April 11, 2009
OXFORD, Miss. – Freshman sprinter Teegan Hill and sophomore distance standout Rita Jorgensen posted a pair of top-10 finishes highlighting Vanderbilt’s best performance of the outdoor season at the Ole Miss Invitational Saturday. The Commodores posted nearly season-high marks in every event.
Hill continued to show her athletic potential and why her future at Vanderbilt is bright by cracking the top-five all-time 200 and 400-meter dash times. On Saturday, Hill posted a 24.48, good for tenth place out of a field of 70 runners. Hill’s 200-mark is the fastest 200-meter time since former Olympian Ryan Tolbert ran sub-24’s for in 1996 and 1997. Later in the day, Hill recorded her first top-five finish of the outdoor season with a blistering 55.01 in the 400-meter dash. Hill’s 400-meter time tops her previous collegiate high of 55.73, which she set in the indoor season at the Iowa State Classic. The 55.01 mark ranks third in school’s all-time outdoor marks.
Jorgensen led a strong contingent of Vanderbilt distance runners in the 1500-meter run with a season-high mark of 4:30.97, placing third out of 52 runners. The Commodores had three runners place in the top-10 in the women’s 1500 as Jordan White and Louise Hannallah ran season-best times of 4:36.08 and 4:43.97, good for sixth and ninth place, respectively. The `Dores distance squad displayed its depth in Oxford as six VU runners notched 1500m times under 4:50.
Three hours after the 1500, Jorgensen joined three Commodores in the 800-meter run. The former White Station prep state champion led the way with an eighth-place time of 2:15.05 while Jillian Currie and Kate Southcote-Want crossed the finish line at 2:22.15 and 2:23.49 respectively.
VU’s multi-event athlete, Mallory Hitt competed in the long jump and 100-meter hurdles Saturday, placing 28th and 25th respectively, while Josalyn White placed 31st out of 60 runners with a 12.42 in the 100-meter dash.
Kristabel Doebel-Hickok was the Commodores lone 5000-meter competitor as she kept pace with the front of the pack for much of the race before finishing eighth out of 25 runners with a time of 18:30.51.
On the men’s side Vanderbilt had five guys compete in the 1500-meter run. VU was led by senior Mike Nordlund’s 12th-place 4:00.55 while Jenner Kizer and Thomas Davis posted times of 4:06.57 and 4:07.13 respectively.
The Commodores will return to the track next weekend as they travel to the Auburn Invitational, April 17-18.
Vanderbilt Results – Saturday, April 11, 2009
Long Jump – 28. Mallory Hitt, 16-06.00
100 Meter Dash – 31. Josalyn White, 12.42
200 Meter Dash – 10. Teegan Hill, 24.48, 47. Josalyn White, 26.07, 53. Mallory Hitt, 26.65
400 Meter Dash – 5. Teegan Hill, 55.01
800 Meter Run – 8. Rita Jorgensen, 2:15.05, 23. Jillian Currie, 2:22.15, 27. Kate Southcote-Want, 2:23.49, 31. Michelle Sauer, 2:24.30
1500 Meter Run – 3. Rita Jorgensen, 4:30.97, 6. Jordan White, 4:36.08, 9. Louise Hannallah, 4:43.97, 13. Kate Southcote-Want, 4:45.69, 14. Adrienne DiRaddo, 4:46.67, 17. Amanda Scott, 4:48.58, 23. Alexa Rogers, 4:53.08, 28. Erin McManus, 4:59.41, 42. Kate Martin, 5:17.43, 43. Renee Hanemann, 5:17.79, 44. Carolyn Bell, 5:19.42
5000 Meter Run – 8. Kristabel Doebel-Hickok, 18:30.51
100 Meter Hurdles – 25. Mallory Hitt, 16.46
Men’s Results
1500 Meter Run – 12. Mike Nordlund, 4:00.55, 20. Jenner Kizer, 4:06.57, 21. Thomas Davis, 4:07.13, 33. Kyle Rewick, 4:15.35, 50. Casey Howards, 4:33.47
