University of Tennessee Athletics
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March 30, 2015 | Men's Track
March 30, 2015 
FLORIDA RELAYS
CENTRAL | MEET SCHEDULE | HEAT SHEETS
CENTRAL | MEET SCHEDULE | HEAT SHEETS
STANFORD INVITATIONAL
CENTRAL | MEET SCHEDULE | HEAT SHEETS
CENTRAL | MEET SCHEDULE | HEAT SHEETS
April 2-4 | Gainesville, Florida
April 3-4 | Stanford, California
TENNESSEE WOMEN
TENESSEE MEN
BROADCAST INFO
- Live video streaming for the 88th Nike Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays will be broadcast each day on the Longhorn Network. DISH customers can access LHN on Channel 407 and DirecTV can find LHN on Channel 667. Cable subscribers, check local listings.
- The Longhorn Network can also be accessed online through WatchESPN. For today's coverage, click here and log in using your satellite or cable account information. To view on a mobile device, download the WatchESPN app.
- The weekend's broadcast schedule is as follows: Thursday - 5:30-7pm, tape delay of multi-events; 7-10pm, live coverage; Friday - 10:30am-1:30pm, live coverage; 8-11pm, live coverage; Saturday - 2-5pm, live coverage.
MEET INFO
- This weekend marks the 88th running of the Nike Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays on the campus of the University of Texas. It is one of the longest running track and field meets in the nation and regularly draws some of the top talent in the sport -- collegiately, domestically, and internationally -- to compete.
- More than 7,000 entries have been accepted into this years meet from across the high school and collegiate ranks. This year's field features multiple Olympians as well as members of the Japanese National Team.
- The small Tennessee contingent traveling to Austin consists exclusively of field athletes. In all, eight student-athletes will represent the Orange and White in Austin. They are: Tavis Bailey, Jake Blankenship, Erin Champion, Matthew Hoty, Michael Maira, Tyler Porter, Kyle Quinn, and Cassie Wertman.
- Freshman thrower Matthew Zajac is also making the trip with the team, but he will be competing at the Bobcat Invitational at nearby Texas State University in San Marcos.
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MEN'S COMPETITION
- The Tennessee men, who came in ranked No. 16 in the recently released USTFCCCA Top 25 Computer Rankings, will see six individuals compete across five events this weekend.
- Pole vaulters Michael Maira and Tyler Porter kick things off for UT on Thursday when they compete in Section B of the men's pole vault, beginning at 4:45 p.m. ET.
- On Friday, Kyle Quinn and Tavis Bailey open up their respective weekends. Quinn, the owner of 2014's top time in the javelin throw, will compete in the event at 12:30 p.m. Bailey is slated for action in the discus at 5 p.m.
- Bailey returns to action on Saturday, joining teammate Matthew Hoty in the men's shot put competition at 5 p.m. They are preceded by Jake Blankenship, who will be making his season debut in the Elite Section of the men's pole vault at 2:45 p.m.
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WOMEN'S COMPETITION
- Erin Champion and Cassie Wertman are the lone representatives of the Tennessee women's squad this weekend in Austin.
- Champion opens competition Friday at 11 a.m. ET in the women's pole vault. She placed fourth in the event at last weekend's season-opening Alabama Relays.
- Wertman, who competed in both the shot put and discus last weekend, will limit her efforts to the shot put only at Mike A. Myers Stadium. That competition is scheduled for Saturday at 5 p.m.
- Wertman was third in the shot put a week ago in Tuscaloosa.
LAST TIME OUT
- Tennessee opened up the 2015 outdoor season last weekend at the John Mitchell Alabama Relays, taking away a combined 10 top-five finishes, 15 top 10s, two PRs and one individual win in Tuscaloosa.
- Headlining the weekend was sophomore Felecia Majors, who grabbed her first career win in the 400-meter dash with a time of 53.72 on Saturday. She narrowly edged out teammate Felicia Brown, who had to settle for second at 53.73. Majors and Brown currently sit third and fourth, respectively, in the event's national collegiate rankings.
- The 400 meters proved UT's most successful event over the weekend as freshman Nathan Strother put together a strong performance on the men's side. The Norcross, Georgia, native recorded a 47.17 in the event, good for a runner-up finish and the fifth-fastest time in the SEC over the weekend.
- In the men's throws, returning discus All-American and school record-holder Tavis Bailey opened up his season with a second-place finish behind a toss of 191 feet, seven inches (58.40 meters) in a discus competition that only allowed for a non-reverse throw. Meanwhile, senior Matthew Hoty came in second in the shot put with a mark of 58 feet, one inch (17.70).
- Redshirt junior Kyle Quinn, who turned in the top javelin throw of the season in 2014, made his season debut on Friday and came in third with an effort of 229 feet, three inches (69.89).
- Also returning to action was senior pole vaulter Tyler Porter. After missing the entire 2014 season due to injury, his vault of 16 feet, 6.75 inches (5.05) was good enough for eighth in his first competitive outing in nearly two years.
- In the women's throws, junior Cassie Wertman got off to a strong start, placing third in the shot put (49-6.50/15.10) and ninth in the discus (142-5/43.42).
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FROM THE DIRECTOR'S DESK
- First-year director of track and field/cross country Beth Alford-Sullivan offers her take on this weekend's Texas Relays:
- On the prestigious Texas Relays: "We're thrilled to be participating in the Texas Relays. It's one of the most prestigious track meets in the country every spring. It's an early-season meet and we're sending some great field athletes."
- On the pole vault competition: "Obviously our pole vault contingency has been jumping very well. Adding back Tyler Porter into the mix and really giving the four of our vault athletes an opportunity to get in some great competition down there where the weather is great for what they do. Jake [Blankenship] is in an elite field with seven other jumpers and certainly they'll be looking to jump at some really high bars. So we're excited for him as he opens up his outdoor season."
- On the rest of the field events: "On the throws side, the same group that has been very strong for us in the indoor season has opened up well for us in the outdoor. We added in freshman Scotty Zajac into the discus and he had a great opener for us at Alabama. Then you turn around and Kyle Quinn had a very solid opener down at the Alabama Relays. So we're looking forward to good competition down at the Texas Relays and a good environment to throw far and jump high."
- On opting to pull the track athletes from this week's Raleigh Relays: "We got some really solid results last weekend at Alabama that we were really pleased with to open the season. So just looking at the early calendar, we decided it would be best to let the kids get an extra week of thorough training before we power into April and the Florida Relays."
UP NEXT
- Tennessee will send athletes to two different meets next weekend, with one group heading to the Florida Relays in Gainesville and another venturing to the Stanford Invite. Both meets run April 3-4.
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