University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols Set For 122nd Penn Relays
April 27, 2016 | Track & Field
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee looks to continue its tradition of excellence at the 122nd Penn Relays Carnival, which runs April 28-30 at historic Franklin Field on the University of Pennsylvania campus.
Tennessee has 117 Penn Relays championships, dating from Martin Korik's 1949 men's pole vault title to Jake Blankenship's men's pole vault victory and Felicia Brown's win in the 100 meters in 2015. The UT men have totaled 75 titles and the UT women have 42.
The Penn Relays (also known as Penn Relays Carnival) is the oldest and largest track and field competition in the United States, hosted annually since April 21, 1895, by the University of Pennsylvania.
Blankenship has won the men's pole vault championship division at the Penn Relays in each of the past three years (2013, 2014, 2015). He will try to become the first ever to win the men's pole vault crown in four-straight years. Blankenship unofficially opened his 2016 outdoor season last week, competing unattached at the Georgia Tech Invitational and clearing 5.50 meters (18-0.50) to win. He had the top height of the 2015 indoor season at 5.72 meters (18-9.25), which he cleared at the Doc Hale Virginia Tech Elite Meet on Feb. 6. Blankenship won at the 2015 Penn Relays with a height of 5.50 meters (18-0.50).
Brown is enjoying a sensational senior season. She was a 2016 NCAA indoor national champion in the 200 meters and owns the nation's top time in both the indoor 200 meters (22.45) and outdoor 200 meters (22.55) this year. Brown, who is running only in relay events this week, will try to become a two-time Penn Relays champion.
FloTrack will feature a live online video stream of the Penn Relays from Thursday through Saturday, but viewers must have a subscription to FloPro. NBC Sports Network will have live coverage of the Penn Relays on Saturday from 12:30 p.m. ET to 3 p.m. ET.
UT's 2009 women's 4x1500 relay Chanelle Price, Phoebe Wright, Rolanda Bell and Sarah Bowman will be added to the prestigious Penn Relays Wall of Fame this week as part of its 23rd induction class. The squad broke the existing Penn Relays, national collegiate, American and world records with a time of 17:08.34. That mark still stands as a Penn Relays and American collegiate record. Price, Wright, Bell and Bowman are the sixth Tennessee relay squad to be honored on the Penn Relays Wall of Fame. The other five legendary UT relays on the Wall of Fame are the 1967 men's shuttle hurdle relay (Steve Keltner, Pat Murphey, Roger Neiswender, Pat Pomphrey), the 1976 men's 4x100 relay (Jon Young, Ricci Gardner, Jerome Morgan, Reggie Jones), the 1982 men's shuttle hurdle relay (David Siler, Jerome Wilson, Reggie Towns, Willie Gault), the 1984 women's 4x800 relay (Karol Davidson, Alisa Harvey, Cathy Rattray, Joetta Clark) and the 2004 women's sprint medley relay (Tianna Madison, Toyin Olupona, DeeDee Trotter, Kameisha Bennett).
In total, UT will have six relays and six individuals on the Penn Relays Wall of Fame. Previous individual inductees include Benita Fitzgerald, Reggie Jones, Cathy Rattray, Joetta Clark, Willie Gault and Pat Walsh.
The Penn Relays mark UT's final regular-season event of the year. The Vols will compete in SEC Outdoor Championships from May 12-14 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Penn Relays Schedule
THURSDAY, APRIL 28
10 a.m. ET - Women's 400m Hurdles Championship: London Freeland
11:30 a.m. ET - Women's Shot Put Championship: Cassie Wertman
12 p.m. ET - Women's Long Jump Championship: Cidae'a Woods
12:45 p.m. ET - Women's Shot Put College: Candice Butler
1:15 p.m. ET - Women's 4x100 (Heats): Tennessee
2:30 p.m. ET - Women's Hammer College: Savannah Marlow, Candice Butler
4 p.m. ET - Women's Pole Vault Championship: Kristen Denk, Erin Champion
6:35 p.m. ET - Women's Long Jump College: Maya Neal
6:45 p.m. ET - Women's Javelin Throw Championship: Maria Jimenez
6:45 p.m. ET - Women's 4x400 (Heats): Tennessee
8:50 p.m. ET - Women's 5000m Championship: Chelsea Blaase, Jessica Rizor
9:30 p.m. ET - Men's 5000m Championship: Austin Whitelaw, Jack Little
FRIDAY, APRIL 29
10 a.m. ET - Men's High Jump College: Wesley Edwards
10 a.m. ET - Men's Pole Vault College: Ocean Walters-Carlson
11 a.m. ET - Women's Triple Jump College: LaChyna Roe, Brielyn Rogers
12:35 p.m. ET - Men's 4x100 (Heats): Tennessee
1 p.m. ET - Women's 4x100 Championship of America Invitational Presented by Core Power: Tennessee
1:40 p.m. ET - Men's 4x200 (Heats): Tennessee
2 p.m. ET - Men's Long Jump Championship: Mustaqeem Williams
2 p.m. ET - Women's 4x200 (Heats): Tennessee
2:35 p.m. ET - Men's DMR Championship of America Invitational Presented by PECO: Tennessee
3:25 p.m. ET - Women's Shuttle Hurdles Championship of America Invitational Presented by Core Power: Tennessee (Maya Neal, LaChyna Roe, Brielyn Rogers, Cidae'a Woods)
4:25 p.m. ET - Men's 4x400 (Heats): Tennessee
SATURDAY, APRIL 30
11:15 a.m. ET - Men's Javelin Throw Championship: Kyle Quinn
12:30 p.m. ET - Men's Discus Throw Championship: Matthew Zajac
1:45 p.m. ET - Men's Hammer Throw Championship: Cameron Brown
1:50 p.m. ET - Men's 4x100 Championship of America Invitational Presented by PECO: Tennessee
2 p.m. ET - Men's Pole Vault Championship: Jake Blankenship, Tyler Porter
2:25 p.m. ET - Women's 4x200 Championship of America Invitational Presented by Independence Blue Cross: Tennessee
2:45 p.m. ET - Men's 4x200 Championship of America Invitational Presented by Grace Foods: Tennessee
3:15 p.m. ET - Men's Hammer Throw College: Seth Whitener
5:50 p.m. ET - Women's 4x400 Championship of America Invitational Presented by Core Power: Tennessee
6 p.m. ET - Men's 4x400 Championship of America Invitational Presented by Core Power: Tennessee
