University of Tennessee Athletics
SEC Indoor Championships Preview
February 25, 2016 | Track & Field
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- For the first time since 2008, Tennessee enters the SEC Indoor Track & Field Championships with both teams ranked nationally in the top 10.
Arkansas is hosting the 2016 SEC Indoor Track & Field Championships this Friday and Saturday at Randal Tyson Track Center. SEC Network + will air live coverage on Friday for 4:55 p.m. ET to 9:15 p.m. ET and on Saturday from 3:55 p.m. ET to 8:30 p.m. ET. ESPN will air a two-hour show on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET.
The Tennessee men are currently No. 4 in the latest USTFCCCA NCAA Division I National Team Computer Rankings and the UT women are No. 8.
Tennessee returns five of its six SEC medalists from the 2015 conference indoor championship. Cameron Brown is the defending SEC champion in the men's weight throw. Jake Blankenship placed second in the men's pole vault and Christian Coleman placed third in the men's 60 meters. Cassie Wertman took third in the women's shot put. Chelsea Blaase took third in the women's 3000 meters.
The Vols return to Fayetteville two weeks after an impressive showing in the Tyson Invitational. Coleman won the 60 meters and ran a PR 20.59 to win the 200 meters. Cameron Brown threw a season-best 75-0.00 (22.86m). Felicia Brown set a school record, winning the women's 200 meters in 22.81.
Below is an event-by-event preview of the events Tennessee is slated to compete in during the 2016 SEC Indoor Track & Field Championships:
Men's Events
60m: Six of the nation's top 10 men's 60-meter times this year are by SEC sprinters with Coleman's 6.54 from this month's Virginia Tech "Doc Hale" Elite Meet tying for the best mark in the country. Missouri's Markesh Woodson clocked the nation's fifth-fastest mark (6.59) at the Tyson Invitational two weeks ago. Arkansas' Jarrion Lawson (T-6th, 6.62), Florida's Arman Hall (T-8th, 6.63) and Arkansas' Kenzo Cotton (10th, 6.64) should make this a race to watch.
200m: Coleman's 20.59 from the Tyson Invitational ranks fifth nationally. At that meet he finished ahead of LSU's Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, who ranks second nationally with a 20.57 at the Conference Clash, and South Carolina's David Winters, Jr., whose 20.78 at Tyson places him at 10th in the country.
400m: Nathan Strother clocked a PR 46.25 at Tyson two weeks ago and ranks fourth nationally with that time. Ari Cogdell ranks 13th in the nation with a time of 47.18, which he also clocked at Tyson. Arkansas' Marqueeze Washington (45.72), LSU's Michael Cherry (45.78) and Alfred Larry (46.13) own the country's top three times. Texas A&M's Fred Kerley (8th, 46.48) and LSU's Cyril Grayson (10th, 46.51) add to a tough 400-meter field.
800m: Tennessee's Antonio Carter ran a season-best 1:52.78 at the Virginia Tech "Doc Hale" Elite Meet. He faces strong SEC competition in Texas A&M's Donovan Brazier (1st nationally, 1:45.93), Ole Miss' Ryan Manahan (8th, 1:47.37), Arkansas' Carlton orange (9th, 1:47.38) and Florida's Andres Arroyo (10th, 1:47.43)
Mile: UT's Tyler Woodrome and Zach Long are coming off of strong performances in the mile at the Husky Classic. Ole Miss owns six of the top eight marks in the SEC this season with Robert Domanic's 4:00.19 (32nd in the nation) leading the way.
3000m: Austin Whitelaw ran a career-best 8:04.51 at the Husky Classic two weeks ago. Jack Little ran a career-best 8:30.03 at last month's dual against Indiana. Like Woodrome and Long, Whitelaw and Little will go up against a slew of Ole Miss distance stars, led by Domanic, whose 7:54.58 ranks 21st in the nation.
4x400m: Much like the sprints, the men's 4x400 relay features some of the best quartets in the nation. Tennessee's top 4x400 time of 3:07.83 with Ari Cogdell, Coleman, Carter and Strother is the third-fastest in school history and the fastest since 2002. LSU owns the nation's second-fastest 4x400 time of 3:04.46, which it clocked at Tyson last month with Cyril Grayson, Lamar Bruton, Michael Cherry and Fitzroy Dunkley.
DMR: Tennessee ran the men's DMR once this season with Long, Darryl Harris, Carter and Whitelaw clocking a 9:49.44 at the Conference Clash. Ole Miss has the SEC's top DMR time this season of 9:30.48 (10th in the nation).
High Jump: Wesley Edwards matched his career high of 2.10 meters (6-10.75) at the Conference Clash. Arkansas' Ken LeGassey's 2.19 meters (7-2.25) leads the conference and is tied for eighth nationally.
Long Jump: Darryl Harris' season best is 7.16 meters (23-6.00). Arkansas' Jarrion Lawson is tied for the best mark in the country at 8.17 meters (26-9.75) and Florida's KeAndre Bates' 7.93 meters (26-0.25) ranks fourth. Both Lawson and Bates jumped their season-best marks at Tyson.
Triple Jump: Weldon Wright will compete against a strong SEC triple jump group that includes Alabama's Jeremiah Green, who ranks second nationally at 16.68 meters (54-8.75), and Arkansas' Clive Pullen, who is fourth in the nation at 16.54 meters (54-3.25).
Pole Vault: Jake Blankenship headlines the men's SEC's pole vault field. He leads the nation with a mark of 18-9.25 (5.72 meters). Blankenship should see his strongest competition from a pair of Texas A&M stars in Jacob Wooten (T-6th, 17-11.00) and Audie Wyatt (13th, 17-9.00). Ocean Walters-Carlson and Nate Harper will make their SEC debuts.
Shot Put: Matthew Zajac threw a career-best 16.02 meters (52-6.75) at the Virginia Tech "Doc Hale" Elite Meet. Georgia's Denzel Comenentia owns the SEC's top shot put mark at 19.20 meters (65-1.50).
Weight Throw: Cameron Brown's season-best throw of 22.86 meters (75-0.00) is second-best in the nationally. His main competition should come from LSU's Johnnie Jackson, who ranks 13th with a throw of 21.48 meters (70-5.75). Matthew Zajac's top throw on the year is 18.10 meters (59-4.75) and Seth Whitener's is 19.35 meters (63-6.00).
Women's Events
60m: The women's 60 meters features four of the nation's top 10 sprinters, including two from Tennessee. Kali Davis-White (T-7th, 7.28) and Felicia Brown (10th, 7.30) give UT a formidable 1-2 punch in this event, which also features LSU's Mikiah Brisco (6th, 7.25) and Kentucky's Javianne Oliver (T-7th, 7.28).
200m: The SEC has seven women in the nation's top 10 in the 200 meters. Five of those times were clocked at Randal Tyson Track Center. Just as in the 60 meters, Brown (2nd, 22.81) and Davis-White (T-9, 23.23) give Tennessee a chance for multiple spots on the medals podiums. Florida's Kyra Jefferson owns the nation's top time of 22.72, which she ran at Tyson last month. Arkansas' Taylor Ellis-Watson's 23.03 on her home track ranks third. LSU's Jada Martin (T-5th, 23.10), Florida's Robin Reynolds (T-5th, 23.10) and Texas A&M's Diamond Spaulding (T-9th, 23.23) round out the talented group competing in the 200 meters.
400m: Felecia Majors took fourth place in the 400 meters at the 2015 SEC Indoor Championships. This year, Majors' top 400-meter time is 53.07, which ranks 16th in the nation. Lenysse Dyer (53.93) and Layla White (54.76) are making their SEC debuts. Arkansas' Taylor Ellis-Watson (2nd, 52.18) and Florida's Kyra Jefferson (3rd, 52.19), Robin Reynolds (4th, 52.27) and Claudia Francis (5th, 52.39) own four of the top marks in the country.
3000m: Chelsea Blaase ran a 9:25.83 at last meet's Conference Clash and Jessica Rizor clocked a 9:58.30 at the Virginia Tech "Doc Hale" Elite Meet. Arkansas' Jessica Kamilos owns the SEC's top 3000-meter time at 9:13.92.
5000m: Blaase flew to a personal-best 15:43.81 at the Husky Classic, a time that ranks third in the nation. That time is 33 seconds better than the next fastest SEC time by Arkansas' Valerie Reina (16:16.74).
4x400m: Three of the nation's top seven top women's 4x400 relays hail from the SEC. The Tennessee quartet of Dyer, Majors, White and Brown ran a 3:32.70, the fifth-fastest time in UT history, at the Virginia Tech "Doc Hale" Elite Meet. Florida's relay of Reynolds, Kyra Jefferson, Taylor Sharpe and Francis own the SEC's top mark and the nation's third-best mark at 3:30.51.
Long Jump: Cidae'a Woods' best jump of the season is 6.15 meters (20-2.25). Chyna Ries' top mark is 5.89 meters (19-4.00). Alabama's Quanesha Burks leads the nation with a jump of 6.71 meters (22-0.25).
Triple Jump: Brielyn Rogers jumped a career-best 12.48 meters (40-11.50) at the Tyson Invitational. Woods' top mark is 12.39 meters from the "Doc Hale" Elite Meet. The nation's top four women's triple jumps belong to SEC student-athletes. Georgia's Keturah Orji leads all triple jumpers at 13.78 meters (45-2.50). Florida's Yanis David (2nd, 13.50 meters) and Darrielle McQueen (3rd, 13.36 meters) and Vanderbilt's Simone Charley (4th, 43-9.75) round out the country's top times.
Pole Vault: Kristen Denk cleared the best mark of her collegiate career at the Tyson Invitational at 4.15 meters (13-7.25). Arkansas' Alexis Weeks owns the nation's top mark at 4.60 meters (15-1.00).
Shot Put: Cassie Wertman threw a season-best 16.95 meters (55-7.50) at the Tyson Invitational to rank ninth in the nation and second in the SEC. Ole Miss' Raven Saunders leads the nation with a throw of 19.23 meters (63-1.25).
Weight Throw: Savannah Marlow's career-best weight throw is 16.99 meters (55-9.00). Kentucky's Beckie Famurewa has the conference's best throw at 21.19 meters (69-6.25).
Friday Track Events
| Start Time (CT) | Event | Competing For Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| 4:40 p.m. | Men's 60m | Christian Coleman |
| 4:55 p.m. | Women's 60m | Felicia Brown, Kali Davis-White |
| 5:15 p.m. | Men's Mile | Tyler Woodrome, Zach Long |
| 6:05 p.m. | Men's 400m | Nathan Strother, Ari Cogdell |
| 6:25 p.m. | Women's 400m | Felecia Majors, Layla White, Lenysse Dyer |
| 6:45 p.m. | Men's 800m | Antonio Carter |
| 7:25 p.m. | Men's 200m | Christian Coleman |
| 7:25 p.m. | Women's 200m | Felicia Brown, Kali Davis-White, Felecia Majors, Maia McCoy |
| 8:20 p.m. | Men's 3000m | Austin Whitelaw, Jack Little |
| 8:40 p.m. | Women's 3000m | Chelsea Blaase, Jessica Rizor |
Friday Field Events
| Start Time (CT) | Event | Competing For Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| 4 p.m. | Men's Pole Vault | Jake Blankenship, Ocean Walters-Carlson, Nate Harper |
| 4:30 p.m. | Men's Shot Put | Matthew Zajac |
| 5:30 p.m. | Women's Long Jump | Cidae'a Woods, Chyna Ries |
| 5:30 p.m. | Men's Long Jump | Mustaqeem Williams |
| 6:30 p.m. | Men's High Jump | Wesley Edwards |
| 7 p.m. | Women's Shot Put | Cassie Wertman |
Saturday Track Events
| Start Time (CT) | Event | Competing For Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| 4:25 p.m. | Men's 5000m | Austin Whitelaw |
| 5:45 p.m. | Women's 5000m | Chelsea Blaase |
| 6:40 p.m. | Men's DMR | Tennessee Men |
| 6:55 p.m. | Women's 4x400m | Tennessee Women |
| 7:10 p.m. | Men's 4x400m | Tennessee Men |
Saturday Field Events
| Start Time (CT) | Event | Competing For Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| 1 p.m. | Men's Weight Throw | Cameron Brown, Seth Whitener, Matthew Zajac |
| 4:30 p.m. | Women's Pole Vault | Kristen Denk |
| 4:30 p.m. | Men's Triple Jump | Weldon Wright |
| 4:30 p.m. | Women's Triple Jump | Brielyn Rogers, Cidae'a Woods |
| 4:30 p.m. | Women's Weight Throw | Savannah Marlow |
