By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech indoor track and field team looks to close out its regular season in style, competing at the Buccaneer Track & Field Invitational Friday and Saturday. The event, hosted by in-state rival ETSU, will represent the last for the purple and gold before the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Championships in a little over two weeks.
Buccaneer Track & Field Invitational Information
Feb. 3-5, 2022 – Located at the Ballad Health Athletic Center (Mini Dome) in Johnson City, Tenn. The Golden Eagles do not have anyone competing in Thursday's Pentathlon action and kick off the meet on Friday with field events beginning at 8:45 a.m. CT. Running events will commence at 9:30 a.m. On Saturday, running events will start the day at 8:00 a.m. while the field events are slated to begin at 9:00 a.m.
What to Watch For
The Tech distance runners enter the meet after a strong showing at the Commodore Challenge in Nashville in mid-January. Four Golden Eagles collected top-10 showings in the 5,000-meter run, paced by individual medalist Ruby Wyles and her personal-best time of 17:38.28.
Amanda Laboy (18:18.04), Maddie Long (19:09.96), and Emma Bradford (19:42.47) all added top-10 finishes with their own personal records in the event.
Kategie Casseus set a PR in the 200-meter with a time of 26.47 seconds while Samaria Allen produced an indoor-best performance in the long jump, leaping 5.23 meters (17'2"). Jalena Curbeam placed fourth in the triple jump, recording a mark of 11.32 meters (37'1.75") while Madison Cowan turned in a person-best jump of 10.92 meters (35'10").
Competing in her first indoor competition, Helen Pacurariu-Nagy put forth a personal record of 10:25.00 in the 3,000-meter run while Tina Cesnik set her own PR in the one-mile run with a time of 5:29.95. Amara Nwajagu set a personal-best mark in the 400-meter dash, racing to a time of 59.34 seconds while Trenia Stephens set her own career mark at 1:01.41.
Casseus finished the 60-meter dash in a PR time of 8.04 seconds while Cayla Johnson delivered personal records in the 60-meter hurdles (9.59) and shotput (10.67 meters/35'0.25").
Up Next
The Golden Eagles wrap up the indoor campaign at the OVC Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Ala. on Wednesday, Feb. 23 and Thursday, Feb. 24.
Photo by Thomas Corhern