Seven Eagles to compete in UCS Invitational eyeing indoor nationals
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn.—The Carson-Newman indoor track and field team will send a hebdomad of Eagles to compete in the UCS Invitational this weekend in search of or to solidify their provisionally qualifications on the season.
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn.—The Carson-Newman indoor track and field team will send a hebdomad of Eagles to compete in the UCS Invitational this weekend in search of or to solidify their provisionally qualifications on the season.
The meet is set to commence Saturday at 9:30 a.m.
Other than Kevin Snead's (Richmond, Va.) 6.77 second mark in the men's 60m dash and Tanner Stepp's (Jefferson City, Tenn.) 2.14m leap in the men's high jump, no other Eagle is considered a virtual lock to compete in the indoor nationals come March.
"As far as my times are concerned, I have just been trying to eat right," Snead said. "I train hard every day and continue to look toward success. It's all about working hard."
However, the duo will be two of the seven to make the trip as Snead will be looking to improve upon his provisionally qualification of 21.73 seconds in the men's 200m dash he set last weekend at the Tiffin Dragon Invite.
"This week I am looking to improve on my times," Snead says of the upcoming meet. "Last week was my first time running in the 200m [dash], so this week I am going to try and drop that time and qualify in the 200m as well."
Freshman Christian Stumpf (Johnson City, Tenn.) is the second C-N high jumper who has provisionally qualified for indoor nations. The Eagle jumper will be looking to surpass his season-best 2.02m in the event on the weekend.
Others making the voyage eyeing to make their case for the indoor nationals will include pole vaulters Marshall Shank (Granite Quarry, N.C.) and Tori Gaul (Salisbury, N.C.). Shank's season-best came with the 4.55m mark at the Camel City Classic and Gaul's school-record 3.55m spot came at the Buccaneer Invitational.
Aside from Gaul, Tiana Mills (Chattanooga, Tenn.) will be the other representative on the women's side. The junior and All-Southeast region selectee a year ago will be competing in the women's triple jump where she has a personal best of 11.86m.
Carson-Newman long jump record holder, T. J. Davis (Chattanooga, Tenn.), will be in action as well this weekend at the UCS Invitational. He junior currently sits 24th in the nation with a season-beast of 7.16m and will aim to reach the country's top-16.
Snead views this weekend's meet as a chance to continue and improve on his craft in what has already been a successful debut season for the junior in Mossy Creek.
"Carson-Newman s a good school and is different from any school I have been to in the past," Snead says. "It's very family-based and a small school, so it's been a pretty good experience being here so far. I have enjoyed it."
A full recap following the UCS Invitational can be found on cneagles.com at the conclusion of Saturday's events. For up to the minute information regarding Carson-Newman track and field, follow us on twitter at @CN_Track.
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