April 14, 2006

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The University of Tennessee women continued their troop build-up Friday for the upcoming NCAA Mideast Regional meet, as they added three more qualifiers on the third day of the 2006 Sea Ray Relays at Tom Black Track at LaPorte Stadium.

After the recent additions, the Lady Vols now have 13 athletes eligible for the meet, which will be held in Knoxville, on May 26-27. That baker's dozen will provide the Big Orange women 18 scoring opportunities in 13 different events, as the Lady Vols attempt to repeat as region champs and qualify as many athletes as possible for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Tennessee got one of its new NCAA regional qualifying marks Friday in the 800-meter run, when highly-touted freshman Sarah Bowman (Warrenton, Va.) rolled to a season-best clocking of two minutes, 7.71 seconds and grabbed runner-up distinction behind Cornell's Morgan Uceny (2:06.61). Junior teammate Leslie Treherne (Chesapeake, Va.), already guaranteed a spot in the Mideast Regional meet, also uncorked a 2006 topper, finishing third in 2:08.84. Freshman Kimarra McDonald (Lumberton, N.J.) was 14th in a season-best 2:13.34, while senior Patricia Hall (St. Ann, Jamaica) was 28th at 2:16.70.

Senior Jessica Reust (Knoxville, Tenn.) put together her best showing of the outdoor season in the pole vault, earning a spot at regionals with a clearance of 12 feet, 9 1/2 inches to place fourth. She had no-heighted at the adidas Raleigh Relays in her only other meet this spring. Redshirt freshman teammate Alicia Essex (Purcellville, Va.), meanwhile, was unable to clear a bar today.

In the invitational section of the hammer throw, senior Ariel Brooks (Miami, Fla.) joined the list of UT regional qualifiers, stretching the tape to a season best of 178 feet, 11 inches to take seventh, while sophomore Shanna Dickenson (Cincinnati, Ohio) was eighth at 168-11. Senior April Thomas (Albany, Ga.) was 14th in the open division at 151-9.

In the open division of the 100-meter dash, sophomore Cleo Tyson (Huntsville, Texas) rolled to a season-best and an improved NCAA regional qualifying time of 11.23 seconds to finish second behind South Carolina's Shalonda Solomon (11.12). Tyson's effort would have been a career best if not for a slightly illegal tailwind of 2.2 meters per second. Teammate Courtney Champion (Lawrenceville, Ga.) was ninth with her best mark of the year at 11.54, pushed also by a 2.2 gust at her back. Former Lady Vol Tianna Madison was sixth at 11.50.

Redshirt freshman Celriece Law (Denver, Colo.) turned in a fine effort in the 100-meter hurdles, as her time of 13.42 was good for fourth place out of a field of 42 competitors. Her clocking was a season best and an improvement over her previous regional qualifying mark of 13.84, but it was aided by a tailwind of 3.0 meters per second. Law also took 13th in the triple jump at 39 feet, 10 inches.

Junior Mindy Sullivan (Lubbock, Texas) and freshman Rolanda Bell (Laurelton, N.Y.) each scored personal bests in the 1500 meters. Sullivan crossed the finish line ninth in 4:28.23, just off the NCAA regional standard, while Bell was 17th at 4:34.43.

In the open 3000 meters, freshman Leah Soro (Knoxville, Tenn.) produced a fifth-place time of 10:11.31 in her outdoor debut as a Lady Vol. Classmate Katie Van Horn (Glendora, N.J.), meanwhile, was eighth at 10:29.59.

In the discus, Dickenson recorded a throw of 160 feet, 10 inches to take sixth, while sophomore Amara McKell (Nashville, Tenn.) was 19th at 139-2 and Brooks was 20th at 138-4. Later, McKell was 21st in the javelin at 115-3.

In the 400 meters, UT's LaTonya Loche (Bastrop, La.) was eighth at 54.38, while former UT standout and 2004 U.S. Olympic gold medalist Dee Dee Trotter was second at 53.32.

"Sarah Bowman gave a great run in the second section of the 800 meters, won her heat and put a mark down for the regional meet," UT Head Coach J.J. Clark said. "Our other qualifiers were Ariel Brooks and Jessica Reust. I was very pleased with their performances.

"We also had two personal bests in the 1500 meters and some wind-aided bests in the sprints on the day. I really liked the temperament of our team. If we can come back tomorrow and do something similar in some of the relays and individual events we will be in a good spot."

The Lady Vols will be back in action on Saturday on day four of the Sea Ray Relays. UT will take part in the distance medley relay (1:20 p.m.), long jump (1:30 p.m.), 4x100m relay (2 p.m.), shot put (2:30 p.m.), 3000m steeplechase (2:50 p.m.), 4x800m relay (3:35 p.m.), invitational 200 meters (4:15 p.m.) and 4x400m relay (5:25 p.m.).