By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech track and field team will head east to Cullowhee, N.C. and the campus of Western Carolina to compete in the Catamount Classic presented by The Everson on Friday and Saturday at the Catamount Athletic Complex.
Tennessee Invite Information
Apr. 19-20, 2024 – Located at Catamount Athletic Complex in Cullowhee, N.C. Friday's action will kick off with field events at 12:00 p.m. CT and running events at 2:30 p.m. On Saturday, both running and field events will begin at 11:00 a.m.
What to Watch For
The purple and gold had a stellar showing last time out at Tennessee Invite in Knoxville, racking up a healthy dose of highlights along the way.
In the 200-meter dash, Bay'Andria Hodges rifled off a top-15 showing behind a new personal record of 24.75 seconds, the seventh-fastest mark in the Ohio Valley Conference this season.
Doubling down into the 400-meter dash, Amara Nwajagu blazed to a fourth-place finish. The veteran clocked in at 54.95 seconds for a new PR and the top time in the league this year. Paris Bowles showed out in the 800-meter dash, placing 13th with the OVC's fourth-fastest time and a season-best of 2:15.91.
Hayley Stegall and Kendall Johnson impressed in the 1,500-meter run. Stegall produced a career-best mark of 4:53.28 while Johnson's season-best showing displayed at 5:02.67.
In the 5,000-meter run, veteran Helen Pacurariu-Nagy led the way with a sixth-place, season-best time of 17:27.25. Cookeville native Maddie Long followed with a PR of 17:47.77 and a 12th-place performance.
Right on her teammate's heels in 13th was Makaleigh Jessee with a season-best of 17:49.43. Ava Costello rounded out the group with a new personal record of 18:22.24.
Teaming up for the 4x100-meter relay, Kategie Casseus, Nwajagu, Anya Akili, and Hodges produced a seventh-place result with a season-best time of 46.88 seconds.
Leading the way with a top-10 leap in the high jump was Ally Beneke clearing 1.65 meters (5'5"). Kendall Medders marked off 1.60 meters (5'3") while Madison Johnson matched her teammate with a season-best 1.60-meter jump.
Taking off in the long jump was Mattie Bush, leaping to a top-15 showing and PR of 5.50 meters (18'0.5"). She followed it up with a season-best performance in the triple jump, landing at 11.06 meters (36'3.5"). Leading the Tech effort in the triple jump was Sidnee Stanton and her top-15 leap of 11.36 meters (37'3.25").
Rookie Carolina Bannach continued her breakthrough season in the pole vault, registering another outdoor school record with a PR of 3.40 meters (11'1.75").
Up Next
The Golden Eagles head to Nashville for the Music City Challenge, competing Friday, Apr. 26 and Saturday, Apr. 27 at the Vanderbilt Outdoor Track.
Photo by Michael Wade
