University of Tennessee Athletics
Coleman, Davis-White Fly To Nation's Top 60m Times
January 15, 2016 | Track & Field
BLACKSBURG, Va. -- Tennessee enjoyed a strong start to the weekend with six first-place showings on Friday at the Virginia Tech Invitational.
The UT men's and women's teams each posted three first-place finishes.
Christian Coleman and Kali Davis-White put up big-time marks in their respective 60-meter finals. Coleman, the reigning SEC Men's Runner of the Week, ran the fastest 60-meter time in the nation this season at 6.56, setting a new personal best. Davis White clocked a PR 7.28 60-meter time, tying Kentucky's Javianne Oliver for the fastest time in the nation this year.
Ari Cogdell ran a PR 1:02.97 in the 500 meters and Ocean Walters-Carlson cleared 4.75 meters (15-7.00) in the pole vault to post two more wins for the Tennessee men.
Reigning SEC Women's Runner of the Week Felicia Brown won the women's 300m with a time of 37.22. Cidae'a Woods took the long jump at the Virginia Tech Invitational, leaping 6.03 meters (19-9.50).
VFL Ellen Wortham, competing unattached, was second in the women's long jump at 5.95 meters (19-6.25).
Also on Friday night, Tennessee volunteer assistant coach Russ Johnson was awarded the 2015 University Division Coach of the Year at the National Pole Vault Summit in Reno, Nev. Johnson mentored All-American Jake Blankenship to new heights last season as Blankenship was the national runner-up at the 2015 NCAA Indoor Championships and placed sixth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Blankenship enjoyed an outstanding summer competing for Team USA. He earned bronze at the USATF Championships with a final clearance of 5.60 meters (18 feet, 4.25 inches). Blankenship took bronze at the Pan American Games by clearing a height of 5.40 meters (17 feet, 8.5 inches) and also competed at the World Championships in China.
The action continues tomorrow at the Virginia Tech Invitational with Tennessee's 200-meter sprinters, relay squads, high jumpers and women's pole vaulters. UT's throwers and distance runners will compete on Saturday as well at the Commodore Invitational in Nashville.
Tennessee Men - Virginia Tech Invitational
60m: 1. Christian Coleman, 6.56!; 6. Malik Elion, 6.87!; 25. Darryl Harris, 7.28!
500m: 1. Ari Cogdell, 1:02.97!; 17. Jalen Hunter, 1:07.31!
Long Jump: 10. Darryl Harris, 6.73m (22-1.00)
Pole Vault: 1. Ocean Walters-Carlson, 4.75m (15-7.00); Nate Harper, nh
Tennessee Women - Virginia Tech Invitational
60m: 1. Kali Davis-White, 7.28!; 3. DeAndra Greer, 7.52; 7. Maia McCoy, 7.59
300m: 1. Felicia Brown, 37.22; 4. Layla White, 38.52!; 5. Lenysse Dyer, 39.15
500m: 8. London Freeland, 1:16.53
Long Jump: 1. Cidae'a Woods, 6.03m (19-9.50); 5. Chyna Ries, 5.75m (18-10.5)
Tennessee Women - Commodore Invitational
Weight Throw: 24. Savannah Marlow,15.37m
! - Personal Best, $ - SEC Record, a - American Record, b - Banked Track, c - Collegiate Record, adv. - Advanced, dna - Did Not Advance, dnf - Did Not Finish, dnr - Did Not Run, dns - Did Not Score, dq - Disqualified, F - Foul, f - Facility Record, fr - Freshman Record, fr* - Tied Freshman Record, fs - False Start, H - Heptathlon, h - Hand-Timed, mr - Meet Record, nh - No Height, nm - No Mark, P - Pentathlon, sr - School Record, u - Undersized Track, w - wind-aided, wr - World Record
