University of Tennessee Athletics
Friday, January 14
Blacksburg, VA
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Virginia Tech
Tennessee Closes Out Virginia Tech Invite with Three Wins
January 15, 2022 | Track & Field
BLACKSBURG, Va. – Charisma Taylor won her second event title of the weekend Saturday at Rector Field House as Tennessee track & field closed out a successful opening weekend to the indoor season with three wins and seven top-3 placements on the meet's final day.
For the weekend, UT picked up seven event titles and posted 17 top-3 finishes.
"The season has started now and we are in motion," director of track & field and cross country Beth Alford-Sullivan said. "We shook off the rust this weekend and it was exciting to see how well prepared our young people were yesterday and today. I am very pleased with that and this was a very productive meet for us. Our energy was high both days and the team went out there and flat-out competed."
TAYLOR EARNS WIN NO. 2
Taylor made the most of her first weekend in Orange & White as the Nassau, Bahamas, native won her second event title Saturday afternoon in the women's long jump. The graduate senior leapt 6.25m (20-6.25) for the victory and tied Menka Scott on the indoor list for sixth all-time in Lady Vol history.
She began her successful weekend with a win on Friday night in the 60-meter hurdles at 8.11. That time is tied with Domonique Turner for third-fastest in program history in the event.
"Charisma is someone that just makes you better, makes our program better," Alford-Sullivan said. "It was great to see her in the uniform for the first time and put together two really good PBs and wins in events that are not even her primary event. She is an outstanding triple jumper and we are excited to see her continue to grow and develop as the year rolls along."
MEN'S DMR RUNS SUB-10 MINUTES TO BEGIN SEASON
Tennessee's distance medley relay foursome of Will Mazur, Blake Ewaskey, Tim Thacker and Riley Buchholz ran sub-10 minutes in its first outing of the season. The quartet won the event with a time of 9:59.25.
Mazur got rolling on the first leg with a 1,200 split of 3:00.01 and was followed by Ewaskey running the 400 leg in 49.84. Thacker ran the 800 split in 1:52.91, with Buchholz running the 1,600 anchor leg in 4:16.51.
"We had three great legs that had the lead the whole way," Alford-Sullivan said. "Riley Buchholz was the anchor and had the lead and then fell away and then came back on the last lap. He ran those guys down for the win. Like we talked about before the weekend started, we just wanted the team to compete and that's what Riley did. "
FRESHMAN MIA O'NEIL PICKS UP FIRST COLLEGIATE WIN
Tennessee freshman Mia O'Neil picked up her first collegiate event win Saturday as she crossed the line in the women's 200m in 24.57. With O'Neil's victory, UT saw three of its newest Lady Vols take home event titles from the Virginia Tech Invitational.
O'Neil joins Taylor and fellow freshman Sara Borton as the trio of Lady Vols to earn wins during their debut weekend.
"Mia is another example of our athletes competing hard this weekend and not really worrying about what the result might be, but just going after it with everything they've got," Alford-Sullivan said. "Coach (David) Neville has felt that she would be very good in the 200 this indoor season and that was a great way to start it off."
PR TRACKER
Charisma Taylor – Women's Long Jump – 6.25m (20-6.25)
Jalen Tate – Men's Long – 7.79m (25-6.75)
Peyton Davis – Men's Long Jump – 6.99m (22-11.25)
Top-3 Finishes
Charisma Taylor – Women's Long Jump – 1st
Mazur, Ewaskey, Thacker, Buchholz – Men's DMR – 1st
Mia O'Neil – Women's 200m – 1st
Griffith, Kay, Helmlinger, Hoots – Men's 4x400m relay – 2nd
Jalen Tate – Men's Long Jump – 2nd
Caroline Lewis – Women's High Jump – 3rd
Prom'Myse Hoosier – Women's Long Jump – 3rd
UP NEXT
The Vols and Lady Vols will return to Blacksburg next weekend as they compete in the Hokie Invite, running Friday and Saturday, January 21-22.
For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee track & field, follow @Vol_Track on Twitter and Instagram.
For the weekend, UT picked up seven event titles and posted 17 top-3 finishes.
"The season has started now and we are in motion," director of track & field and cross country Beth Alford-Sullivan said. "We shook off the rust this weekend and it was exciting to see how well prepared our young people were yesterday and today. I am very pleased with that and this was a very productive meet for us. Our energy was high both days and the team went out there and flat-out competed."
TAYLOR EARNS WIN NO. 2
Taylor made the most of her first weekend in Orange & White as the Nassau, Bahamas, native won her second event title Saturday afternoon in the women's long jump. The graduate senior leapt 6.25m (20-6.25) for the victory and tied Menka Scott on the indoor list for sixth all-time in Lady Vol history.
She began her successful weekend with a win on Friday night in the 60-meter hurdles at 8.11. That time is tied with Domonique Turner for third-fastest in program history in the event.
"Charisma is someone that just makes you better, makes our program better," Alford-Sullivan said. "It was great to see her in the uniform for the first time and put together two really good PBs and wins in events that are not even her primary event. She is an outstanding triple jumper and we are excited to see her continue to grow and develop as the year rolls along."
MEN'S DMR RUNS SUB-10 MINUTES TO BEGIN SEASON
Tennessee's distance medley relay foursome of Will Mazur, Blake Ewaskey, Tim Thacker and Riley Buchholz ran sub-10 minutes in its first outing of the season. The quartet won the event with a time of 9:59.25.
Mazur got rolling on the first leg with a 1,200 split of 3:00.01 and was followed by Ewaskey running the 400 leg in 49.84. Thacker ran the 800 split in 1:52.91, with Buchholz running the 1,600 anchor leg in 4:16.51.
"We had three great legs that had the lead the whole way," Alford-Sullivan said. "Riley Buchholz was the anchor and had the lead and then fell away and then came back on the last lap. He ran those guys down for the win. Like we talked about before the weekend started, we just wanted the team to compete and that's what Riley did. "
FRESHMAN MIA O'NEIL PICKS UP FIRST COLLEGIATE WIN
Tennessee freshman Mia O'Neil picked up her first collegiate event win Saturday as she crossed the line in the women's 200m in 24.57. With O'Neil's victory, UT saw three of its newest Lady Vols take home event titles from the Virginia Tech Invitational.
O'Neil joins Taylor and fellow freshman Sara Borton as the trio of Lady Vols to earn wins during their debut weekend.
"Mia is another example of our athletes competing hard this weekend and not really worrying about what the result might be, but just going after it with everything they've got," Alford-Sullivan said. "Coach (David) Neville has felt that she would be very good in the 200 this indoor season and that was a great way to start it off."
PR TRACKER
Charisma Taylor – Women's Long Jump – 6.25m (20-6.25)
Jalen Tate – Men's Long – 7.79m (25-6.75)
Peyton Davis – Men's Long Jump – 6.99m (22-11.25)
Top-3 Finishes
Charisma Taylor – Women's Long Jump – 1st
Mazur, Ewaskey, Thacker, Buchholz – Men's DMR – 1st
Mia O'Neil – Women's 200m – 1st
Griffith, Kay, Helmlinger, Hoots – Men's 4x400m relay – 2nd
Jalen Tate – Men's Long Jump – 2nd
Caroline Lewis – Women's High Jump – 3rd
Prom'Myse Hoosier – Women's Long Jump – 3rd
UP NEXT
The Vols and Lady Vols will return to Blacksburg next weekend as they compete in the Hokie Invite, running Friday and Saturday, January 21-22.
For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee track & field, follow @Vol_Track on Twitter and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
Pole Vault
/ Track & Field
XC/Distance
/ Track & Field
Multis
/ Track & Field
Mid-Distance
/ Track & Field
Jumps/Sprints
/ Track & Field
Multis/Jumps
/ Track & Field
XC/Middle Distance
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Jumps
/ Track & Field
Triple Jump/Hurdles
/ Track & Field
XC/Distance
/ Track & Field
Jumps/Hurdles
/ Track & FieldEverything Orange S2 | Sarah Schmitt (Track & Field)
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