Tina Sheratt, Memphis, 4:27.26. Lauren Blankenship, Samford, 4:31.17.
3000: Julia Hicks, unattached, 9:39.69. Carmen Mims, Vanderbilt, 9:48.25. Bertin Castillo, Austin Peay, 9:50.91.
5000: Pasca Cheruiyot, Rend Lake College, 16:53.29. Stephanie Place, Tennessee Tech, 17:07.27. Sangau Zamzam, Middle Tennessee, 17:21.42.
3,000-meter steeplechase: Jackie Areson, Tennessee, 10:32.53. Ashleigh Wetzel, Vanderbilt, 10:39.59. Kelly Parrish, Tennessee, 10:41.54.
Long Jump: Stephanie Tamgho, Middle Tennessee, 19-7.5. Lauryn Smith, Vanderbilt, 19-7. Bianca Stuart, SIU-Carbondale, 19-5.25.
Javelin: Garnetta Holloway, Vanderbilt, 133-3. Deanna Morelli, Vanderbilt, 132-6. Chen Edri, Memphis, 129-0.
Men’s Division
1500: Jeremy Doherty, Illinois State, 3:50.12. Collin Magut, Belmont, 3:50.87. Ryan Snellen, Belmont, 3:50.99.
3000: Jeff Schirmer, SIU-Carbondale, 8:34.64. Dan Strackeljahn, Eastern Illinois, 8:37.52. Brad Butler, Eastern Illinois, 8:41.18.
5000: Elkanah Kibet, Rend Lake College, 14:20.95. Scott Krapt, Illinois State, 14:38.52. Mike Richardson, Illinois State, 14:39.17.
3,000-meter steeplechase: Tim Sirbeck, Southern Indiana, 9:03.80. Brandon Campbell, Southern Indiana, 9:24.00. Jason Ordway, SIU-Carbondale, 9:27.10.
Long Jump: Carlos Walker, unattached, 24-7. Juan Walker, Middle Tennessee, 24-4.25. Brandon Winbush, Memphis, 24-1.75.
Javelin: Jason Theodorakas, Memphis, 194-1. Kyle Ellis, Eastern Illinois, 193-9. Christian McDonald, Memphis, 193.5.
