By Holly Weber, TTU Sports Information
CHARLESTON, Ill.—The Tennessee Tech track and field team claimed a second place finish at the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Championships, marking the highest team finish ever by a Tech squad. The Golden Eagles tallied 111 points, just 14 points behind OVC Champion Eastern Illinois (125).
Tennessee State placed third with 110 points, while Eastern Kentucky came in fourth with 71. Rounding out the team finishes were Austin Peay in fifth (70), Murray State in sixth (54.5), Jacksonville State in seventh (46.5), SIUE in eighth (3), Southeast Missouri in ninth (19), UT Martin in 10th (17), Belmont in 11th (7), and Morehead State in 12th (2).
Golden Eagle head coach Wayne Angel received OVC Coach of the Year accolades, which was the first recognition for a Tech Indoor Track and Field coach in school history.
"I am so proud of our young ladies," head coach Wayne Angel said. "They competed their hearts out. We just ran out of the bullets. Two years ago at this same place we weren't able to score a single point, and today, we scored over 100."
"My hat goes off to to Coach Frazier," Angel continued. "he did one heck of a job with our sprinters and Pentathletes. We will not rest on our laurels, we will take a short rest and enjoy the moment, but there is still plenty of work to be done."
Na'Asha Robinson had a superb showing for the Purple and Gold as she claimed the OVC title in the 400-meter with a time of 54.14 (Lantz Indoor Fieldhouse record) and the 200-meter with a time of 24.01, just one second shy of her own school record. D'Airrien Jackson clocked in right behind N. Robinson with a time of 54.38 to claim a second place finish in the 400-meter, while N. Robinson clocked in .23 seconds faster than the next runner from Tennessee State in the 200-meter.
The Golden Eagle quad of N. Robinson, Jaydean Joseph, Sharnique Leonce, and Jackson also claimed a first-place finish in the 4x400-meter with a time of 3:46.60, which was also a Tech school and Lantz facility record. The group's time came in one second before the next team from Tennessee State to right-out claim the title.
Jackson placed sixth in the 200-meter with a time of 25.13, while teammate Sharnique Leonce placed seventh in the race with a time of 25.71.
Micayla Rennick claimed a second place finish in the mile with a 4:54.77 mark, clocking in just one second shy of the lead runner from Eastern Kentucky. Teammate Sarah Brandt placed fifth in the race with a time of 5:02.99.
Lisa Wickham placed fifth in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.65. Teammates Leonce placed sixth with a time of 7.81, while N. Robinson came in eighth with a time of 7.97. Leonce also claimed a sixth place finish in 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.67.
Rennick claimed a fourth place finish in the 800-meter with a time of 2:16.36, while Brandt placed fifth with a 2:17.88. Rennick also placed sixth in the 3,000-meter with a time of 9:59.44.
Other Tech Finishers
Shot put: Antonia Susnjar, 10.55m (22)
3,000-meter: Jenna Storms, 10:21.94 (19); Sarah Brandt, 10:50.51 (28); Purity Murray, 10:53.58 (29)
Photo by Thomas Corhern
