Puckett, Gray Qualify For NCAA Championships In Men’s Pole Vault

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After severe weather altered the meet schedule for Wednesday, a pair of Tennessee men's pole vaulters returned to Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, Thursday morning and earned berths to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the men's pole vault. Evan Puckett and Cade Gray each posted top-12 finishes in the event at the NCAA East Prelims, with both earning their first career trips to the NCAA Division I outdoor national meet.

To qualify for the national meet, athletes must finish top 12 out of 48 competitors in their respective events at the NCAA East Prelims.

Puckett was the top finisher in the vault, clearing 5.43 meters (17-9.75) on his first attempt to establish a new facility record and finish first overall in the regional competition. The redshirt junior from Gallatin produced a clean series, getting over 5.03 meters (16-6) and 5.18 meters (17-0) on his first try before needing just two attempts to tower over 5.33 meters (17-5.75).

Gray made the top-12 cutline with an 11th-place finish on Thursday, clearing his second attempt at 5.33 meters (17-5.75) and using two attempts to surpass 5.18 meters (17-0). The Oclawaha, Florida, native earns his second NCAA national championship appearance after qualifying for the indoor national meet earlier this spring.

NCAA QUARTERFINALISTS: The Tennessee women's squad competed in several first round preliminaries on the track Thursday, with seven athletes advancing to the quarterfinals that will take place Saturday evening.

The Lady Vol short hurdles duo of Myreanna Bebe and Kiara Smith each secured qualification with sub-13 marks in the 100-meter hurdles. Bebe won her heat with a time of 12.87, while Smith clocked a personal-best of 12.93 that finished second in her heat to automatically advance.
In the women's 100-meter dash, sophomore Elo Blessing Okpah shattered her personal-best with a time of 11.19 seconds – finishing second in her heat and 10th overall to qualify for the NCAA quarterfinals for the first time in her career.
Two Lady Vol quarter milers qualified for quarterfinals in the women's 400-meter, led by freshman Esther Joseph's time of 51.76 to finish second in her heat and 11th overall. Javonya Valcourt also secured an automatic berth to the next round, winning the opening heat in 52.22 seconds.
In the women's 800-meter first round, sophomore standout and Jacksonville native Ka'Myya Haywood clocked a new personal-best en route to the NCAA quarterfinals – placing ninth in the field with a time of 2:02.85. Her mark ranks ninth in school history.
Following a two-hour weather delay, Lady Vol grad student Cydney Wright capped Thursday by qualifying for quarterfinals in the women's 200-meter – finishing 15th of 48 with a time of 23.24 seconds.

UP NEXT: With schedule changes in effect due to Thursday's inclement weather, the women's pole vault will lead off Friday's action at 9:30 a.m. while the women's shot put will be contested at 10 a.m. Men's competition also resumes on Friday with the second-ranked Vols contesting nine events – starting at 1 p.m. with the discus and concluding at 8:45 p.m. with the 4x400-meter relay.

Puckett, Gray Qualify For NCAA Championships In Men’s Pole Vault

Players Mentioned

Myreanna Bebe

Cade Gray

Ka’Myya Haywood

Esther Joseph

Elo Blessing Okpah

Evan Puckett

Kiara Smith

Javonya Valcourt

Cydney Wright

University of Tennessee Athletics

Puckett, Gray Qualify For NCAA Championships In Men’s Pole Vault

Players Mentioned

Myreanna Bebe

Cade Gray

Ka’Myya Haywood

Esther Joseph

Elo Blessing Okpah

Evan Puckett

Kiara Smith

Javonya Valcourt

Cydney Wright

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