Morris, Buerhle Power Mocs in Opener

Saturday, March 11

Jacksonville, AL

12:00 p.m.

Chattanooga

JSU Gamecock Quad

Complete Results

Morris took first in the 3000 meter Steeplechase at the Mocs outdoor track season opener

3/11/2017 7:30:00 PM | Cross Country & Track & Field

Complete Results

By: Anne Wehunt

OXFORD, Ala. --- The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga opened the outdoor track and field season on a cold and rainy day at the JSU Gamecock Quad at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Ala. Sophomore Haley Morris (Lenoir City, Tenn.) and freshman Nicole Buehrle (Sugarloaf, Pa.) led the Mocs with top performances Saturday afternoon.

Morris took first in the 3000 meter Steeplechase with a time of 12:06.12. Buehrle was second in the 800 meter with a time of 2:24.66 and fellow freshman Julia Henderson (Brentwood, Tenn.) was fourth at 2:26.43.

"It was a cold and rainy day, but the girls produced some great performances on the first outdoor meet of the year," Chattanooga head coach Andy Meyer said. "Haley powered through the steeplechase and won. Nicole ran a gutsy 800."

The Mocs' 4x100 meter relay team finished second. Kelsey Henry (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.), Sydney Gautier (Chattanooga, Tenn.), Taylor Sawyer (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and Mercedes Bright (Kingsport, Tenn.) carried the baton and finished in a time of 54.92.

Freshman Rebekah Wich (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) finished fifth with a time of 5:10.83. Running in much shorter races than usual, freshman Kennedy Thomson (Catharine's, Ontario) ran the 400 meter in a time of 1:01.09 and classmate Abby Bateman was right begin at 1:01.81.

"We had several girls run down an even or so to work on speed," Meyer said. "Some were doing the event for the first time. Kennedy and Hannah did well in the 400 and Rebekah PR'd in the 1500.

"We're looking forward to our next meet at Emory."

Chattanooga will compete at the Emory Invitational on March 31 in Atlanta, Ga.

3000m Steeplechase

Haley Morris, So.

12:06.12

4x100m Relay

Chattanooga

54.92

Kelsey Henry, Sydney Gautier, Taylor Sawyer, Mercedes Birght

1500m Run

Rebekah Wich, Fr.

5:10.83

400m Dash