JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After severe weather altered the meet schedule for Wednesday, a pair of Tennessee men’s pole vaulters returned to Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, Thursday morning and earned berths to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the men’s pole vault. Evan Puckett and Cade Gray each posted top-12 finishes in the event at the NCAA East Prelims, with both earning their first career trips to the NCAA Division I outdoor national meet.
To qualify for the national meet, athletes must finish top 12 out of 48 competitors in their respective events at the NCAA East Prelims.
Puckett was the top finisher in the vault, clearing 5.43 meters (17-9.75) on his first attempt to establish a new facility record and finish first overall in the regional competition. The redshirt junior from Gallatin produced a clean series, getting over 5.03 meters (16-6) and 5.18 meters (17-0) on his first try before needing just two attempts to tower over 5.33 meters (17-5.75).
Gray made the top-12 cutline with an 11th-place finish on Thursday, clearing his second attempt at 5.33 meters (17-5.75) and using two attempts to surpass 5.18 meters (17-0). The Oclawaha, Florida, native earns his second NCAA national championship appearance after qualifying for the indoor national meet earlier this spring.
NCAA QUARTERFINALISTS: The Tennessee women’s squad competed in several first round preliminaries on the track Thursday, with seven athletes advancing to the quarterfinals that will take place Saturday evening.
To qualify for the national meet, athletes must finish top 12 out of 48 competitors in their respective events at the NCAA East Prelims.
Puckett was the top finisher in the vault, clearing 5.43 meters (17-9.75) on his first attempt to establish a new facility record and finish first overall in the regional competition. The redshirt junior from Gallatin produced a clean series, getting over 5.03 meters (16-6) and 5.18 meters (17-0) on his first try before needing just two attempts to tower over 5.33 meters (17-5.75).
Gray made the top-12 cutline with an 11th-place finish on Thursday, clearing his second attempt at 5.33 meters (17-5.75) and using two attempts to surpass 5.18 meters (17-0). The Oclawaha, Florida, native earns his second NCAA national championship appearance after qualifying for the indoor national meet earlier this spring.
NCAA QUARTERFINALISTS: The Tennessee women’s squad competed in several first round preliminaries on the track Thursday, with seven athletes advancing to the quarterfinals that will take place Saturday evening.
- The Lady Vol short hurdles duo of Myreanna Bebe and Kiara Smith each secured qualification with sub-13 marks in the 100-meter hurdles. Bebe won her heat with a time of 12.87, while Smith clocked a personal-best of 12.93 that finished second in her heat to automatically advance.
- In the women’s 100-meter dash, sophomore Elo Blessing Okpah shattered her personal-best with a time of 11.19 seconds – finishing second in her heat and 10th overall to qualify for the NCAA quarterfinals for the first time in her career.
- Two Lady Vol quarter milers qualified for quarterfinals in the women’s 400-meter, led by freshman Esther Joseph’s time of 51.76 to finish second in her heat and 11th overall. Javonya Valcourt also secured an automatic berth to the next round, winning the opening heat in 52.22 seconds.
- In the women’s 800-meter first round, sophomore standout and Jacksonville native Ka’Myya Haywood clocked a new personal-best en route to…
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