By Layne Weitzel, TTU Sports Information
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Boasting a brand-new USTFCCCA South Region ranking and off to one of its best starts in program history, the Tennessee Tech indoor track & field team travels to Indiana this weekend to continue its season in the Fred Wilt Open, hosted at Purdue University's Lambert Fieldhouse.
The meet will last for two days, beginning Friday afternoon with heptathlon and pentathlon events and concluding on Saturday.
Tech was awarded a No. 11 ranking in the South Region by the USTFCCCA this week, marking its first appearance in the top 15 spots of the regional rankings in the history of the program. The Golden Eagles have traveled to three Power Five-hosted meets so far this season and hold the best conference marks in a number of events, including the 60m dash (Lisa Wickham, 7.57), 200m dash (Na'Asha Robinson, 24.36), 400m (D'Airrien Jackson, 53.57), 800m (Micayla Rennick, 2:14.65), mile (Micayla Rennick, 4:48.99) and 4x400m relay (3:43.43). Jackson's and Robinson's (53.59) 400m times also stand as sixth- and seventh-best in the country respectively.
The Golden Eagles will be joined by a number of other regionally ranked teams at the Fred Wilt Open. While host Purdue's women's team is nationally ranked at 20th, Tech will enter the meet as the highest regionally ranked team competing.
