Triple Jumpers Shine on Day One of Hokie Invite

January 18, 2019 | Track & Field

BLACKSBURG, Va -- Tennessee triple jumpers LaChyna Roe, Alonie Sutton and Jalen Tate made some history Friday night as the Vols competed at the Hokie Invitational inside the Rector Field House. The trio highlighted 15 podium finishes and 17 personal records for the Big Orange contingent in Blacksburg.

Roe marked her name in the Tennessee record books with a 13.28m (43-7) performance in the triple jump, breaking the all-time program record indoors that was set by Sutton earlier this season. Roe's leap earned first place at the meet, added a foot to her PR and currently stands as the No. 2 mark in the NCAA this season.

Sutton followed closely behind with a triple jump of 13.15m (43-1.75) for a new personal-best indoors, breaking her own all-time UT freshman record in the process. The mark ranks fourth on the 2019 NCAA Qualifying List as of Jan. 18.

Tate became the NCAA leader in the men's triple jump with a new personal-best of 16.08m (52-9.25) on his first attempt of the meet. The mark ranks 5^th in Tennessee history and is the furthest triple jump indoors by a UT athlete since 1987 (John Tillman, 16.76m / 55-0).

SPRINTS CROWD PODIUM: Five UT sprinters finished in the top-3 of their respective events, headlined by Mustaqeem Williams' win in the men's 60m final. The Woodbridge, Va. native clocked a personal-best time of 6.61 and moved up Tennessee's all-time top-10 to No. 5. His mark currently sits fifth in the NCAA in 2019.

Alexis Duncan shattered her personal record in the women's 60m hurdle finals, taking silver with a time of 8.19. That mark also ranks fifth on the 2019 NCAA Indoor Qualifying List and bumps Duncan up to No. 4 on UT's all-time top-10.

Senior captain Maia McCoy claimed a podium finish for the second meet in a row, finishing second in the women's 60m dash final in 7.44. Fellow team captain Lenysse Dyer also earned a second-place result with a mark of 38.59 in the women's 300m.

True freshman Nickson Pierre rounded out the podium finishes for the sprint squad in his collegiate 300m debut. The Nashville, Tenn. native clocked a 34.30 in the event - less than half a second off the Tennessee freshman record - to place third overall.

VAULTERS VAULT: Tennessee had a pair of pole vaulters competing in Friday's unseeded events, as sophomores Kim Spritzky and Jack Rhea each logged season-best marks and placed second in Blacksburg. Spritzky cleared 3.85m (12-7.5) on her second attempt for a new indoor PB, while Rhea towered over 4.60m (15-1) for his best performance in a Tennessee uniform.

DISTANCE PR'S PRODUCE RESULTS: UT picked up a pair of podium finishes in the men's and women's 3K behind personal-best performances from Megan Murray and Karl Thiessen. Murray, who entered the meet as the SEC 3K leader, improved upon her PR with a 9:51.32 clocking at Rector Field House. Thiessen followed with a bronze-medal outing, leading eight Vols in the men's 3K with an NCAA Indoor PR of 8:27.10.

Senior captain Zach Long competed as an individual for the first time this season in the mile, running a lifetime-best 4:05.98 to take fourth at Virginia Tech. His mark currently ranks inside the top-15 in the NCAA this season.

THROW BROS. PROGRESSING: UT throwers Seth Whitener and Georgios Korakidis competed alongside each other in the weight throw for the third-consecutive meet, each posting season-best marks at Virginia Tech. Whitener earned a third-place finish at 20.60m (67-7), while Korakidis placed fifth at 20.37m (66-10).

SCARVELIS STRIKES GOLD… AGAIN: Senior throwing standout and current UT record holder Stamatia Scarvelis earned another event victory in the weight throw - the seventh of her Tennessee career. The Santa Barbara, Calif. native heaved 21.70m to win easily, besting everyone in the field by more than eight feet.

Savannah Marlow claimed bronze in the event with a toss of 18.81m (61-8.5), six inches from a new personal-best.

#PRTracker: Tennessee athletes combined for a season-high 17 NCAA Indoor personal records on the first day of the Hokie Invitational.

Alexis Duncan - Women's 60m - 7.43
Mustaqeem Williams - Men's 60m - 6.61
Cameron Murray - Men's 60m - 6.93
Nickson Pierre - Men's 300m - 34.30
Trey Quealy - Men's 600m - 1:21.35
Joe Hoots - Men's 600m - 1:21.54
Zach Long - Men's Mile - 4:05.98
Megan Murray - Women's 3000m - 9:51.32
Karl Thiessen - Men's 3000m - 8:27.10
Alexis Duncan - Women's 60m Hurdles - 8.19
Kiara Rhodes - Women's 60m Hurdles - 8.47
Kim Spritzky - Women's Pole Vault - 3.85m (12-7.5)
Jalen Tate - Men's Triple Jump - 16.08m (52-9.25)
LaChyna Roe - Women's Triple Jump - 13.28m (43-7)
Alonie Sutton - Women's Triple Jump - 13.15m (43-1.75)
Tamia Crockett - Women's Weight Throw - 18.46m (60-6.75)
Georgios Korakidis - Men's Weight Throw - 20.37m (66-10)

Tennessee continues action at the Hokie Invitational Saturday morning, beginning at 11 a.m. with the women's pole vault and concluding at 3:45 p.m. with the men's 4x400m relay.

Full results from Friday can be found at this link. For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee track & field, follow @Vol_Track on Twitter.