University of Tennessee Athletics
Elwin Matches Season Best In Pole Vault At Pepsi Invitational
February 09, 2001 | Women's Track
BLACKSBURG, Va. - The University of Tennessee women's track and field team was in action on Friday on the first day of the Pepsi Invitational at Virginia Tech's Rector Field House. As always seems to be the case in that facility, a Tennessee pole vaulter performed well.
Once again it was sophomore Christie Elwin (Adelaide, Australia) leading the way for the Lady Vols, tying her season-best mark with a clearance of 12-5.50/3.80m to place fourth and repeat her matching of the NCAA provisional standard. Elwin, who won in Blacksburg on Jan. 13 at the New Year's Invitational with the identical height, has enjoyed the same success in Rector that her UT predecessors Leslie Henley, Tracy Carrington and Lesly Love did.
Mandy Bergey (Hillsboro, Ore.) was also in action on the vault runway, winding up seventh at 11-9.75/3.60m against a very large and competitive field that included the nation's number one-ranked individual in Thorey Elisdottir of Georgia (14-1.25/4.30m) as well as fifth-ranked Andrea Wildrick of Liberty University (13-0.25/3.97m). The field had to endure a competition that began at 5:30 p.m. and ended five hours later.
Two Lady Vols earned spots in Saturday afternoon's consolation finals of the 60m dash. Senior Rashida Dodson (Indianapolis, Ind.) and junior Samantha Coulson (Roswell, Ga.) posted career-best times of 7.60 and 7.73 to advance as the ninth and 15th-fastest qualifiers, respectively. Also registering personal records but not advancing to the champion round were freshmen Lindsay Eck (Beloit, Kan.) and Christina Clark (Madison, Wis.). Eck shaved her time from 10.38 to 9.05, while Clark's went from 9.57 to 9.41.
Also in action were Diane Slinden (Menomonie, Wis.) and Sonya Bell (Charlotte, N.C) in the weight throw. Slinden managed a top toss of 48-3.50/14.72m to finish 16th, while Bell was unable to unload a measurable heave.
Saturday's schedule at the Pepsi Invitational begins at 10 a.m. for the Lady Vols with Kelly Flowers (Westerville, Ohio) in the high jump and Slinden in the shot put. The day wraps up at 6:25 p.m. with the 4x400m relay. In Indianapolis, meanwhile, Sharon Dickie (Grand Blanc, Mich.) will run the 5000m for the first time in her career and Kameisha Bennett (Dayton, Ohio) will attempt to lower her PR of 2:12.29 in the 800m.
LADY VOLUNTEER RESULTS
LADY VOLUNTEER COMPETITORSPepsi Invitational - Blacksburg, Va.Cannon IV Classic - Indianapolis, Ind.Feb. 9-10, 2001FRIDAY, 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)4th Christie Elwin 12-5.50/3.80m+7th Mandy Bergey 11-9.75/3.60m60m 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) 10:00 a.m.Kelly FlowersShot Put (Auto: 16.10, Prov: 14.90) 10:00 a.m.Diane Slinden3000m Fin. (Auto: 9:23.20, Prov: 9:37.20) 10:20 a.m.Erin AndersonJessica SouthersRebecca Collins400m Fin. (Auto: 53.20, Prov: 54.70) 11:55 a.m.Amber Ayub Long Jump (Auto: 6.38, Prov: 6.10) 1:00 p.m.Erica TittsworthLindsay EckChristina Clark500m Fin. (Not An NCAA Event) 1:05 p.m.Amy Ranker 60m Cons. Fin. (Auto: 7.30, Prov: 7.44) 3:05 p.m.Rashida DodsonSamantha Coulson1000m Fin. (Not An NCAA Event) 3:25 p.m.Erin AndersonMile Fin. (Auto: 4:43.40, Prov: 4:48.40) 3:55 p.m.Jessica SouthersRebecca Collins200m Fin. (Auto: 23.50, Prov: 24.05) 5:05 p.m.Rashida DodsonSamantha Coulson4x400mR Fin. (Auto: 3:35.80, Prov: 3:41.80) 6:25 p.m.TBASATURDAY, FEB. 10, AT CANNON IV CLASSICEVENT (NCAA QUALIFYING MARKS) 5000m (Auto: 16:18.45, Prov: 16:48.45) 5:30 p.m.Sharon Dickie800m Fin. (Auto: 2:06.90, Prov: 2:09.60) 8:00 p.m.Kameisha BennettKEYb - Banked Track Qualifying Standardcon - Consolation Finalsdnq - 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
