Track Central: Virginia Challenge / USC Open

KNOXVILE, Tenn. — The Tennessee track & field program will split up this weekend, sending 15 squad members to Charlottesville, Virginia, for the Virginia Challenge (Friday and Saturday, April 16-17) while 26 Vols and Lady Vols head to Columbia, South Carolina, for the USC Open (Saturday, April 17).

UT's group traveling to UVA consists of distance runners, vaulters and throwers, while the Big Orange contingent traveling to South Carolina includes sprinters, hurdlers and mid-distance specialists. The weekend's action begins Friday in Charlottesville at 11 a.m. with the women's hammer throw and concludes Saturday in Columbia at 6:25 p.m. with the men's 4x400-meter relay.

Live results from the Virginia Challenge will be provided by Flash Results, Inc. USC Open live results will be available through AdkinsTrak Timing Associates.

LAST TIME OUT: The Big Orange hosted the 53rd Tennessee Relays last week, totaling 13 event victories, 29 top-three finishes and 32 outdoor personal records over the three-day course of competition. Highlights included school records in both shot put events for Latavia Maines and Jordan West, in addition to high jumper Darryl Sullivan setting an NCAA DI-leading mark in his season debut.

VOLS IN THE POLLS: In the most recent installment of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) outdoor track & field rating index, Tennessee was tabbed No. 10 on the men's side while the Lady Vols were just outside the top-25 at No. 29 in the country.

NCAA TOP-25 MARKS: Through the first month of outdoor season, the Vols and Lady Vol have combined for 16 marks that rank inside the top-25 on the NCAA Division I leaderboard.

Maia McCoy - Women's 100m - 11.23 (No. 9 NCAA)
Christopher Bailey - Men's 400m - 45.25 (No. 6 NCAA)
Emmanuel Bynum - Men's 400m - 45.96 (No. 18 NCAA)
Alex Kay - Men's 800m - 1:48.75 (No. 22 NCAA)
Katie Thronson - Women's 5,000m - 15:54.60 (No. 18 NCAA)
Rasheeme Griffith - Men's 400m Hurdles - 50.56 (No. 12 NCAA)
Vanessa Watson - Women's 400m Hurdles - 57.88 (No. 14 NCAA)
Chambers, Lloyd, Cameron, McCoy - Women's 4x100m Relay - 44.26 (No. 13 NCAA)
Cooper, Bailey, Bynum, Sacoor - Men's 4x400m Relay - 3:06.64 (No. 20 NCAA)
Darryl Sullivan - Men's High Jump - 2.26m / 7-5 (No. 1 NCAA)
Carey McLeod - Men's Triple Jump - 16.08m / 52-9.25 (No. 11 NCAA)
Jalen Tate - Men's Triple Jump - 16.01m / 52-6.5 (No. 15 NCAA)
Jordan West - Men's Shot Put - 19.85m / 65-1.5 (No. 4 NCAA)
Joseph Maxwell - Men's Shot Put - 18.80m / 61-8.25 (No. 24 NCAA)
Latavia Maines - Women's Shot Put - 17.96m / 58-11.25 (No. 2 NCAA)
Yariel Soto - Men's Decathlon - 7,363 points (No. 11 NCAA)

UP NEXT: Tennessee will travel north of the border next weekend, competing in Louisville, Kentucky, at the Clark Wood Open. The meet is set for Friday and Saturday, April 23-24 at the Owsley B. Frazier Cardinal Park.

For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee track & field, follow @Vol_Track on Twitter and Instagram.

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Players Mentioned

Christopher Bailey

Emmanuel Bynum

Rasheeme Griffith

Alex Kay

Latavia Maines

Joseph Maxwell

Maia McCoy

Carey McLeod

Yariel Soto

Darryl Sullivan

Jalen Tate

Katie Thronson

Vanessa Watson

Jordan West

University of Tennessee Athletics