University of Tennessee Athletics
Four Vols Qualify for NCAA Championship on Day 1
May 25, 2017 | Track & Field
Whitener Video | Live Results | Live Stream (Friday) | Live Stream (Saturday) | Notes | Friday Start List | Schedule of Events | Photo Gallery
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Tennessee track and field punched four tickets to the NCAA Championship and advanced four people to the quarterfinals on day one of the NCAA East Prelims. Seth Whitener grabbed one of those spots as he set a school record on Thursday at the UK Outdoor Track and Field Complex.
Whitener set the school record in the hammer throw with a toss of 68.59m (225-0) on his second attempt. Whitener, who did not even qualify for prelims during his freshman season, qualified for nationals as he was the leader after two flights and finished in seventh place. Whitener recorded his fifth personal best of the season. Cameron Brown set the school record earlier this year after the record hadn't been set in the past 21 years.
Brown, had to wait on pins and needles to find out if he joined Whitener in qualifying for Eugene. Brown was ruled to have fouled all three of his throws, but after a protest of his second attempt, Brown finished in the 12th and final spot to earn a spot. Brown's throw officially went 66.66m (218-8) to earn that final spot, edging past Elias Hankansson of Alabama whose best throw of 66.56m (218-4) was also marked after a protest.
Christian Coleman advanced to the quarterfinals in the 100m dash as he recorded the fastest wind-legal time in the NCAA this year despite jogging the final steps. He won his heat by .28 seconds and posted the fastest time of the evening by .13 seconds as he set a facility record. This is his third time posting a 100m time under 10 seconds this year, while no other collegian has done it more than once. The time also tied Coleman for eighth all-time in collegiate history.
Stamatia Scarvelis booked a spot at the NCAA Championship, but it was not without some drama. The sophomore from Santa Barbara, California fouled her first two attempts of the hammer throw competition and needed a big final throw to qualify. She was able to come through with a toss of 60.48m (198-5) on that final attempt to claim a seventh place finish and book a spot in Eugene.
Senior Chelsea Blaase was the fourth Vol to book a spot to the NCAA Championship as she took fourth place in the 10,000m race. Blaase stayed with the front pack throughout the race and crossed the line with a time of 33:40.78.
Shania Collins advanced to the quarterfinals in the women's 100m dash as she posted a time of 11.42 (+0.3). She finished second in heat and 13th overall to earn an automatic qualifier spot.
Freshman Brooklynn Broadwater saved her best race of the season for the NCAA Prelims. She raced around the track in 59.12 to set a personal best in the 400m hurdles and finish 12th of the 48 competitors in the competition. She advances to the quarterfinals, which will take place tomorrow at 7 p.m. Broadwater's career-best mark bettered that of the 400m hurdle SEC Champion Tyler Brockington.
Nathan Strother won his 400m heat to advance to tomorrow's quarterfinals. Strother posted a time of 46.67 and finished eighth overall.
Senior Candice Butler was the first competitor of the meet for the Vols as she finished second in her flight of the hammer throw. Butler fought off pouring rain and recorded a mark of 56.94m (186-10) to take 18th place overall.
Cidae'a Woods just missed qualifying as she finished in 14th place with a mark of 6.23m (20-5.25) in the long jump. That was just one inch short of the final mark that qualified for the NCAA Championship.
The Vols continue the NCAA East Prelims tomorrow starting at 2 p.m. ET. Scarvelis and Tamia Crockett open the competition in the women's discus. The live stream begins at 5:30 p.m. when the running events start.
NCAA East Prelims Schedule & Results
Thursday's Schedule
Women's Competitors
100m First Round: 13. Shania Collins 11.42 (+0.3)
400m First Round: 46. Layla White, 55.50
10,000m Semifianls: 4. Chelsea Blaase, 33:45.78
400m Hurdles First Round: 12. Brooklynn Broadwater, 59.12
Long Jump: 14. Cidae'a Woods, 6.23m (20-5.25)
Hammer Throw: 7. Stamatia Scarvelis, 60.48m (198-5); 18. Candice Butler, 56.94m (186-9)
Men's Competitors
100m First Round: 1. Christian Coleman, 9.96 (+1.7); 26. Mustaqeem Williams, 10.42 (-0.3)
400m First Round: 8. Nathan Strother, 46.67; 45. Ari Cogdell, 48.89
Hammer: 7. Seth Whitener, 68.59m (225-0); 12. Cameron Brown, 66.66m (218-8)
Friday's Schedule
Women's Competitors
100m Quarterfinals: Shania Collins
200m First Round: Shania Collins, Lenysse Dyer
400m Hurdles Quarterfinals: Brooklynn Broadwater
Discus: Stamatia Scarvelis, Tamia Crockett
Men's Competitors
100m Quarterfinals: Christian Coleman, Mustaqeem Williams
200m First Round: Christian Coleman
400m Quarterfinals: Nathan Strother
Pole Vault: Tristan Slater
Saturday's Schedule
Women's Competitors
200m Quarterfinals: Shania Collins, Lenysse Dyer
4x100m Relay: Tennessee
4x400m Relay: Tennessee
Triple Jump: LaChyna Roe
Shot Put: Cassie Wertman, Stamatia Scarvelis, Tamia Crockett
Men's Competitors
200m Quarterfinals: Christian Coleman, Mustaqeem Williams
5000m Semifinals: Zach Long
4x100m Relay: Tennessee
4x400m Relay: Tennessee
High Jump: Darryl Sullivan
Discus: Matthew Zajac
Players Mentioned
