June 26, 2009

After watching senior teammate Sarah Bowman make the 1500m final on Thursday, Wright followed suit a day later. She earned a lane in Saturday's 800 final by logging a career-best readout of two minutes, 2.11 seconds to finish second in heat one and second fastest of the eight qualifiers.

Hazel Clark, the sister and pupil of UT Director of Track & Field J.J. Clark, was behind Wright in 2:02.12, while Michigan's Geena Gall won the heat and posted the top qualifying time at 2:01.99. Competitors in the final will be vying for a chance to represent the U.S. at the IAAF World Championships in Berlin, Germany, Aug. 15-23.

In the junior division of the hammer throw, freshman Laquoya Kelly came away with a 13th-place finish. Her mark of record was 157 feet, one inch.

A pair of former Lady Vols saw their final races of the meet in the 100 and 400 meters, respectively. Tianna Madison, who will compete in the long jump on Sunday, bowed out in the 100m semifinals on Friday night. She wound up 11th overall in 11.20, finishing sixth in heat two with a 3.3 meters per second wind at her back. DeeDee Trotter, meanwhile, was unable to advance in the 400. Her 53.84 readout left her eighth in heat one and 15th overall. She is continuing to work her way back from an injury that hampered her all of last season.

In addition to Wright, Tennessee will have a host of representatives in action on Saturday. Lady-Vol-to-be Aslynn Halvorson starts it off in the junior discus throw at noon Eastern Time. She will be followed by freshman Ellen Wortham in the 400m hurdles first round, rookies Chanelle Price and Ramzee Fondren in the 800m first round, senior Celriece Law in the 100m hurdles first round and Bowman in the final of the 1500m.

The last two days of the meet will be televised. ESPN will broadcast the meet beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, while NBC has Sunday's action starting at 4 p.m. ET.