University of Tennessee Athletics
Photo by: Cayce Smith/Tennessee Athletics
Burr Punches Ticket To Eugene, Eight Vols Advance To NCAA Quarterfinals
May 22, 2024 | Track & Field
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Day one of the 2024 NCAA Track & Field East Preliminary Rounds saw Tennessee post 11 qualifying performances on the men's side, including true freshman Kevin Burr Jr. booking his trip to the national championship in the javelin throw with a lifetime-best series for the Vols on Wednesday. Additionally, eight Tennessee sprinters and hurdlers advanced past the first rounds of their respective events into the NCAA quarterfinals, which will take place Friday at the University of Kentucky Track & Field Complex.
Burr led off the meet for Big Orange in historic fashion, taking down the 23-year-old UT freshman record in the javelin with a heave of 71.59 meters (234-6) on his second attempt of the afternoon, finishing sixth at the meet to secure his spot at the NCAA Championships coming up in two weeks at the University of Oregon. The mark was a personal-best for the Eastampton, New Jersey, native by nine-and-a-half feet and ranks him seventh on Tennessee's all-time list. Burr was the only freshman from the East or West region to qualify for the 2024 national meet, and he becomes the first Vol and the first Tennessee freshman since 2013 to qualify for NCAAs in the javelin – last accomplished by former Vol All-American Kyle Quinn 11 years ago.
The Volunteer sprinters and hurdlers showed out in their first-round prelims on Wednesday, with eight athletes securing 10 qualifying spots for Friday's quarterfinals. Tennessee's 10 entries advancing to the next stage tied Florida for the most of any school in the East Region on the men's side.
In the 100-meter dash, all three Volunteer speedsters secured automatic qualification to the quarterfinals with top-three finishes in their respective heats. Entering the event as the top seed in the country with his season-best of 9.94 seconds, sophomore T'Mars McCallum ran 10.27 on Wednesday into a -3.0 m/s headwind to win Heat 1. Rookie Davonte Howell and senior Javonte' Harding each took third in their heats with times of 10.34 (-1.0) and 10.44 (-2.5), respectively.
McCallum and Harding would both go on to qualify for the 200-meter quarterfinals as well, each placing second in their heats in the evening's penultimate event. Harding clocked in at 20.54 (-0.4), while McCallum turned in a time of 20.56 (-0.5).
Tennessee's quarter-miler duo also moved on to the 400-meter quarterfinals automatically. Fifth-year standout Emmanuel Bynum won his heat and placed eighth overall with a time of 45.91, while rookie Christian Parker was third in his heat and 17th in the field with a mark of 46.32.
The Volunteer 400-meter hurdles trio cruised to three separate heat victories to advance to the next stage for the Big Orange. Ja'Kwan Hale took third overall with a time of 50.39 and had teammate Rasheeme Griffith on his heels with a mark of 50.40 to finish fourth in the first round. Clement Ducos rounded out the Big Orange qualifiers with an easy heat win in 51.03 seconds, giving UT a chance for three bids to nationals in the event.
Wednesday's competition wrapped up with three Vols running the men's 10,000-meter. Graduate student Brandon Olden was UT's top finisher in the event, placing 28th in 30:09.77.
UP NEXT: The 10th-ranked Lady Vols will begin regional competition on Thursday, starting at noon with Sarah Schmitt contesting the women's pole vault. Day two of the four-day meet will wrap up with the women's 10,000-meter semifinal, scheduled for a 6:10 p.m. start in Lexington.
Burr led off the meet for Big Orange in historic fashion, taking down the 23-year-old UT freshman record in the javelin with a heave of 71.59 meters (234-6) on his second attempt of the afternoon, finishing sixth at the meet to secure his spot at the NCAA Championships coming up in two weeks at the University of Oregon. The mark was a personal-best for the Eastampton, New Jersey, native by nine-and-a-half feet and ranks him seventh on Tennessee's all-time list. Burr was the only freshman from the East or West region to qualify for the 2024 national meet, and he becomes the first Vol and the first Tennessee freshman since 2013 to qualify for NCAAs in the javelin – last accomplished by former Vol All-American Kyle Quinn 11 years ago.
The Volunteer sprinters and hurdlers showed out in their first-round prelims on Wednesday, with eight athletes securing 10 qualifying spots for Friday's quarterfinals. Tennessee's 10 entries advancing to the next stage tied Florida for the most of any school in the East Region on the men's side.
In the 100-meter dash, all three Volunteer speedsters secured automatic qualification to the quarterfinals with top-three finishes in their respective heats. Entering the event as the top seed in the country with his season-best of 9.94 seconds, sophomore T'Mars McCallum ran 10.27 on Wednesday into a -3.0 m/s headwind to win Heat 1. Rookie Davonte Howell and senior Javonte' Harding each took third in their heats with times of 10.34 (-1.0) and 10.44 (-2.5), respectively.
McCallum and Harding would both go on to qualify for the 200-meter quarterfinals as well, each placing second in their heats in the evening's penultimate event. Harding clocked in at 20.54 (-0.4), while McCallum turned in a time of 20.56 (-0.5).
Tennessee's quarter-miler duo also moved on to the 400-meter quarterfinals automatically. Fifth-year standout Emmanuel Bynum won his heat and placed eighth overall with a time of 45.91, while rookie Christian Parker was third in his heat and 17th in the field with a mark of 46.32.
The Volunteer 400-meter hurdles trio cruised to three separate heat victories to advance to the next stage for the Big Orange. Ja'Kwan Hale took third overall with a time of 50.39 and had teammate Rasheeme Griffith on his heels with a mark of 50.40 to finish fourth in the first round. Clement Ducos rounded out the Big Orange qualifiers with an easy heat win in 51.03 seconds, giving UT a chance for three bids to nationals in the event.
Wednesday's competition wrapped up with three Vols running the men's 10,000-meter. Graduate student Brandon Olden was UT's top finisher in the event, placing 28th in 30:09.77.
UP NEXT: The 10th-ranked Lady Vols will begin regional competition on Thursday, starting at noon with Sarah Schmitt contesting the women's pole vault. Day two of the four-day meet will wrap up with the women's 10,000-meter semifinal, scheduled for a 6:10 p.m. start in Lexington.
Players Mentioned
Throws
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Sprints/Hurdles
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Hurdles
/ Track & Field
Sprints/Hurdles
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Sprints
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Sprints
/ Track & Field
Sprints/Jumps
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Pole Vault
/ Track & FieldEverything Orange S2 | Sarah Schmitt (Track & Field)
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