University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
Auburn Invitational
Vols Nab Five Wins at Auburn Invitational
January 17, 2015 | Track & Field
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Trotting out a full roster for the first time this season at the Auburn Invitational, Tennessee track and field enjoyed a successful Saturday at the CrossPlex in Birmingham. Headlining five UT wins on the day, throwers Cameron Brown and Matthew Hoty earned individual victories for the second straight week, while Jake Blankenship claimed the top spot in his first pole vault competition of the year.
"The Auburn Invitational was held in a spectacular facility at the Birmingham CrossPlex, just a phenomenal facility for us to compete in to open up our season at full strength," said Beth Alford-Sullivan, Tennessee's director of track and field/cross country. "It was an impressive day for us jumping into the thick of the season and I thought we competed with good composure. I was very pleased to see Christian Coleman, a true freshman, pick up his first career win in the 60 meters, Felicia Brown looking very sharp, Matthew Hoty earning a win on the last throw of competition, and Jake Blankenship dominating in his first competitive action since August. Just across the board, a great all-around day for the Volunteers."
Blankenship posted the first win for the Vols on Saturday, coming away with his sixth career win in the indoor pole vault during his season debut. His winning mark of 18 feet, 2.5 inches (5.55 meters) stands as the second-best of his career and lifted him above the event's second-place finisher by over a foot.
Coming off a win at last week's Orange & Purple Invitational in Clemson, South Carolina, junior Cameron Brown earned his second consecutive victory and seventh of his career in the men's weight throw with a distance of 70 feet, 7.25 inches (21.52 meters). That mark matches his career-best, which he established at this season's opening Hoosier Open back on December 12. It entered the week as the third-best mark in the country.
Brown wasn't alone in matching his winning performance from the week before as Hoty found himself atop the men's shot put competition for the second time in as many weeks. The senior picked up his fifth career victory in the event with a distance of 60 feet, 11.25 inches (18.57 meters) to edge out teammate Tavis Bailey's second-place throw of 59 feet, 4 inches (18.08). It was Bailey's second runner-up finish of the day as he also came in behind Brown in the weight with a personal-best distance of 68 feet, 11.75 inches (21.02).
UT also found some success in the sprints on Saturday, getting a victory in the 60 meter dash from true freshman Christian Coleman. The first-year athlete ran a time of 6.62 seconds to best the field and earn the first victory of his career in any event. Coleman also ran the 200 meter dash on Saturday, finishing fifth (21.39) and helped the 4x400 relay team to a fourth place finish (3:15.81).
Rounding out the Vol winners in Birmingham was Felicia Brown, picking up UT's lone victory on the women's side. Brown picked up her first win since her freshman season in the 200 meters, posting a time of 23.71. The junior picked up a personal-best earlier in the day with a third-place finish in the 60 meter dash (7.37).
Cassie Wertman continued her strong season in the women's shot put, coming in second behind a distance of 53 feet (16.15 meters).
With three, one-day meets in the books this season, UT now prepares for its first two-day meet next week at the Hokie Invitational in Blacksburg, Virginia. The Volunteers came away with eight individual victories at last year's edition, getting first-place finishes from Blankenship (pole vault), Cameron Brown (weight), Hoty (shot put), Felecia Majors (long jump), Wertman (shot put), and Austin Whitelaw (5000m).
WOMEN'S RESULTS AT AUBURN INVITATIONAL
Weight Throw: 10. Danielle Holdren, 11.35
Long JumpL 9. Cidae'a Woods, 5.59
60m prelim: 3. Felicia Brown, 7.47; 18. Felecia Majors, 7.84; 23. Cidae'a Woods, 7.96!
60m FINAL: 3. Felicia Brown, 7.37!
Pole Vault: 7. Erin Champion, 3.85
Shot Put: 2. Cassie Wertman, 16.15
400m: 12. London Freeland, 57.34!
Triple Jump: 6. Brielyn Rogers, 11.69
200m: 1. Felicia Brown, 23.71; 7. Felecia Majors, 24.41
DMR: 4. Tennessee `A', 12:11.07
4x400m: 3. Tennessee `A', 3:46.46
MEN'S RESULTS AT AUBURN INVITATIONAL
Pole Vault: 1. Jake Blankenship, 5.55
Weight Throw: 1. Cameron Brown, 21.52; 2. Tavis Bailey, 21.02!; 5. Deon McAdoo, 18.46; 13. Carson Frost, 16.66
60m prelim: 2. Christian Coleman, 6.73
60mH prelim: 11. Jalen Hunter, 8.57!
60m FINAL: 1. Christian Coleman, 6.62!
Mile: 6. Austin Whitelaw, 4:13.66; 12. Nick Kaiser, 4:17.61!
800m: 14. Antonio Carter, 1:57.78
Shot Put: 1. Matthew Hoty, 18.57; 2. Tavis Bailey, 18.08
200m: 5. Christian Coleman, 21.39!; 7. Jerimy Strainge, 21.61!; 15. Nathan Strother, 21.86!; 36. Jalen Hunter, 22.66!; 49. Malik Elion, 23.31!
High Jump: 12. Wesley Edwards, 2.05
DMR: 4. Tennessee `A', 10:13.14
4x400m: 4. Tennessee `A', 3:15.81
! - Personal Best, $ - SEC Record, a - American Record, b - Banked Track, c - Collegiate Record, adv. - Advanced, dna - Did Not Advance, dnf - Did Not Finish, dnr - Did Not Run, dns - Did Not Score, dq - Disqualified, F - Foul, f - Facility Record, fr - Freshman Record, fr* - Tied Freshman Record, fs - False Start, H - Heptathlon, h - Hand-Timed, mr - Meet Record, nh - No Height, nm - No Mark, P - Pentathlon, sr - School Record, u - Undersized Track, w - wind-aided, wr - World Record
