Track Opens Strong At Vanderbilt Invite

NASHVILLE - Eastern Illinois track and field athletes posted several strong finishes on the first day of the Vanderbilt Invitational despite battling wind and rain most of the day.

 

Jenna Uhe had the best EIU performance with a second place in the javelin.  Uhe tossed a personal record 129'03" to better her personal mark by nine feet.  Meghan Austin of Alabama won the event with a throw of 143'08" which hit the NCAA provisional mark.

 

Kandace Arnold moved up to third place on the EIU career list in the shot put with a fourth place showing.  Arnold had a best shot distance of 46'04.75".  Angelica Howard of Alabama won the event with an NCAA provisional mark of 47'06.25".

 

Erin O'Grady rounded out the top first day female performances with a fifth place effort in the 5,000 meter run.  O'Grady posted a time of 17:56.83.  Carmen Mims of Vanderbilt won with a mark of 17:26.24.

 

On the men's side freshman Joe Noonan placed fifth in the pole vault.  Noonan cleared 15'11" as Joseph Berry of Tennessee set a stadium record with a vault of 17'01".

 

Aaron Iaun rounded out the top EIU men's performances with a third place in the steeplechase.  He posted a time of 9:33.13.  Jason Ordway of Southern Illinois won with a time of 9:27.50.

 

Also of note, EIU assistant coach JaRod Tobler won the long jump as open competitor with a new meet and stadium record of 26'02.75".

 

EIU returns to action on Saturday morning with day two of the Vanderbilt Invite.  Results from individual competitors at the Wheaton College Invitational were not available on Friday evening.  They will be posted with Saturday's final results from the Vanderbilt Invite.