University of Tennessee Athletics
McLeod, West Claim First Team All-America Honors Friday
March 12, 2021 | Track & Field
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Tennessee track & field standouts Carey McLeod and Jordan West each earned First Team All-America acclaim with top-8 finishes in their NCAA Indoor Championship debuts, as UT began competition at the national meet Friday inside the Randal Tyson Track Center. McLeod placed third in the men's long jump, while West turned in a sixth-place performance in the men's shot put.
Â
A junior from Kingston, Jamaica, McLeod logged a personal-best leap of 8.26 meters (27-1.25) to score six points for the Vols at the national meet. The mark improved his own school record from two weeks ago at the SEC Championships by one centimeter and currently ranks McLeod as the No. 5 long jumper in the world during the 2020-21 indoor campaign.
Â
McLeod's third-place result in the long jump was the best for UT at the NCAA Indoor Championships since 1995, when VFL Darius Pemberton had a runner-up finish with his 7.75-meter (25-5.5) jump.
Â
West got the day started for UT in the men's shot put, heaving a throw of 19.66 meters (64-6) on his sixth attempt. The redshirt junior from Rahway, New Jersey, is the first Vol to score in the event at the indoor national meet since 2012, and his sixth-place outing is the highest indoor shot put finish for UT since Aaron Ausmus won the title in 1997.
Â
With the duo combining for nine points on Friday, the Vols are currently tied for 11th place in the national meet team standings.
Â
SECOND-TEAM HONORS: Tennessee saw a pair of Second Team All-America performances on Friday from women's shot putter Latavia Maines and the men's distance medley relay team of Alex Kay, Jonathan Sacoor, Joe Hoots and Alex Crigger.
Â
Making her NCAA Indoor Championship debut exactly one year after the cancellation of last year's indoor national meet, Maines placed 12th in the shot put with a throw of 16.28 meters (53-5). The senior from Centralia, Illinois, is the first to earn back-to-back All-America honors in the indoor shot put since Cassie Wertman did so in 2015 and 2016.
Â
The Tennessee men's DMR placed 11th on Friday, clocking in at 9:41.98 over the 4,000-meter event. Kay completed the 1,200-meter leg in 2:59.05 and handed off to Sacoor who split a 400-meter of 46.38 in his first collegiate distance medley. Hoots went 1:51.76 on the 800-meter portion of the race before Crigger anchored the squad in 4:04.81 over the final 1,600 meters.
​The group was Tennessee's first men's DMR squad to be named All-America since 2000.
Â
LLOYD ADVANCES TO FINAL: Reigning SEC 60-meter dash champion Joella Lloyd made her indoor nationals debut Friday night, clocking in at 7.17 to advance to Saturday's final. Her time was good for fifth place in prelims.
Â
Lloyd is the first Lady Vol to qualify for a 60-meter final at the NCAA Indoor Championships since Courtney Champion in 2008. Lloyd and Champion share the Tennessee school record in the event at 7.15 seconds.
Â
UP NEXT: Tennessee will wrap up the indoor season Saturday, competing in the men's triple jump, men's 4x400-meter relay, women's 60-meter dash and women's 4x400-meter relay. Action from Fayetteville begins at 2 p.m. ET inside the Randal Tyson Track Center.
Â
A chronological listing of UT's results from Friday can be viewed below, with full meet results available at this link. For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee track & field, follow @Vol_Track on Twitter and Instagram.
Women's Shot Put - Latavia Maines - 12. 16.28m (53-5)
Men's Shot Put - Jordan West - 6. 19.66m (64-6)
Men's Long Jump - Carey McLeod - 3. 8.26m (27-1.25)
Men's DMR - Alex Kay, Jonathan Sacoor, Joe Hoots, Alex Crigger - 11. 9:41.98
Women's Pole Vault - Hannah Jefcoat - NH
Women's 60m Dash Prelims - Joella Lloyd - 5. 7.17
Â
A junior from Kingston, Jamaica, McLeod logged a personal-best leap of 8.26 meters (27-1.25) to score six points for the Vols at the national meet. The mark improved his own school record from two weeks ago at the SEC Championships by one centimeter and currently ranks McLeod as the No. 5 long jumper in the world during the 2020-21 indoor campaign.
Â
McLeod's third-place result in the long jump was the best for UT at the NCAA Indoor Championships since 1995, when VFL Darius Pemberton had a runner-up finish with his 7.75-meter (25-5.5) jump.
Â
West got the day started for UT in the men's shot put, heaving a throw of 19.66 meters (64-6) on his sixth attempt. The redshirt junior from Rahway, New Jersey, is the first Vol to score in the event at the indoor national meet since 2012, and his sixth-place outing is the highest indoor shot put finish for UT since Aaron Ausmus won the title in 1997.
Â
With the duo combining for nine points on Friday, the Vols are currently tied for 11th place in the national meet team standings.
Â
SECOND-TEAM HONORS: Tennessee saw a pair of Second Team All-America performances on Friday from women's shot putter Latavia Maines and the men's distance medley relay team of Alex Kay, Jonathan Sacoor, Joe Hoots and Alex Crigger.
Â
Making her NCAA Indoor Championship debut exactly one year after the cancellation of last year's indoor national meet, Maines placed 12th in the shot put with a throw of 16.28 meters (53-5). The senior from Centralia, Illinois, is the first to earn back-to-back All-America honors in the indoor shot put since Cassie Wertman did so in 2015 and 2016.
Â
The Tennessee men's DMR placed 11th on Friday, clocking in at 9:41.98 over the 4,000-meter event. Kay completed the 1,200-meter leg in 2:59.05 and handed off to Sacoor who split a 400-meter of 46.38 in his first collegiate distance medley. Hoots went 1:51.76 on the 800-meter portion of the race before Crigger anchored the squad in 4:04.81 over the final 1,600 meters.
​The group was Tennessee's first men's DMR squad to be named All-America since 2000.
Â
LLOYD ADVANCES TO FINAL: Reigning SEC 60-meter dash champion Joella Lloyd made her indoor nationals debut Friday night, clocking in at 7.17 to advance to Saturday's final. Her time was good for fifth place in prelims.
Â
Lloyd is the first Lady Vol to qualify for a 60-meter final at the NCAA Indoor Championships since Courtney Champion in 2008. Lloyd and Champion share the Tennessee school record in the event at 7.15 seconds.
Â
UP NEXT: Tennessee will wrap up the indoor season Saturday, competing in the men's triple jump, men's 4x400-meter relay, women's 60-meter dash and women's 4x400-meter relay. Action from Fayetteville begins at 2 p.m. ET inside the Randal Tyson Track Center.
Â
A chronological listing of UT's results from Friday can be viewed below, with full meet results available at this link. For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee track & field, follow @Vol_Track on Twitter and Instagram.
Women's Shot Put - Latavia Maines - 12. 16.28m (53-5)
Men's Shot Put - Jordan West - 6. 19.66m (64-6)
Men's Long Jump - Carey McLeod - 3. 8.26m (27-1.25)
Men's DMR - Alex Kay, Jonathan Sacoor, Joe Hoots, Alex Crigger - 11. 9:41.98
Women's Pole Vault - Hannah Jefcoat - NH
Women's 60m Dash Prelims - Joella Lloyd - 5. 7.17
Players Mentioned
XC/Distance
/ Track & Field
XC/Distance
/ Track & Field
Pole Vault
/ Track & Field
XC/Middle Distance
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Throws
/ Track & Field
Jumps
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Throws
/ Track & FieldEverything Orange S2 | Sarah Schmitt (Track & Field)
Thursday, April 17
Track & Field | 400m Hurdles Feature
Wednesday, May 22
Track & Field | Tennessee Invite Recap
Wednesday, April 10
Track & Field | Battle on the Bayou Recap
Saturday, March 30
