LEXINGTON, Va. — The Tusculum University men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams collected three wins on the second day of the VMI Invitational, held at the Corps Physical Training Facility.
Junior Isaiah Olson won the men’s 60 meters and senior Joshua Stephens took first place in the men’s triple jump, while junior Jahzara Hart was the winner in the women’s 60 meters. Tusculum had eight top-three finishes during Saturday’s competition, including junior Adrian Gumm who broke his own school record in the men’s shot put.
The Pioneers will return to VMI for the Winter Relays on Friday, January 31 and Saturday, February 1.
MEN’S RECAP
Olson qualified fifth in Friday’s qualifying for the 60 meters, then ran 6.81 seconds in the finals to edge teammate Mica Ruffin for first place. Olson also claimed a third-place finish in the 200 meters, running a career-best 21.84 seconds.
Stephens posted his career-best winning mark of 15.08 meters (49 feet, 5 3/4 inches) on his second attempt in the triple jump, and added a leap of 15.06 meters (49 feet, 5 inches) on his last attempt in the final round.
Gumm threw 15.87 meters (52 feet, 3/4 inch) on his first attempt to shatter his previous record of 15.02 meters (49 feet, 3 1/2 inches) set at last year’s SAC Championship. Gumm surpassed that mark on each of his first four throws on Saturday and was in second place until the final round.
The Pioneers’ 4×400 “A” relay of freshman John Ross, senior Xay Bogus, freshman Jonathan Harris and sophomore Kayvon Pickett took eighth place with a time of 3:28.07.
WOMEN’S RECAP
Hart, the top qualifier in Friday’s preliminaries and semifinals in the 60 meters, backed it up Saturday by running 7.47 seconds to take first place. Four Pioneers ran in the finals, with junior Shanice Cox fourth (7.67), junior Kiera Taylor sixth (7.70) and junior Theresa Green-White seventh (7.72).
Green-White was second in the 60 hurdles at 8.69 seconds and freshman Kori Moore was third at 8.80 seconds. Green-White placed fifth in the 200 meters at 25.45 seconds, with freshman Qitarah Castlin in sixth at 25.48 seconds.
Tusculum’s 4×400 relay of grad student Tashianna Gray, sophomore Alonda Shelton, Castlin and Moore finished third in 3:56.81, the sixth-best time in program history.
VMI Invitational – Day 2 of 2
Tusculum results
MEN
60: 1. Isaiah Olson, 6.81; 2. Mica Ruffin, 6.81.
200: 3. Isaiah Olson, 21.84; 13. Mica Ruffin, 22.20; 41. Jaylen Scott, 23.02; 58. Kayvon Pickett, 23.66.
400: 39. Levi Carson, 53.63; 47. Jonathan Harris, 54.28; 55. Benit Kitapindu, 55.00; 59. Landen Locklear, 55.71.
3000: 40. Jerry Ricker, 10:07.49; 41. Simon Ray, 10:28.37.
Shot put: 3. Adrian Gumm, 15.87m (52-3/4) (school record); 12. Gavin Rowell, 14.30m (46-11); 44. Byron Blanchard, 11.83m (38-9 3/4).
Triple jump: 1. Joshua Stephens, 15.08m (49-5 3/4).
4×400: 8. Tusculum A (Ross, Bogus, Harris, Pickett), 3:28.07; 14. Tusculum B (Locklear, Ruffin, Girard, Kitapindu), 3:42.97.
WOMEN
60: 1. Jahzara Hart, 7.47; 4. Shanice Cox, 7.67; 6. Kiera Taylor, 7.70; 7. Theresa Green-White, 7.72.
60 hurdles: 2. Theresa Green-White, 8.69; 3. Kori Moore, 8.80.
200: 5. Theresa Green-White, 25.45; 6. Qitarah Castlin, 25.48; 17. A’jaylah Yates, 26.45; 18. Tashianna Gray, 26.54; 20. McKenzie Morton, 26.72.
Mile: 56. Tori Caliendo, 7:01.65.
Shot put: 50. Kieley Smith, 8.90m (29-2 1/2).
Triple jump: 19. Agustina Dittrich, 9.78m (32-1).
4×400: 3. Tusculum A (Gray, Shelton, Castlin, Moore), 3:56.81; 11. Tusculum B (Morton, Suitte, Smith, Taylor), 4:11.89.
