Story by Thomas Corhern, Cookeville Herald-Citizen

COOKEVILLE — Grit and determination go a long way.

For Tennessee Tech track and field athlete Ashley Evans, a graduate student from Jackson, that saying rings true. Evans will take part in the three most grueling events of this weekend’s Ohio Valley Conference track and field championships at Tucker Stadium, the first time Tennessee Tech has hosted the championships since 1978.

“Ashley’s been a very productive member of this team,” said Tech coach Tony Cox. “She’s run a lot of miles for us. With the events she’s in, she should be pretty tired by the end of the weekend.”

Evans will compete in the 5,000-meter run, the 10,000-meter run and, for the first time in the program’s history, the 3,000-meter steeplechase, one of the most intriguing events of the championships.

"The steeplechase is seven-and-a-half laps around the track," Evans said. "You have barriers you have to jump over, including one water pit."

But just the sheer length of those events would, for most runners, seem pretty daunting.

"I've never been afraid to try new things," Evans said. "The steeplechase, to me, is really fun. The 10,000 is where I really like to push myself and run the best time I can."

Cox added, "It really is some of the toughest events. You really have to prepare mentally as well as physically, get good nutrition between the events and things like that."

The steeplechase is considered one of the hardest events in the sport.

"Definitely," Evans said. "It takes a lot of guts. You can't be afraid to jump in any situation."

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