By Rob Schabert, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – With her name already listed on two school marks in the Tennessee Tech women's track & field record book, freshman Na'Asha Robinson added two more Sunday at the Ed Temple Invitational at Tennessee State University.
Tech finished the day with three school records and three first place finishers. In addition to the records, Tech student-athletes broke three personal best marks and established a handful of PR numbers in their first competition in several events.
"We had a great meet with some stellar performances," said second-year coach Wayne Angel. "I was very pleased with the ladies today. They were very competitive. We came back from the holidays in good shape."
Scoring for the meet was on a dual meet basis, with the Golden Eagles tallied in head-to-head competition against Middle Tennessee State and Tennessee State. MTSU scored 20 points in events against Tech with the Golden Eagles compiling 14.5. In the battle against Tennessee State, the Tigers had 23.50 points compared with Tech's 14.5.
Robinson broke school records in the 55m and 200m events.
"Na'Asha Robinson was the star today," Angel said. "She was truly on a mission."
The rookie from Huntsville, Ala., obliterated the previous, 12-year-old record of 7.28 seconds in the 55-meter dash, recording a time of 7.06 seconds in her qualifying heat. In the finals, she ran another time that beat the previous mark but was a fraction slower than her new record as she placed second overall with a time of 7.22 seconds.
The previous 55m record of 7.28 seconds was set in 2004 by Bethany Burney at the Sewanee Invitational.
In the 200m dash, Robinson roared around the track in 24.95 seconds to claim first place. It broke a month-old record of 25.51 set by teammate Jaydean Joseph at Vanderbilt.
A month ago at Vanderbilt, Robinson set the school record at 400m and was part of Tech's record-breaking effort in the 4x400 relay.
The third school record to be rewritten came in the triple jump as Raven Smith soared 38 feet, 10.75 inches. That eclipsed the school standard of 38 feet, 1.5 inches set last year by Chelsea Mills at East Tennessee.
Two other Golden Eagles earned first place finishes Sunday.
Junior Sarah Brandt won the mile run, putting up a time of 5:10.18 in her first competition at that distance.
The other individual win came at 400m when D'Airrien Jackson won the race with a time of 56.49 seconds in her first try at that distance.
Tech had three PR efforts on the track and one in field events.
Senior Brittany McGee ran her fastest time ever at 55m, posting a time of 7.69 seconds in her qualifying heat. Sophomore Madison Stremler also posted a personal best mark, recording a time of 2:19.42 while placing second in the meet in the 800m race. A third PR time came in the 5,000m run, as Lera McNamara finished third on the team in 19:56.48.
The other broken PR came in the weight throw, when Makayla Kington got off a toss of 27 feet, 3.75 inches in placing fifth.
The Golden Eagles return to the Vanderbilt indoor facility next Saturday for their next action, competing in the Vanderbilt Invitational.
"We will continue to build on the momentum from this meet and get ready for Vanderbilt this coming week," Angel said.
A complete list of Tech performance at TSU
Event (school record before Sunday)
Mile Run (5:06.53)
Brandt, Sarah, 5:10.18
Storms, Jenna, 5:25.87
Griffin, Molly, 6:12.01
55 Meter Dash (:07.28)
Robinson, NaAsha, 7.06q
O'Neal, Morgan, 7.57
McGee, Brittany, 7.69
55 Meter Dash Finals
Robinson, NaAsha, 7.22
400 Meter Dash (:55.08)
Jackson, D'Airien, 56.49
Joseph, Jaydean, 58.96
800 Meter Run (2:15.28)
Stremler, Madison, 2:19.42
Brandt, Sarah, 2:22.01
Retano, Andrea, 2:32.72
200 Meter Dash (:25.21)
Robinson, NaAsha, 24.95
Jackson, D'Airien, 25.79
Hymon, Tiara, 26.46
5000 Meter Run (17:36.63)
Murray, Purity, 17:46.19
Bezuidenhout, Sonel, 19:18.31
McNamara, Lera, 19:56.48
4x400 Meter Relay
Tennessee Tech 'A', 3:51.39
Robinson, NaAsha, Jackson, D'Airien, Joseph, Jaydean, Hymon, Tiara
Tennessee Tech 'B', 4:12.49
Stremler, Madison, Retano, Andrea, Brandt, Sarah, Griffin, Molly
Tennessee Tech 'C', 4:26.76
McGee, Brittany, O'Neal, Morgan, Hymon, Tiara, Griffin, Molly
High Jump (5'7")
Drummond, NaScottisha, 4-10
Driscoll, Christina, NH
Long Jump (17'5.5")
Smith, Raven, 17-01.25
Robinson, Eshe ,FOUL
Shot Put (43'1")
Kington, Makayla, 33-04.50
Robinson, Eshe, 31-02.00
Driscoll, Christina, 27-06.75
Weight Throw (54' 11.25")
Kington, Makayla, 37-03.75
Triple Jump
Smith, Raven, 38-10.25
Drummond, NaScottisha, 35-03.75
