April 4, 2015
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The men’s and women’s 4×800-meter relay teams were the highlight of the Florida Relays for the Georgia Tech track and field team Saturday. The women’s team broke the school record and the men’s team won the race for the third straight year as the Jackets completed the final day in Gainesville.
“We wrapped up a great weekend at the Florida Relays with our third consecutive men’s 4x800m relay championship and with a school record in the women’s 4x800m for third place,” head women’s track coach Alan Drosky said. “Both relays did an outstanding job with great team efforts.
“Every relay leg was important but Brandon Lasater’s anchor leg for the men was huge. He brought us back from about a 15m deficit and was able to pull the win out in the last straight-away. The women had the school record in their sights coming to the meet, so it was awesome to see them accomplish their goal. Overall, the Florida Relays went very well for both teams.”
The men’s 4×800-meter relay team of Zack Fanelty, Jeremy Greenwald, Andres Littig and Brandon Lasater held firmly on to second place during the race, and anchor Lasater made a final kick down the stretch to give Tech the win in 7:20.81. It marks the third-straight year the Jackets have claimed the men’s 4×800-meter relay at the Florida Relays.
The women’s 4×800 meter relay comprised of Samantha Kiblinger, Christina Pensock, Morgan Jackson and Haley Anderson took third and broke the school record. The quartet finished in a time of 8:51.46 to break the old record 8:56.94, which was set 18 years ago in 1998.
“I am very proud of the effort put forth by the men this weekend; both the Florida and Auburn groups,” head men’s track coach Grover Hinsdale said. “We had a significant number of PRs and I am very proud of what we accomplished.”
Auburn
The Jackets also competed at the Tiger Track Classic in Auburn, Ala. where Kenya Collins placed 17th of 52 hurdlers in the 100-meter hurdles in a time of 14.14. Spencer Allen took fifth (14.14 – PR) in the 110-meter hurdles and Andreas Ward placed 14th (14.97).
Also in the hurdles, Shannon Innis placed eighth in the 400-meter hurdles in a personal-best time of 1:01.40 and Marinice Bauman took 13th (1:02.63 – PR). For the men, Julian Darden placed 12th (56.31) and Rockne Burns took 16th (57.35).
In the sprints, Jamilah Middlebrooks took 13th (11.95 – PR) in the 100 meters and for the men Zachary Gunnz placed ninth (10.62 – PR). Gunnz took third in the men’s 200 meters in a personal-best time of 21.04 and Reese placed 14th (21.65 – PR), and for the women Angelica Henderson placed ninth (24.36 – PR) and Jamilah Middlebrooks took 12th (24.40 – PR).
In the field events, Samantha Becker tied for first in the pole vault with a height of 4.00m (13-01.50), which she cleared on the first try. Freshman Sarah Zimmerman took seventh (3.70m; 12-01.50).
Myles McDavid placed fifth in the men’s long jump (7.31m; 23-11.75) and Carissa Tipler took 12th in the women’s long jump (5.68m; 18-07.75).
In the women’s 800 meters, Malin Trollsas took 14th with a time of 2:18.23. On the men’s side Scott Greer took 19th (2:01.12 – PR) and Jag Gangemi placed 21st (2:01.56).
For the latest information on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, follow us on Twitter (@GT_TrackNField), Facebook (Georgia Tech Track & Field/Cross Country) or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com.
