The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women’s track and field team heads to Auburn this weekend for the War Eagle Invitational.
“We are looking forward to competing with some of the best, if not the best, competition we’ve seen so far this year,” Chattanooga head coach Andy Meyer said. “This will be a tough and hard meet for the kids.”
Taylor Grayson will get the competition started with the Hammer Throw Friday night.
Her top throw of the season, 41.12m, came last weekend at the Western Carolina Catamount Classic, just shy of her personal best. Grayson will also compete in the Shot Put Saturday afternoon. She threw a PR 11.70m last weekend.
The Mocs’ distance runners will hit the track late Friday night in the women’s 5000 meter Invite. Emily Poole, ranked second in the Southern Conference standings, posted a PR of 17:25.26 at the Crimson Invitational earlier this season. Sophia Neglia, Brianna Nelson and Hannah Caldwell each set PRs at Alabama and are ranked in the Top 15 in the league. Rebekah Wich topped set her PR in the season opening JSU Gamecock Quad Invitational.
Saturday events will start off with Rebekah Hampton and Rebekah Bryant in the women’s Long Jump followed. Both set PRs last weekend and will look to improve on their distances in preparation for the SoCon Championships next month. Hampton and Bryant will hit the sprints with Hampton in the 100 meter hurdles and Bryant taking part in the 100 meter Dash.
Fresh off her top place finish at the Catamount Classic, Haley Morris will compete in the 3000 meter Steeplechase. She had a strong run but will try to top her PR this weekend with tougher competitors.
Nelson, Neglia, Caldwell and Poole will be joined by Julia Henderson in the women’s 1500 meter run in the mid-afternoon. Caldwell and Henderson have run the 1500m three previous times this season and Nelson set the Mocs’ top time on the year at the JSU Gamecock Quad Invitational. This will be the first race at this distance for Poole and the second for Neglia.
Abby Bateman will run back-to-back races to close out the meet beginning with the 400 meter Dash. She will follow with her specialty race, the 800 meter. She ranks second in the SoCon standings this season after posting a PR 2:15.47 at the WCU Catamount Classic. Ashlynd Broling, ranked 16th in the league standings with a PR time of 2:23.33 set at the Catamount Classic, is in the middle distance event along with Katie Coker and Taylor Sawyer.
“For most of the girls this will be their last hard competitive effort before conference,” Meyer said. “The weather looks to be great all weekend and we are hoping for some outstanding performances.”
Live stats will be available online at GoMocs.com. Complete results and stats will be online at GoMocs.com at the conclusion of competition each day.
Friday, April 20
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5:00 p.m.
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Hammer Throw
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Taylor Grayson
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8:50 p.m.
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5000m Invite
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Sophia Neglia
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Hannah Caldwell
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Brianna Nelson
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Rebekah Wich
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Emily Poole
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Saturday, April 21
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12:30 p.m.
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Long Jump
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Rebekah Bryant
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Rebekah Hampton
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1:00 p.m.
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Shot Put
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Taylor Grayson
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1:10 p.m.
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3000m Steeplechase
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Haley Morris
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1:45 p.m.
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100m Hurdles (P)
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Rebekah Hampton
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2:05 p.m.
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100m Dash
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Rebekah Bryant
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2:30 p.m.
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1500m Run
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Hannah Caldwell
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Sophia Neglia
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Julia Henderson
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Brianna Nelson
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Emily Poole
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2:55 p.m.
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400m Dash
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Abby Bateman
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3:25 p.m.
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800m Run
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Abby Bateman
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Ashlynd Broling
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Katie Coker
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Taylor Sawyer
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