May 6, 2011

Five score, nine reach career-bests on first day at OVC Championships

Five different Golden Eagles scored points and nine had personal-best efforts Friday as Tennessee Tech closed the first day of the 2011 OVC Track & Field Championships in fifth place.

MURRAY, Ky. – Katherine Lynn cleared the bar at 5 feet, 6 inches on her first try Friday, lifting her into a three-way chase for the Ohio Valley Conference high jump individual championship.

But the senior from Cookeville, bidding for her third consecutive OVC high jump title, couldn't make it over the top at 5 feet, 8 inches – a mark that would have broken her own school record -- and she took second place in the final competition of her collegiate career.

Josha Rogers of Murray State reached that height on her second effort to win the crown, taking it away from Lynn who had won the event last year at the OVC Outdoor Championships and again in March at the OVC Indoor Championships.

Lynn gave Tennessee Tech eight points on the first day of competition of the 2011 OVC Outdoor Championships, being hosted by Murray State University. At the end of the day, the Golden Eagles had 16 points to put them squarely in fifth place.

Nine different Golden Eagles established career-bests marks Friday and five different Tech student-athletes earned points for coach Tony Cox' team.

Senior Ashley Mayhew added three points to the Tech total, placing sixth in the shot put. She had a toss of 42 feet, 1.75 inches, a distance just an inch shy of her career-best.

Sophomore Madison Borden nabbed two points, placing seventh in the discus throw by hitting 129 feet, 9.75 inches.

A couple of promising distance newcomers also landed in the points Friday.

Freshman Peri Winborne sliced 40 seconds off her career-best in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a 12:11.34 showing to place seventh. Sophomore Beth Miller, in her first season on the track squad, was eighth in the 10,000-meter run with a personal-best 40:42.25.

Tech saw two personal-best marks written in the 400-meter dash. Danielle Catlett finished in 1:01.37 while Elisa Tanksley crossed the line in 1:02.08.

Two more bests came in the 800-meter run. Leah Bradley had a time of 2:28.12 and Jenna Philpot covered the distance in 2:29.14.

Freshman Brittany Cotto not only ran a career-best in the 400-meter hurdles, her time of 1:05.22 qualified her for the finals on Saturday.

In addition to Miller's PR at 10,000 meters, freshmen Meghan O'Donoghue (43:16.86) and Amelia McCoy (44:44.98) also posted career-best times.

Satuday's events begin at 8 a.m., and the official Opening Ceremonies are scheduled for 8:45 a.m. The final event is the 4x400 meter relay at 2 p.m.