Track Central: Vanderbilt Invitational – University of Tennessee Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee track & field travels to the Volunteer State capital this weekend, continuing its 2024-25 indoor campaign with a trip to Nashville for the Vanderbilt Invitational – set for Friday and Saturday, Jan. 17-18 inside the Vanderbilt Multipurpose Facility.
 
The Big Orange contingent includes 54 athletes competing in 18 events over the course of the weekend, beginning Friday at 3:30 p.m. ET with rookie Aidan Ifkovits looking for his second consecutive victory in the men’s weight throw. The meet will conclude Saturday at approximately 7:35 p.m. ET with Tennessee field two squads in the men’s 4×400-meter relay.
 
The final Vanderbilt Invitational schedule can be found here. Portions of the meet will be streamed on both days via SEC Network+, and live results will be provided throughout the weekend by PrimeTime Timing.
 
LAST TIME OUT: Tennessee kicked off the new year strong in the Lone Star State, earning 10 first-place finishes and posting numerous notable performances at the McFerrin 12 Degree Invitational on Friday, Jan. 10 inside Texas A&M’s R.A. Fasken Indoor Track & Field Facility.
 
The Vols and Lady Vols gathered event crowns in the throws, sprints, hurdles and relays in College Station and additionally tabbed a pair of strong runner-up showings in the pole vault competitions. In total, Tennessee tallied 36 top-five finishes, 13 top-10 marks in school history and one school record at the meet.
 
News and notes from the McFerrin 12 Degree Invitational can be found here.
 
TENNESSEE IN THE RANKINGS: As of Thursday, Jan. 16, Tennessee athletes rank top 16 nationally in seven events according to the TFRRS NCAA Division I Indoor qualifying list, including the top performances in the country in the women’s 60-meter hurdles, women’s 4×400-meter relay and men’s pole vault.

• Consider Ekanem – Men’s 60m – 6.57 (No. 2)
• T’Mars McCallum – Men’s 60m – 6.61 (No. 5)
• Faith Okwose – Women’s 60m – 7.34 (No. 16)
• Avaunt Ortiz – Men’s 400m – 47.80 (No. 16)
• Myreanna Bebe – Women’s 60m Hurdles – 8.06 (No. 1)
• Layla Anderson – Women’s 60m Hurdles – 8.23 (No. 9)
• Valcourt, Johnson, Wright, White – Women’s 4x400m Relay – 3:32.96 (No. 1)
• Cade Gray – Men’s Pole Vault – 5.56m / 18-2.75 (No. 1)
• Evan Puckett – Men’s Pole Vault – 5.32m / 17-5.5 (No. 10)
• Mya Strahm – Women’s Pole Vault – 4.20m / 13-9.25 (No. 14)

UP NEXT: UT’s indoor gauntlet continues next week with a…