COLUMBIA, S.C (March 31, 2007) - The ETSU track and field team posted solid results at the Weems Baskins Invitational as freshman Jarrod Burton (Tazewell, Va.) set a new school record in the shot put, and the men's 4x100-meter relay team broke a 12-year-old ETSU record on the track on Saturday.
Chris Harrison (Woodbridge, Va.), Derek Carey (Nassau, Bahamas), Johnny Tucker (Spartanburg, S.C.) and James Rainer (Alcoa, Tenn.) each ran a leg in the 4x100-meter relay, and set a new school record with a first-place time of 39.68. The previous record was set back in 1995 when the crew of Donnie Abraham, Jeff Horton, Delevantie Brown and Fred Cook finished in 39.98. The 39.68 mark set a NCAA Regional qualifying time. Tucker also posted a season-best mark of 22.13 in the 200-meters, finishing right below Rainer in seventh. Rainer came in sixth with a time of 21.79.
More ETSU records continued to fall on Saturday, as freshman sensation (Jarrod) Burton kept his spectacular season going by breaking the school record in the shot put, which he previously set three days ago at the Milligan Open. Burton's heave of 15.58 meters on his fourth toss broke the record, placing him fourth overall in the event. The Tazewell, Va. native also finished sixth in the hammer, while freshman teammate Dakota Cagle (Rutherford College, N.C.) placed eighth in his first-ever collegiate appearance in the event.
On the women's side, senior Anna Marie Ricciardi (Canfield, Ohio) added another high jump title to her collection, as she posted a NCAA Regional Qualifying mark, with a leap of 1.75m on Saturday. The jump was her best this season.
The women's sprinters put together strong performances in the 100-and-200-meter dashes. Sophomore Nae-Nae Bailey (Statesville, N.C.) led the charge for the Bucs in both races, as she finished second in the 100 and third in the 200. Bailey posted lifetime bests in both events, by finishing with a time of 12.07 in the 100-meters and 24.59 in the 200. Senior Jenny Knox (Connelly Springs, N.C.) also had solid races in both events. Knox finished fourth with a mark of 12.16 in the 100, and she crossed the line in 24.77, placing her fifth in the 200-meters.
Brooke Berarducci (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Dedra Jones (Tazewell, Va.) placed seventh and 11th respectively in the shot put. Berarducci's heave of 12.42 meters set a season-best, while Jones finished with a mark of 10.48m, in her 2007 shot put debut. Freshman Zachlynn Blackburn (Tazewell, Va.) placed sixth in the hammer, and eighth in the discus.
"Today was the first time we have ever competed at this meet and I am very proud of the results we put up," said Associate Head Coach Michelle Byrne. "It really shows how hard our athletes competed as we set two school records and two regional qualifying marks. Hopefully we can carry this momentum into our next meet and keep building on our success."
The Bucs will be back in action next weekend as James Rainer competes in the Texas Relays, beginning Friday, April 6, and the rest of the ETSU team will compete at the Furman Invitational on April 7.
