University of Tennessee Athletics
Six Lady Vols Get Last Chance At NCAA Qualifying
March 02, 2000 | Women's Track
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Six members of the University of Tennessee women's track and field team will get one final shot to improve their NCAA provisional qualifying marks to automatic berths in the national indoor meet. The Big Orange sextet will split up and travel to two different sites this weekend with hopes of earning invitations to the competition on March 10 and 11 at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark.
Head coach Myrtle Ferguson will take sprinter Heather Sumpter and shot putter Andrea Pappas to the USA Track & Field Indoor Championships at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta this weekend, while field events coach Scott Bennett will travel to Bloomington, Ind., with pole vaulters Christie Elwin, Lesly Love and Beth Gehring, and shot putter Diane Slinden. All but Slinden (47-0.25) have met provisional qualifying standards in their respective events and will hope to improve their chances of making it to NCAAs.
While Gehring (12-6.75) and Love (12-6.75) both qualified for the USATF meet along with Pappas and Sumpter, Bennett felt the large number of entrants slated for Atlanta and the risky opening height of 12-0 made the Indiana meet a more likely location for improvements by his vaulters. Additionally, Elwin, who set the UT record with a clearance of 12-8 at last weekend's SEC Championships, can join her teammates in Bloomington. The Australian is not allowed to compete at the indoor championships, which is for athletes from the United States only.
Elwin is currently tied for 14th nationally, while Gehring and Love are tied for 19th. Last season, 19 athletes were invited to the NCAA Championships in Indianapolis, including Tennessee senior Tracy Carrington. Now a post-collegiate competitor, Carrington will be in Atlanta for the USATF vault on Friday.
As for Sumpter and Pappas, they are tied for 13th and ranked 31st, respectively, in the 60m dash and shot. Sumpter, who has overcome two knee surgeries, is having an outstanding season. She posted personal bests yet again this season at the SEC meet, dropping her time in the 60m to 7.37 and her clocking in the 200m to 23.92. She finished sixth in the short sprint and fifth in the longer race at Fayetteville. Pappas, meanwhile, posted her indoor career best of 49-5 at the Gator Invitational on Feb. 6. She placed third in the shot at conference last Saturday at 49-1.50.
Speaking of the shot, UT volunteer assistant coach Andy Bloom will be in Atlanta to compete as well. One of the United States' best throws specialists, Bloom will be trying to defend his shot put title from a year ago. Other former Lady Vols who are expected to be in action include Joetta Clark, Alisa Harvey and Kelli White.
LADY VOLUNTEER ENTRANTS
USATF Indoor Championships- Atlanta, Ga./Indiana USATF Meet - Bloomington, Ind.
March 3-4, 2000
EVENTS ON FRIDAY, MARCH 3
@ Indiana USATF Meet, Bloomington, Ind.
EVENT (NCAA QUALIFYING MARKS) Pole Vault (Auto: 4.00, Prov: 3.65) 4:30 p.m. Christie Elwin Lesly Love Beth Gehring
Shot Put (Auto: 16.10, Prov: 14.90) 6:45 p.m. Diane Slinden
EVENTS ON SATURDAY, MARCH 4 @ USATF Indoor Championships, Atlanta, Ga.
EVENT (NCAA QUALIFYING MARKS)
60m Trials (Auto: 7.30, Prov: 7.44) 11:10 a.m. Heather Sumpter
60m Semis (Auto: 7.30, Prov: 7.44) 12:10 p.m. Heather Sumpter?
Shot Put (Auto: 16.10, Prov: 14.90) 1:10 p.m. Andrea Pappas
60m Finals (Auto: 7.30, Prov: 7.44) 2:04 p.m. Heather Sumpter?
KEY
b - Banked Track Qualifying Standard f - Facility Record p - Prelims sr - School Record (Indoors) tr - Track Record (Indoors) * - NCAA Automatic Qualifier + - NCAA Provisional Qualifier ! - Personal Record (Indoors) ^ - Oversized Track Qualifying Standard
