By Rob Schabert, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – What promises to be an exciting, record-breaking season for the Tennessee Tech track & field team gets underway Saturday when coach Wayne Angel takes a squad of 20 athletes to Nashville to compete in the Vanderbilt Indoor Opener.

The field events get underway at 10:30 a.m., with the running events scheduled to start at 1 p.m. The meet will take place in the Vanderbilt Indoor Multi-Purpose Facility.

Tech is among a list of a dozen local teams participating. In addition to the Golden Eagles and host Vanderbilt, entries include athletes from Austin Peay, Belmont, Lipscomb, Louisville, Memphis, MTSU, Murray State, Tennessee State, Trevecca Nazarene and Western Kentucky.

Included in Tech's 20 entries are 14 who will be competing for the Golden Eagles for the first time in track & field. They include Sarah Brandt, Tina Driscoll, Na'Scottisha Drummond, Samantha Howard, D'Airrien Jackson, Jaydean Joseph, Purity Murray, Morgan O'Neal, Andrea Retano, Eshe Robinson, Na'Asha Robinson, Raven Smith, Jenna Storms, and Antonia Susnjar.

Admission to the meet is $5 per person.

The complete schedule of the day's action is below, along with the names (in parenthesis) of Golden Eagles in each event:

Field Events (FINAL)
10:30 am: High Jump (W) Northeast Pit (TTU: Drummond, Robinson)
10:30 am: High Jump (M) Southwest Pit
10:30 am: Weight Throw (W) 2 Sections (TTU: Howard, Kington)
11:00 am: Long Jump (W) 2 Sections, Alcove Runway (TTU: Robinson, Driscoll)
11:00 am: Long Jump (M) 1 Section, Infield Runway
11:00 am: Pole Vault (M)
Noon: Weight Throw (M) 1 Section
1:30 pm: Shot Put (W) 2 Sections (TTU: Driscoll, Howard, Kington, Susnjar)
2:00 pm: Pole Vault (W)
2:00 pm: Triple Jump (W) 1 Section, Infield Runway (TTU: Smith)
2:00 pm: Triple Jump (M) 1 Section, Alcove Runway
3:00 pm: Shot Put (M) 2 Sections

Running Events (FINAL)
1:00 pm: 60 Hurdles (W) 4 Heats
1:15 pm: 60 Hurdles (M) 3 Heats
1:30 pm: 60 Meters (W) 6 Heats (TTU: Joseph, Hymon, O'Neal, McGee)
1:45 pm: 60 Meters (M) 4 Heats
2:00 pm: Mile Run (W) 2 Heats (TTU: Cooper)
2:15 pm: Mile Run (M) 1 Heat 
2:30 pm: 400 Meters (W) 8 Heats (TTU: Robinson)
2:45 pm: 400 Meters (M) 6 Heats
3:00 pm: 800 Meters (W) 2 Heats (TTU: Jackson, Brandt, Retano)
3:15 pm: 800 Meters (M) 2 Heats
3:30 pm: 200 Meters (W) 8 Heats (TTU: Joseph, Hymon, O'Neal, McGee)
3:45 pm: 200 Meters (M) 5 Heats
4:00 pm: 3000 Meters (W) 1 Heat (TTU: Murray, Storm, Bezuidenhout, McNamara)
4:25 pm: 5000 Meters (M) 1 Heat
4:45 pm: 4X400 Relay (W) 3 Heats (TTU: Two teams)
5:00 pm: 4X400 Relay (M) 2 Heats