University of Tennessee Athletics
Lady Vols, Vols Host Tennessee Indoor Classic On Friday
February 16, 2000 | Women's Track
Meet On Newly-Resurfaced Track To Be First In Two Seasons At Stokely Athletics Center
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - For the first time in two seasons, the University of Tennessee women's track and field team will host an indoor meet. On Friday, the Lady Vols will join the Vols in welcoming several teams to the newly-remodeled surface at the Stokely Athletics Center.
A total of 16 women's affiliations are scheduled to attend the one-day meet, including Alabama A&M, Appalachian State, Belmont, South Carolina State, Tennessee Tech and Western Carolina among others. The women's portion of the non-scored meet begins at 2:30 p.m. with the weight throw and concludes at 9 p.m. with the 4x400m relay. The first women's race is the 55m dash trials, slated for 5:25 p.m. All times are subject to change pending entry confirmations.
"As we approach the latter part of the indoor season and gear up for the SEC Championships, it is good to be able to stay in town and have a meet on our new indoor surface," head coach Myrtle Ferguson said. "Our followers will be able to see some very talented and well-trained athletes in the field events as well as on the track this Friday."
The Lady Vols will use the meet as a tune-up for the Southeastern Conference Championships, which are scheduled for February 26-27 at the brand new Randal Tyson Track Center on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville.
A couple of Stokely Athletics Center women's records that bear watching on Friday night are the pole vault and weight throw marks. Senior Beth Gehring and former Lady Vol Tracy Carrington are the current owners of the vault mark at 11-2.25, but that 1998 record should fall early in the competition. Four of Tennessee's vaulters in 2000 have clearances over the current record, including Gehring and Lesly Love, who both cleared 12-6.75 last weekend to climb atop the SEC list and tie for 13th nationally.
In the weight throw, senior Andrea Pappas, the holder of the UT record at 51-5, hopes to etch her name next to the Stokely Athletics Center mark. Kelly Smith currently holds that distinction with a distance of 46-7.25 achieved in 1997. Sophomore Diane Slinden has also logged a longer throw than Smith's and could snag the SAC record should Pappas falter.
Another Lady Vol to watch is sprinter Heather Sumpter, who ranks second only to Kelli White on UT's 60m dash performers list. After two knee surgeries, including one over the summer to clean scar tissue out of her knee, the senior has recorded personal bests in the 55m, 60m and 200m and is tied for 15th in the nation this week at 60 meters.
EVENTS / LADY VOLUNTEER ENTRANTS Tennessee Indoor Classic - Knoxville, Tenn. Feb. 18, 2000 EVENT (NCAA QUALIFYING MARKS) TIME Wt. Throw (Auto: 19.50, Prov: 17.70) 2:30 p.m. Andrea Pappas Diane Slinden Janine Tessarzik High Jump (Auto: 1.86, Prov: 1.77) 3:00 p.m. Talayna Fortunato Pole Vault (Auto: 4.00, Prov: 3.65) 3:45 p.m. Lesly Love Beth Gehring Christie Elwin K.C. Allen Mandy Bergey Shot Put Over 49' (Auto: 16.10, Prov: 14.90) 4:45 p.m. Andrea Pappas 55m Trials (Auto: 6.80, Prov: 6.94) 5:25 p.m. Heather Sumpter Rashida Dodson Erica Tittsworth LaTish Roach Lesly Love Erin Rinear Deidre Reynolds Marquita Knight Natalie Johnson Serena Gray Samantha Coulson Shot Put Under 49' (Auto: 16.10, Prov: 14.90) 5:30 p.m. Diane Slinden Janine Tessarzik Frenke Bolt Talayna Fortunato Long Jump (Auto: 6.34, Prov: 6.10) 5:30 p.m. Erica Tittsworth Frenke Bolt Talayna Fortunato 55m Finals (Auto: 6.80, Prov: 6.94) 6:05 p.m. EVENT (NCAA QUALIFYING MARKS) TIME 55mH Trials (Auto: 7.64, Prov: 7.90) 6:30 p.m. Frenke Bolt Talayna Fortunato 55mH Finals (Auto: 7.64, Prov: 7.90) 7:00 p.m. 400m (Auto: 53.80, Prov: 54.30)u 7:25 p.m. Kameisha Bennett Deidre Reynolds Samantha Coulson Latish Roach 800m (Auto: 2:07.50, Prov: 2:10.00)u 8:00 p.m. Christy Baird Meghan Mantlo Rebecca Collins Amber Ayub 1500m (Not An NCAA Event)u 8:30 p.m. No Lady Vols entered 4x400mR (Auto: 3:39.00, Prov: 3:45.00)u 9:00 p.m. Samantha Coulson/Rashida Dodson Serena Gray/Natalie Johnson Deidre Reynolds/LaTish Roach (Members/Order To Be Announced) KEY b - Banked Track Qualifying Standard f - Facility Record p - Prelims * - NCAA Automatic Qualifier + - NCAA Provisional Qualifier ! - Personal Record (Indoors) ^ - Oversized Track Qualifying Standard sr - School Record (Indoors) u - Undersized Track Qualifying Standard
