NASHVILLE, Tenn. — True freshmen Eva Gautreaux, Anissa Moore and Bre’Nay Williams will join Vanderbilt’s sprint squad this fall, announced director of cross country and track and field Althea Thomas.
Gautreaux, of Germantown, Tennessee, prepped at Houston High School, where she captured the 2023 TSAA AAA state and section titles in the 400 meters, as well as the 2023 indoor state title in the same event. She was the top-ranked 400-meter runner in Tennessee in 2023 with a prep-best time of 55.70 seconds. In 2021 and 2022, Gautreaux was the bronze medalist in the 400 meters at the TSAA Outdoor Championships.
The top-ranked 400-meter runner in New York, Moore won the 400 meters at the 2023 ShopRite Nutmeg State Games and was the runner-up in the event at the Nike Indoor Nationals. In 2022, she finished first in the 200 and 400 meters at the USATF National Youth Outdoor Championships. Moore’s prep bests include 24.48 seconds in the 200 meters and 54.03 seconds in the 400 meters.
Williams prepped at Goodpasture Christian High School in Madison, Tennessee. In 2023, she recorded a third-place finish in the 60 meters at the Tennessee State HS Indoor Championships. In 2022, she won the state titles in the 100 meters and 100-meter hurdles and was the runner-up in the 200 meters. Williams owns personal-best times of 7.57 seconds in the 60 meters and 12.09 seconds in the 100 meters.
This trio of freshmen will join a squad of sprinters that reset four school records and recorded 17 marks ranking in the program’s all-time top 10 in 2023 under head coach Thomas. Pan American U20 medalist and USATF U20 runner-up in the 400-meter hurdles Allyria McBride will be returning to Thomas’ sprint squad. Rising sophomore McBride is also an All-American in the 400-meter hurdles and scored at the SEC Outdoor Championships, where she placed seventh.