Youth Shows Out at Bob Pollock Invitational

The Vanderbilt Track and Field Team continued their Indoor season at Clemson over the weekend with a strong showing among the underclassman.

Freshman sprinter, Taiya Shelby ran a double in the 200m & 400m finishing 21st and 6th, respectively. She posted a time of 25.37 in the deuce and a 57.06 in the four.

Sophomore Regan Clay ran a double as well. Clay finsihed 25th in the 200m with a time of 25.78 and 19th in the 400m with a time of 59.17. Jordan Smith, a Freshman, competed only in the 200m and placed 26th with a time of 25.58.

Sprints Coach Donnie Young is pleased with Shelby and Smith. He says, “Taiya’s done well. She had a first big meet [the home opener]. She went 24.97.” Where as her time this week was just a bit slower. Smith has been battling the winter time Nashville crud, so her times were a tad slower than normal, but he is pleased where she is at considering. “Jordan’s been sick for two weeks, so it wasn’t her fastest, but it was good.”

In the 800m, Junior Lauren Moffett and Freshman Emily Cohen finished 22nd and 23rd, respectively. They ran times of 2:21.49 and 2:23.76.

In the 1 Mile Run, Freshman Ana Wallace continued her solid Indoor Season with a 5:10.31, faster than her seed time of 5:11. Wallace, a Tallahassee native, is a XC standout and ran in the Footlocker Nationals as a high schooler.

Junior Kacie Breeding and Freshman Jacqueline Pinon placed 26th and 29th, respectively. Breeding ran a time of 5:12.44, and Pinon posted a 5:14. 88.

In the Field, the Commodores continued their collective dominance with a 2nd and 3rd place finish. Junior Kristen Denk, a 2018 2nd team All American, placed second with a vault of 4.10m (13’5.5”). While fellow Junior, Margaret Ollinger vaulted 3.95m (12’11.05”) for 3rd.

Both passed several heights until entering late in the competition. Denk was clean at 4.10m and fouled out at 4.20m. Olligner was clean at 3.80m, fouled once at 3.95, but cleared on her second attempt. She fouled three times at 4.10m.

Associate Head Coach (and Field Events Coach) Clark Humphreys said that “both are reaching to their upper limits.” He says they are looking good for this point in the season, and “that new PR’s are right around the corner.”

The Commodores will continue their Indoor Season next weekend at Michigan for the Power Five Invitational before coming back home for the Music City Challenge.