University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
NCAA Indoor Championships
Vols Claim Third-Place Finish at NCAA Indoor Track & Field National Championships
March 13, 2022 | Track & Field
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Tennessee men's track & field squad wrapped up the 2022 NCAA Indoor National Championships Saturday at the Birmingham CrossPlex with a third-place team finish. It is the highest NCAA finish for the Vols since placing third at the 2016 indoor national meet – which also took place at the Birmingham CrossPlex.
"It was a historic weekend for the Vols," director of track & field/cross country Beth Alford-Sullivan said. "It is the second time in Birmingham that we've been able to pull off a third-place finish. I am very proud of my staff, my coaches and everybody that supports this team and pushes us forward every single day. I am extremely proud of this team and the way they competed all weekend. Everybody here represented the entire program back home and that just speaks volumes about the competitive nature and the pride and purpose that this group of young people competes with each and every day."
On the women's side, Latavia Maines and Charisma Taylor led the Lady Vols Saturday as they finished third in the women's shot put and women's triple jump, respectively. Their 12 combined points helped propel the women to a 16th-place finish. It is the women's best finish at NCAAs since placing seventh in 2016.
"We had had some seasoned athletes competing on our women's team and had some big battles," Alford-Sullivan said, "We saw Charisma's monster final attempt to move up two spots to earn the bronze medal today and be the best that she's been all year. Latavia, in the shot put, competed well and came away with some crucial points, and showed our team's competitive spirit. That comes from having a strong environment and I'm proud of the culture we've built. I'm proud of these teams."
For the meet, Tennessee totaled 11 All-America honors on the men's side, while the women came away with five All-America certificates throughout the weekend.
ASHE CAPTURES THIRD IN MEN'S 60m
Freshman Favour Ashe capped his first indoor season with a bronze medal run in the men's 60-meter dash. Ashe threw down a time of 6.55 seconds en route to his third-place finish. The Ughelli, Nigeria, native captured first-team All-America honors with his placement.
TAYLOR PBs FOR BRONZE
In her third event of the weekend, Charisma Taylor leaped onto the podium in the women's triple jump. The graduate student went a personal-best 13.96m (45-9.75) on her final jump to earn a bronze medal. The distance improves her school-record mark.
Taylor also picked up first-team All-America accolades with the finish.
MAIN(ES) EVENT
Latavia Maines secured Division I first-team All-America honors in the women's indoor shot put for the the first time in her career after placing third in the shot put Saturday night. Maines tossed the shot put 17.75m (58-3) on her third attempt in the event.
ALL-AMERICANS
Jordan West finished on the podium in the men's shot put, placing sixth with a throw of 20.05m (65-9.5). West's throw is his second over 20-meters in Orange & White and earns West his fourth All-America honor.
The men's 4x400-meter crew of Jakwan Hale, Christopher Bailey, Rasheeme Griffith and Emmanuel Bynum capped the weekend for the Vols as they posted a fifth-place finish in 3:05.89. The foursome's four points pushed the Vols into their third-place finish.
All four members of the team earned first-team All-America honors.
Carey McLeod earned his seventh DI All-America certificate Saturday as he claimed second-team honors in the men's triple jump. The Kingston, Jamaica, native leaped 15.77m (51-9) on his third attempt of the day.
Yariel Soto brought home second-team All-America honors in the heptathlon as he placed ninth with 5,832 points. Soto set personal bests in six of the seven events on his way to a lifetime-best final score in the heptathlon.
The Hatillo, Puerto Rico, native is Tennessee's fourth-highest performer in the heptathlon in program history.
PR TRACKER
Yariel Soto – Heptathlon 60mH – 8.45
Yariel Soto – Heptathlon Pole Vault – 4.86m (15-11.25)
Yariel Soto – Heptathlon 1,000m – 2:38.02
Yariel Soto – Heptathlon – 5,832 – 4th in Tennessee History
Charisma Taylor – Women's Triple Jump – 13.96m (45-9.75) – School Record
UP NEXT
Tennessee opens its 2022 outdoor season at the Raleigh Relays, hosted by NC State on Thursday, March 24 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee track & field, follow @Vol_Track on Twitter and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
