April 16, 2009
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt’s track and field team will head south to Auburn, Ala. this weekend to partake in the two-day War Eagle Invitational. The Commodores will be one of five Southeastern Conference teams competing at the Hutsell-Rosen Track. The meet is scheduled to get underway with field events starting at 11 a.m. Friday with running events to follow.
The `Dores will arrive to Auburn fresh off its best performance of the outdoor season at last weekend’s Ole Miss Invitational. Vanderbilt’s Teegan Hill and Rita Jorgensen paced the Commodores with two top-10 finishes while many others ran to season-high times.
VU’s Hill led the Commodore sprinters with season-highs of 24.48 and 55.01 in the 200 and 400-meter dashes. Hill’s 24.48 200-meter time is the fastest 200 a Commodore has turned in since former All-American Ryan Tolbert competed for the Black and Gold in 1996, 97 seasons. The former Texas prep state champion sprinter will be aiming to regionally qualify in the 400 this weekend after setting a season-high in Oxford last week.
Vanderbilt’s distance squad looks to improve its marks this weekend as well after posting solid finishes in what was actually its first real outdoor meet as a team last weekend. The Commodores Rita Jorgensen, Jordan White and Louise Hannallah will try to improve on their 1500-meter times this weekend, while competing against a talented field of runners.
VU’s Mallory Hitt, Sheri Sullivan and pole-vaulters Meagan Martin and Katherine Hendricks will all compete in field events on Friday or Saturday. Hitt will compete in her second heptathlon of the outdoor season this weekend as well.
A recap and final results of Friday and Saturday’s events from the War Eagle Invite will be posted on vucommodores.com
Teams Competing
Alabama (W)
Alabama-Huntsville (M/W)
Alabama State (M/W)
Auburn (M/W)
Cumberlands (M/W)
Florida (M/W)
Florida A&M (M/W)
Georgia Southern (W)
Indianapolis (M/W)
Jacksonville State (W)
Mercer (M/W)
Mississippi State (M/W)
UNC Charlotte (M/W)
Penn State (M/W)
Samford (M/W)
Tennessee State (M)
Troy (M/W)
UAB (M/W)
Vanderbilt
West Florida (M/W)
