University of Tennessee Athletics
Dickie Wins 5000m at Cannon IV Classic; Posts Strong Provisional
February 11, 2001 | Women's Track
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Running at that distance for the first time in her life, University of Tennessee sophomore Sharon Dickie won the 5000 meters by 20 seconds at the Cannon IV Classic Saturday night, notching an NCAA provisional qualifying time in the process and charting the third fastest indoor time in that event ever by a Lady Vol.
Dickie, a product of Grand Blanc, Mich., crossed the line in 16:28.67 to record a time well below the provisional mark of 16:48.45 and was just over 10 seconds behind the automatic standard of 16:18.45. It should be noted that since 1996 all 5K runners with marks below 16:39 have received bids to the NCAA Indoor Championships. This year's indoor meet is March 9-10 in Fayetteville, Ark.
After missing all of last year's cross country and track and field schedule due to a hip injury, Dickie bounced back to earn cross country All-America honors during the fall under first-year distance coach Rodney Rothoff. Her 5000m indoor time ranks with the all-time UT greats, falling below Patty Wiegand's 16:12.03 count in 1991 and Kathy Bryant's 16:23.7 reading in 1982. "What a great start for her first 5000m," Rothoff said. "Her strong finish demonstrated that she had a lot left at the end of the race. That indicates to me she can go much faster. I am very pleased with her effort and what she accomplished tonight."
Also running at the National Institute of Sport & Fitness in Indianapolis were sophomore Kameisha Bennett (Dayton, Ohio) and volunteer assistant coach Maureen Ferris (Cleveland, Ohio). Bennett did not meet the provisional of 2:09.60 that she and Rothoff were hoping for, but she did turn in a personal best of 2:12.28 to place eighth in the 800 meters. Ferris, meanwhile, cranked out a lifetime best effort of 4:43.27 to finish second in the mile.
In Blacksburg, Va., on day two of the Pepsi Invitational at Virginia Tech, senior Rashida Dodson (Indianapolis, Ind.) took top billing with her second-place outcome in the consolation finals of the 60m dash. After turning in a PR of 7.60 on Friday night, she responded with a 7.65 trip down the track on Saturday evening. Also in that race was Samantha Coulson (Roswell, Ga.), who was sixth in 7.78.
Freshman Erin Anderson (Kent, Ohio) ran a pair of strong races, winning her section and finishing eighth in the 3000m in 10:08.34 and coming back to place seventh in the 1000m at 3:02.53. Running with Anderson in the 3K were rookie Jessica Southers (Ashland, Ky.) and sophomore Rebecca Collins (Loveland, Ohio). Southers lowered her career best by nearly a minute, crossing the line 18th in 10:29.09, while Collins was 33rd at 11:11.35. Southers also finished 19th in the mile with a PR of 5:18.54. In the final event of the evening, the Lady Vol 4x400m relay unit was off to a good start when misfortune struck. Thanks to a strong lead leg by Dodson and an impressive first 200m by Coulson, the Big Orange was running in first place. However, as an Alabama runner attempted to pass Coulson on the first turn of her second lap, the Lady Vol's baton hand and the Crimson Tide runner's arm collided, sending the baton flying. Coulson recovered the stick, but Christina Clark (Madison, Wis.) and Kelly Flowers (Westerville, Ohio) were left with no opportunity to post a solid time. Alabama went on to win in 3:43.75, while Tennessee wound up 13th in a disappointing 4:01.85.
Next weekend, the UT women and men will host the Tennessee Indoor Invitational at the Stokely Athletics Center on Friday. Field events begin with the women's weight throw at 11:25 a.m., while the races on the track get started at 5 p.m. with the women's 55m dash trials.
LADY VOLUNTEER RESULTS
LADY VOLUNTEER COMPETITORSPepsi Invitational - Blacksburg, Va. Cannon IV Classic - Indianapolis, Ind.Feb. 9-10, 2001 FRIDAY, FEB. 9, AT PEPSI INVITATIONALEVENT (NCAA QUALIFYING MARKS)60mH Pre (Auto: 8.17, Prov: 8.43)dnq Lindsay Eck 9.05!pdnq Christina Clark 9.41!pWt. Throw (Auto: 19.50, Prov: 17.70)16th Diane Slinden 48-3.50/14.72mnm Sonya BellPole Vault (Auto: 4.10, Prov: 3.80)3rd Christie Elwin 12-5.50/3.80m+8th Mandy Bergey 11-5.75/3.50m60m Pre (Auto: 7.30, Prov: 7.44)adv/con. Rashida Dodson 7.60!padv/con. Samantha Coulson 7.73!pSATURDAY, FEB. 10, AT PEPSI INVITATIONALEVENT (NCAA QUALIFYING MARKS)High Jump (Auto: 1.86, Prov: 1.77)NH Kelly Flowers Missed @ 5-2.25Shot Put (Auto: 16.10, Prov: 14.90)8th Diane Slinden 44-8.25/13.62m3000m Fin. (Auto: 9:23.20, Prov: 9:37.20)8th Erin Anderson 10:08.34!b18th Jessica Southers 10:29.09!b33rd Rebecca Collins 11:11.35b400m Fin. (Auto: 53.20, Prov: 54.70)25th Amber Ayub 63.50!bLong Jump (Auto: 6.38, Prov: 6.10)10th Erica Tittsworth 18-7.25/5.67m15th Christina Clark 18-1.75/5.53m!dnc-inj Lindsay Eck 500m Fin. (Not An NCAA Event)15th Amy Ranker 1:19.43b 60m Cons. Fin. (Auto: 7.30, Prov: 7.44)2nd Rashida Dodson 7.656th Samantha Coulson 7.781000m Fin. (Not An NCAA Event)7th Erin Anderson 3:02.53bMile Fin. (Auto: 4:43.40, Prov: 4:48.40)19th Jessica Southers 5:18.54!bInv. 200m (Auto: 23.50, Prov: 24.05)8th Rashida Dodson 25.05bOpen 200m (Auto: 23.50, Prov: 24.05)8th Samantha Coulson 25.07!b4x400mR Fin. (Auto: 3:35.80, Prov: 3:41.80)13th Dodson/Coulson 4:01.85b Clark/Flowers
SATURDAY, FEB. 10, AT CANNON IV CLASSICEVENT (NCAA QUALIFYING MARKS)5000m (Auto: 16:18.45, Prov: 16:48.45)1st Sharon Dickie 16:28.67!b+800m Fin. (Auto: 2:06.90, Prov: 2:09.60)8th Kameisha Bennett 2:12.28!bKEYb - Banked Track Qualifying Standardcon - Consolation Finalsdnc - Did Not Competednq - Did Not Qualify For Finalsdnr - Did Not Run In Finalsf - Facility Recordh - Hand Timesnm - No markp - Prelims* - NCAA Automatic Qualifier+ - NCAA Provisional Qualifier ! - Personal Record (Indoors)^ - Oversized Track Qualifying Standardsr - School Record (Indoors)u - Undersized Track Qualifying Standard
