Golden Eagle track team adds another record, several personal bests at Vandy
After setting one school record and two personal best marks Friday night to open action at the Vanderbilt Invitational, the Tennessee Tech women's track & field team added another school record and five more career topping efforts Saturday to wrap up the squad's third weekend of action during the indoor season.
By Rob Schabert, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- After setting one school record and two personal best marks Friday night to open action at the Vanderbilt Invitational, the Tennessee Tech women's track & field team added another school record and five more career topping efforts Saturday to wrap up the squad's third weekend of action during the indoor season.
"We continued to build on our momentum from yesterday with stellar performances from Na'Asha Robinson and D'Airrien Jackson in the 400 meters," said coach Wayne Angel.
" We out-performed a lot of power five schools today," Angel said. No team scores were kept.
Not only did Na'Asha Robinson break her own month-old school record in the 400-meter dash, the freshman from Huntsville, Ala., took first place in the event. She ran the circuit in 54.14 seconds to eclipse the record of 55.08 that she had on the same track on December 5 in her first collegiate meet.
"Na'Aaha was amazing today," Angel said. "She is putting this program on the map."
Tech nearly had a perfect sweep in the 400m event, with D'Airrien Jackson claiming third place in a personal-best time of 55.77 seconds. She is a freshman from Santa Clara, Calif.
In addition to the sprints, Angel was pleased with several efforts in distance events, as well.
"We also had some noteworthy performances from our distance crew," he said. "Madison Stremler and Jenna Storms both had personal-best times today."
Tech's four other personal-best marks to fall Saturday came from Stremler, Storms, Morgan O'Neal and Antonia Susnjar.
Stremler, a sophomore from Franklin, Tenn., who was part of the school's record-setting 4x800 relay team Friday night, clocked her personal individual best at 800m with a time of 2:16.69.
Storms, a freshman from Cottonwood, Calif., ran a PR in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 10:46.27.
The other personal marks came in the 60m dash and shot put. O'Neal, a freshman from Las Vegas, ran a time of 8.03 for her best time at 60m. Junior Antonia Susnjar, a transfer from Western Kentucky University who hails from Split, Croatia, had a toss of 35-feet, 3.25 inches in the shot put.
Two other Golden Eagle runners established personal-best standards when they competed for the first time in events. In the mile run, Purity Murray set her PR time at 5:28.79. Freshman Molly Griffin, who was also on the 4x800m record foursome Friday night, set her individual PR at 2:38.16 in the 800m run.
"The ladies are starting to reap the benefits of all their hard work from the fall," Angel said. "We are starting to come together as a team and we are definitely moving in the right direction."
The team takes a couple of weeks away from competition to continue training, and will return to the track February 5-6 at the Meyo Invitational at Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind.
Saturday's Golden Eagle Results
60m
Morgan O'Neal, 8.03 - Personal Best
Tiara Hymon, 8.12
Brittany McGee, 8.35
400m
1. Na'Asha Robinson, 54.14 (SCHOOL RECORD)
3. D'Airrien Jackson, 55.77 - Personal Best
Jaydean Joseph, NS
800m
Madison Stremler, 2:16.69 - Personal Best
Andrea Retano, 2:30.93
Molly Griffin, 2:38.16 - 1st time
Tina Driscoll, 2:46.46
Mile Run
Purity Murray, 5:28.79 – 1st time
3,000m
Jenna Storms, 10:46.27 - Personal Best
Sonel Bezuidenhout, 11:03.72
Anna Cooper, 11:52.05
Lera McNamara, 11:56.59
High Jump
NaScottisha Drummond, NH
Triple Jump
Raven Smith, 37' 1"
Shot Put
Anontia Susnjar, 35' 3.25" - Personal Best
Makayla Kington, 32' 9"
Weight Throw
Makayla Kington, NM
4x400m Relay
6. Tech "A" 3:52.66 (Robinson, Jackson, Washington, Joseph)
Tech "B" DNS (Stremler, Hymon, Retano, O'Neal)
Friday's Golden Eagle Results
Long Jump
Raven Smith 15' 5"
200m
Tiara Hymon. :26.25 - Personal Best
Morgan O'Neal, 26.73 - Personal Best
Brittany McGee, 27.47
Raven Smith, 28.50 - 1st time
Tina Driscoll, 29.15 - 1st time
4x800m relay
Brandt, Stremler, Retano, Griffin , 9:25.95 (SCHOOL RECORD)
