University of Tennessee Athletics
Photo by: Maury Neipris/Tennessee Athletics
Jefcoat Breaks Program Record At Doc Hale Elite Meet
February 06, 2021 | Track & Field
BLACKSBURG, Va. — Tennessee senior Hannah Jefcoat broke her own all-time Lady Vol record in the pole vault Saturday afternoon, clearing a personal-best height of 4.34 meters (14-2.75) at Virginia Tech's Doc Hale Elite Meet.
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Jefcoat's performance put her in a solid position to qualify for the 2021 NCAA Indoor National Championships, as her jump currently ranks No. 6 in the NCAA this season. The Dacula, Georgia, native also now ranks third in the Southeastern Conference.
"No one has worked as hard as Hannah has," head coach Beth Alford-Sullivan said after the meet. "She's been putting it together year-after-year, so this result today was really rewarding. In addition to refreshing the live results, I was getting live texts from coach [Ryan Foster], so it was pretty fun. I was very excited that she got over the 4.24 bar, and to hit that 4.34 on her last attempt, it was just fun to see."
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UNIVERSITY OF TRIPLE JUMP: Tennessee went 1-2 in the men's triple jump competition on Saturday, with Jalen Tate taking home his second-straight victory at the Virginia Tech Rector Field House. The senior from Clarksville leaped a mark of 16.26 meters (53-4.25) for the win.
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"It was the second time Jalen has jumped this season, and he was pretty much right where he left off," Sullivan said. "He looked good, won the event, and it was just great to see him punching out some great marks when he takes the runway. He'll be ready at the conference meet."
Vol junior Carey McLeod posted a season-best for second place at the meet, as the Kingston, Jamaica, native recorded a triple jump of 16.18 meters (53-1). His performance currently ranks No. 7 in the NCAA and No. 3 in the SEC for the 2020-21 indoor campaign.
"Carey opened up last week, came back and just kind of topped off that triple jump - getting into the top-10 in the country and being secure in that going forward," Sullivan said. "We'll put those two guys on ice the next couple weeks and open them back up at SECs."
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On the women's side, true freshman Mikele Vickers had a new PR to place fifth for the Lady Vols. The Nashville native surpassed 40 feet in the triple jump for the first time in her career, logging a mark of 12.21 meters (40-0.75).
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SWEEPING THE 4x400: The Big Orange put up a pair of season-best times in the men's and women's 4x400-meter relay, earning victories in both events at the Doc Hale Elite Meet. Coincidentally, both squads' performances currently rank No. 16 in the NCAA this season.
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The Tennessee men's team of Sebastian Cooper (48.06), Christopher Bailey (46.04), Emmanuel Bynum (48.75) and Jonathan Sacoor (46.85) came together for a time of 3:09.66. Bailey was making his first appearance on the track for UT since the 2020 SEC Indoor Championships, when he helped the Vols place 6th in the men's 4x400.
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The Lady Vols completed the sweep for Tennessee, turning in a season-best time of 3:38.29 from Britton Wilson (54.30), Joella Lloyd (55.80), Vanessa Watson (53.83) and Martina Weil (54.37).
"That's an important piece of the puzzle for me," Sullivan said. "As a head coach, I've always wanted to have strong 4x4s. This season is so short, and you have very few chances to get out there and put it together - know your order, anchor and leadoff legs and things like that. The squad was a little bit rusty yesterday in the open quarters, but they came back today on a mission. They weren't going to be denied on either one of the relays, so very proud of that.
"It's hard to hang in there after two hard days of competition, and they came out fighting. I was really proud of the number of wins Tennessee was able to pull together this weekend, but especially those two at the end of the meet."
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TWO LADY VOLS IN THE TOP-5: In the women's 200m, UT had a couple of sophomores place in the top five on Saturday afternoon. Antigua and Barbuda native Joella Lloyd finished third in 24.34, while Britton Wilson made her collegiate debut in the event with a time of 24.37 for fourth place at the meet.
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PR TRACKER: Tennessee athletes combined for four indoor personal records Saturday at the Doc Hale Elite Meet.
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For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee track & field, follow @Vol_Track on Twitter.
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Jefcoat's performance put her in a solid position to qualify for the 2021 NCAA Indoor National Championships, as her jump currently ranks No. 6 in the NCAA this season. The Dacula, Georgia, native also now ranks third in the Southeastern Conference.
"No one has worked as hard as Hannah has," head coach Beth Alford-Sullivan said after the meet. "She's been putting it together year-after-year, so this result today was really rewarding. In addition to refreshing the live results, I was getting live texts from coach [Ryan Foster], so it was pretty fun. I was very excited that she got over the 4.24 bar, and to hit that 4.34 on her last attempt, it was just fun to see."
Â
UNIVERSITY OF TRIPLE JUMP: Tennessee went 1-2 in the men's triple jump competition on Saturday, with Jalen Tate taking home his second-straight victory at the Virginia Tech Rector Field House. The senior from Clarksville leaped a mark of 16.26 meters (53-4.25) for the win.
Â
"It was the second time Jalen has jumped this season, and he was pretty much right where he left off," Sullivan said. "He looked good, won the event, and it was just great to see him punching out some great marks when he takes the runway. He'll be ready at the conference meet."
Vol junior Carey McLeod posted a season-best for second place at the meet, as the Kingston, Jamaica, native recorded a triple jump of 16.18 meters (53-1). His performance currently ranks No. 7 in the NCAA and No. 3 in the SEC for the 2020-21 indoor campaign.
"Carey opened up last week, came back and just kind of topped off that triple jump - getting into the top-10 in the country and being secure in that going forward," Sullivan said. "We'll put those two guys on ice the next couple weeks and open them back up at SECs."
 Â
On the women's side, true freshman Mikele Vickers had a new PR to place fifth for the Lady Vols. The Nashville native surpassed 40 feet in the triple jump for the first time in her career, logging a mark of 12.21 meters (40-0.75).
Â
SWEEPING THE 4x400: The Big Orange put up a pair of season-best times in the men's and women's 4x400-meter relay, earning victories in both events at the Doc Hale Elite Meet. Coincidentally, both squads' performances currently rank No. 16 in the NCAA this season.
Â
The Tennessee men's team of Sebastian Cooper (48.06), Christopher Bailey (46.04), Emmanuel Bynum (48.75) and Jonathan Sacoor (46.85) came together for a time of 3:09.66. Bailey was making his first appearance on the track for UT since the 2020 SEC Indoor Championships, when he helped the Vols place 6th in the men's 4x400.
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The Lady Vols completed the sweep for Tennessee, turning in a season-best time of 3:38.29 from Britton Wilson (54.30), Joella Lloyd (55.80), Vanessa Watson (53.83) and Martina Weil (54.37).
"That's an important piece of the puzzle for me," Sullivan said. "As a head coach, I've always wanted to have strong 4x4s. This season is so short, and you have very few chances to get out there and put it together - know your order, anchor and leadoff legs and things like that. The squad was a little bit rusty yesterday in the open quarters, but they came back today on a mission. They weren't going to be denied on either one of the relays, so very proud of that.
"It's hard to hang in there after two hard days of competition, and they came out fighting. I was really proud of the number of wins Tennessee was able to pull together this weekend, but especially those two at the end of the meet."
 Â
TWO LADY VOLS IN THE TOP-5: In the women's 200m, UT had a couple of sophomores place in the top five on Saturday afternoon. Antigua and Barbuda native Joella Lloyd finished third in 24.34, while Britton Wilson made her collegiate debut in the event with a time of 24.37 for fourth place at the meet.
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PR TRACKER: Tennessee athletes combined for four indoor personal records Saturday at the Doc Hale Elite Meet.
- Britton Wilson - Women's 200m - 24.37
- Hannah Jefcoat - Women's Pole Vault - 4.34m / 14-2.75
- Mikele Vickers - Women's Triple Jump - 12.21m / 40-0.75
- Will Mazur - Men's Mile - 4:16.61
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For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee track & field, follow @Vol_Track on Twitter.
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