Women's DMR Wins SoCon Title in Record Time; Men Second
2/27/2015 9:40:00 PM | Track and Field
WOMEN'S DMR SETS SCHOOL RECORD IN CHAMPIONSHIP RUN; MEN'S DMR SECOND
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's Distance Medley Relay team claimed the Southern Conference title with a school-record time on Day One of the Southern Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships Friday at the Crossplex.
Junior Rebecca Greenwall (Bogart, Ga.) ran the lead 1200 meter leg and handed off to classmate Kiaana Howard (Nashville, Tenn.) for the 400 meter leg. Sophomore Maddison Melchionna (Afton, Tenn.) took over for the 800 meter leg before handing off to senior Amanda Cotter (Bristol, Conn.) for the final 1600 meter leg, finishing in a time of 11:49.59, a school record. This marks the sixth time the UTC women have won the DMR title.
“Amanda ran a 4:53 mile,” UTC Head Coach Bill Gautier said of his senior. “We were killing it. I'm so proud of them. What a great race.”
The men's DMR team also earned all-conference honors with a second place finish in a time of 10:11.17, just five seconds off the lead pace set by Furman. Junior Trevor Janssen (Jordan Station, Ontario) led off the race with junior Goeff Nelson (Brentwood, Tenn.) taking over for the 400 meter leg. Junior Marquis Carter (Memphis, Tenn.) ran the 800 and passed off to senior John Gilpin for the 1600m anchor leg.
“Marquis got us the lead,” Gautier said. “We told Gilpin to drop back and let Furman lead, and their guy took off. John kicked it in with 200 meters to go. It was so close and exciting.”
Sophomore Paul Stuart (Brentwood, Tenn.) scored for the Mocs in the men's 3000 meter run with a time of 8:40.45, placing seventh. In the women's race, the Mocs had a pair of scoring finishers. Freshman Emily Drouin (Verona, Ontario) led three UTC runners in the event, placing fifth overall with a PR time of 10:09.11 followed by junior Keeley Stewart (Winchester, Tenn.) who was less than two seconds behind her with a time of 10:11.41 in sixth. Sophomore Katie Ray (Knoxville, Tenn.) finished the race with a time of 11:15.71.
The majority of races on Friday were prelims and the Mocs advanced six on the women's side in three races. The men also advanced six runners in four races.
Freshman Drake Watson (Gallatin, Tenn.) will run Saturday in the men's 60 meter Hurdles placing fourth with a time of 8.81 in the second heat to earn a spot in the finals. Another freshman also found his way into the finals. Jacob Noorbergen (Ooltewah, Tenn.) finished second in the third heat with a time of 22.25 advancing to Saturday's race.
In the men's 800 meter prelims, Carter placed second in the first heat with a time of 1:56.50 for an automatic advancement to the finals while Janssen was third in the first heat with a time of 1:57.25 advancing based on his time.
Gilpin will run in the mile run finals on Saturday after placing ninth with a time of 4:18.56 and junior Austin Casassa (Nashville, Tenn.) will join him with a 12th place overall finish in a time of 4:27.09.
Junior Tosin Ayotunde (Ooltewah, Ten.) ran a PR time in the 200 meter with a time of 23.76. In the 400 meter prelims, junior Geoff Nelson (Brentwood, Tenn.) ran a PR time of 50.59 and junior DeQuantez Sandifer (Nashville, Tenn.) also ran a PR time in the 400m at 51.43.
Melchionna won the third heat to earn an automatic advancement to the Saturday finals of the 800m with a time of 2:17.42. Also earning an automatic bid was sophomore Hannah Chamblin (Memphis, Tenn.) who ran a PR time of 2:15.21 with a third place finish in the first heat.
The Mile prelims saw three runners advancing to Saturday. Cotter was second in the first heat and fifth overall with a time of 5:09.49 while Greenwall was two spots behind in the overall with a time of 5:06.40 finishing third in the third heat. Also advancing was sophomore Jessica York (Normandy, Tenn.) with a time of 5:11.62, placing third in the second heat.
Junior Kiaana Howard (Nashville, Tenn.) will run in the women's 400 meter race Saturday after placing eighth overall with a PR time of 58.96. Sophomore Jasmine Snell (Nashville, Tenn.) also hit a PR with a time of 1:01.38, but missed out on qualifying for the finals.
Junior Helenka Kis (Columbia, Tenn.) and sophomore Joanna Elmore (Clarksville, Tenn.) both ran PRs in the 800 meter while junior Makala Diggs (Box Elder, S.D.) hit her best time in the mile.
“We did absolutely everything we could today,” Gautier said. “It was a very good day for the Mocs and we'll see if we can do better. I very proud of everyone and we'll try to keep it up tomorrow.”
The championships will wrap up Saturday. The Mocs first race will be the men's and women's Mile finals at 11:30 a.m. Central Time. Follow all the action at GoMocs.com.
| Men's Results – Day One | |||||
| 60m Hurdle – prelims | |||||
| 7 | Drake Watson | Fr. | 8.81 | q | |
| Mile prelims | |||||
| 9 | John Gilpin | Sr. | 04:18.6 | q | |
| 12 | Austin Casassa | So | 04:27.1 | q | |
| 400m prelims | |||||
| 9 | Goeff Nelson | Jr. | *50.59 | ||
| 15 | DeQuantez Sandifer | Jr. | *51.43 | ||
| 800m prelims | |||||
| 6 | Marquis Carter | Jr. | 01:56.5 | Q | |
| 8 | Trevor Janssen | Jr. | 01:57.2 | q | |
| 19 | Patrick O'Brien | Jr. | 02:03.8 | ||
| 22 | Matthew Marshall | Jr. | 02:06.7 | ||
| 200m prelims | |||||
| 8 | Jacob Noorbergen | Fr. | 22.25 | q | |
| 14 | Tosin Ayotunde | Jr. | *23.76 | ||
| 19 | Austin Ethridge | Jr. | 25.55 | ||
| 20 | Zack Darby | Jr. | 26.39 | ||
| 3000m finals | |||||
| 7 | Paul Stuart | So. | 08:40.5 | 2 | |
| Distance Medley Relay | |||||
| 2 | Chattanooga | 10:11.2 | 8 | ||
| Trevor Janssen, Geoff Nelson, Marquis Carter, John Gilpin | |||||
| Women's Results - Day One | |||||
| Mile prelims | |||||
| 5 | Amanda Cotter | Sr. | 05:09.5 | Q | |
| 7 | Rebecca Greenwall | Jr. | 05:06.4 | Q | |
| 9 | Jessica York | So. | 05:11.6 | Q | |
| 19 | Anna Kate Chance | So. | 05:22.1 | ||
| 21 | Makala Diggs | Jr. | *5:27.32 | ||
| 400m prelims | |||||
| 8 | Kiaana Howard | Jr. | *58.96 | q | |
| 14 | Jasmine Snell | So. | *1:01.38 | ||
| 800m prelims | |||||
| 3 | Maddison Melchionna | So. | 02:17.4 | Q | |
| 6 | Hannah Chamblin | So. | *2:15.21 | Q | |
| 17 | Helenka Kis | Jr. | *2:24.79 | ||
| 20 | Makala Diggs | Jr. | 02:26.6 | ||
| 23 | Joanna Elmore | So. | *2:32.72 | ||
| 3000m Finals | |||||
| 5 | Emily Drouin | Fr. | *10:09.11 | 4 | |
| 6 | Keeley Stewart | Jr. | *10:11.41 | 3 | |
| 15 | Katie Ray | So. | 11:15.7 | ||
| Distance Medley Relay Finals | |||||
| 1. Chattanooga | 11:49.59 | ||||
| Rebecca Greenwall, Kiaana Howard, Maddison Melchionna, Amanda Cotter | |||||
