JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech notched four top 20 finishes and set several new personal records on the final day of the Niswonger Invitational on Saturday at East Tennessee State, the first meet of the indoor season for the Golden Eagles.
Tech was well-represented in the 800 meter, getting two top 20 finishes from Emily Weinzetl and Leah Bradley. Weinzetl placed 14th with a time of 2:30.22 while Bradley was 16th, coming in at 2:30.38. Bradley's time was a career indoor best, barely eclipsing her previous best of 2:30.64 set at Tennessee State last year.
Kelli Keck also provided a top 20 slot for Tech, placing 16th in the long jump with a distance of 16-07.00.
Matthew Bishop also represented the Golden Eagle men's cross country team well, placing 20th as an unattached participant in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 15:43.80.
In addition to her strong 800 meter time, Bradley also set an indoor career best in the mile, running a time of 5:38.19, beating her previous record set at Sewanee last year by four seconds.
Meghan O'Donoghue (photo above) was the final Golden Eagle record-setter on Saturday, completing the 5,000-meter run in 20:22.06. The time set not only an indoor record for O'Donoghue but was also better than any outdoor time the sophomore had recorded. Her previous best was 20:25.80, set at a Jacksonville State outdoor meet in 2011.
Three Golden Eagle newcomers also saw their first collegiate action on Saturday. Elizabeth Mitchell ran a 2:40.60 in the 800 meter while Kendale Caldwell posted a 2:41.39 in the 800 and Kara Webb ran the mile in 5:36.85.
Tech returns to action next weekend, traveling to the Tiger Indoor Invitational in Sewanee, Tenn., on Feb. 3-4. The meet will be the last of the regular indoor season as the Golden Eagles prepare for the OVC Indoor Championships on Feb. 24-25.
