By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech track and field program continues its 2024 outdoor campaign with a two-day event in Knoxville, competing at the Tennessee Invite on Friday and Saturday.
Tennessee Invite Information
Apr. 5-6, 2024 – Located at Tom Black Track at LaPorte Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. Friday's action will kick off with field events at 11:00 a.m. CT and running events at 4:00 p.m. On Saturday, both running and field events will begin at 11:00 a.m.
What to Watch For
Tech opened the outdoor campaign with strong results at the Lee Invitational to close out March, with a number of Golden Eagles delivering personal records and podium finishes.
Opening the weekend with a pair of stellar performances in the 10,000-meter run were Maddie Long and Ava Costello. Placing second overall, Long captured a new personal record with the top time in the Ohio Valley Conference this season, clocking in at 37:54.05. Costello followed in third place with a PR of her own, a mark of 39:00.15 that ranks as the second-best in the league.
Rookie Bay'Andria Hodges delivered a third-place display in the 100-meter dash, sprinting to a career-best mark of 11.95 seconds for the second-fastest time in the OVC on the year.
In the 400-meter dash, veteran Amara Nwajagu outpaced a field of 29 sprinters on her way to the fourth-fastest time in the event in the OVC this season. She clocked in at 57.32 seconds.
Moving over to the high jump, a trio of Golden Eagles found their way into the top five, led by freshman Ally Beneke's first-place leap of 1.66 meters (5'5.25"). Kendall Medders was right on her heels, clearing 1.63 meters (5'4.25") to place third in the field.
Sidnee Stanton and Mattie Bush were both awesome in a pair of events during the weekend, starting with the long jump. Stanton placed third with a jump of 5.22 meters (17'1.5") while Bush tallied a 5.07-meter (16'7.75") leap to finish fifth.
Moving on to the triple jump, Stanton again placed third, this time with a mark of 10.71 meters (35'1.75"). Bush moved up to fourth in the event, floating to a distance of 10.60 meters (34'9.5").
Competing in the 5,000-meter run, veteran Helen Pacurariu-Nagy clocked in at 17:47.63 for the best time in the conference this season. Rookie Makaleigh Jessee delivered the second-best 5K in the OVC this season, crossing the finish line at 18:13.33. Freshman Savanna Amos turned in a PR in the event while making her Tech debut, finishing with a time of 19:11.05.
In the pole vault, Carolina Bannach cleared 3.29 meters (10'9.5") to place fourth in the field, breaking the school record for an outdoor meet in the process.
Up Next
The Golden Eagles head to Cullowhee, N.C. for the Catamount Classic presented by The Everson, competing Friday, Apr. 19 and Saturday, Apr. 20 at the Catamount Athletic Complex.
Photo by Michael Wade
