Track and Field shatters records at VMI
Redshirt-senior mid-distance runner Nichelle Scott set a facility record in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:09.25. Photo courtesy of VCU Athletics
Ben Malakoff, Contributing Writer
Track and Field set personal and facility records Feb. 8-9 at the VMI Winter Relays in Lexington, Virginia.
Women’s
Junior sprinter Kayla Smith won the 400-meter with a time of 54.92 seconds, setting a new VMI facility record. Finishing behind Smith came senior sprinter Taylor Watkins who made the event’s top three, clocking 57.61 seconds.
Redshirt-senior mid-distance runner Nichelle Scott set another facility record, running 2:09.25 in the 800-meter. The closest finisher was seven seconds behind.
Smith, Scott, Watkins and junior sprinter Kara Lyles combined to set a facility relay record in the 4-x-400, with a time of 3:45.10.
The Rams led the shot put — senior thrower Camora Sanders threw a first-place 13.69 meters, and freshman thrower Shannon Moise placed second with 13.24 meters.
On their second day at VMI, three Rams placed in the top five in the 500. Lyles made first place with a time of 1:15.42. Senior mid-distance runner Ashley Greenlee finished right behind, clocking in at 1:15.64. In fifth place was freshman sprinter Channelle Hodges, finishing with a time of 1:17.77.
Smith ended her second day with a personal best in the 200 at 24.57 seconds.
Lyles recorded her best long jump of her young career with 5.64 meters, landing in third place.
Men’s
The first day at VMI started in the Rams’ favor when senior sprinter Jamik Alexander set a personal best and made a first-place finished in the 60-meter, recording a 6.86-second-time. Freshman hurdler JeVon Waller — who was named Men’s Rookie of the Week by Atlantic 10 last week — came in second place with a time of 6.89 seconds.
Sophomore thrower Willie Schwartz was the highlight of the weight throw, winning the event with a 17.34-meter throw.
Joining Schwartz’s win, freshman thrower Jaekob Vollbrecht won the shot put with a personal best throw of 17.13 meters. His toss was more than a meter farther than the second-place winner.
In the 100-meter, junior distance runner Lucas Sidle made a second-place finish, setting a personal best with a time of 2:31.20.
The Rams continued setting personal bests when redshirt-senior jumper Bashir Idris placed second in the long jump leaping 6.97 meters.
Track and Field will travel to Fairfax for the Atlantic 10 Championships Feb. 23-24.
