In total, ETSU notches five top-three finishes during Saturday’s competition

AUBURN, Ala. (April 19, 2014) – Vaulters Ashley Kessler (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Brett Squibbs (Rock Hill, S.C.) both performed in record-breaking fashion on Saturday in an overall strong showing by the ETSU track & field program at the War Eagle Invitational at Hutsell-Rosen Track.

After inclement weather caused a postponement of nearly all competition at the Invite on Friday, the Bucs were poised for a jam-packed day of action on Saturday in Auburn. Sophomore Kessler kicked things off for ETSU in the late morning in a record-setting manner with a 3.95 meters mark in the pole vault to finish seventh overall. This score surpasses Katerina Vodova’s (Humpolec, Czech Republic) previously set record of 3.80 meters in the event at the Tennessee Relays last week.

Also in the pole vault, on the men’s side, freshman Squibbs continued his stellar rookie season by breaking his previously set record of 5.10 meters with an even better vault of 5.20 meters to take the runner-up spot in the event. Squibbs has now set new ETSU records on multiple occasions during his young career including setting the school’s high mark in the event during the indoor season.

In addition, the Bucs picked up its lone win of the Invite with a personal-best toss of 45.99 meters in the javelin throw by Verena Tobis (Hechingen, Germany).

Squibbs and Tobis were not alone in the top-three in their events as three additional competitions saw ETSU student-athletes earn podium finishes. Matt Warriner (Maryville, Tenn.) turned in a runner-up finish in the 1500 meter run with a time of 3:58.68, while Dede Edgecombe (Spartanburg, S.C.) finished in third place with a wind-aided 13.37 time in the women’s 100 meter hurdle finals. Furthermore, the team of Mike Williams (Mt. Laurel, N.J.), Thomas Miller (Lithonia, Ga.), Jonathan Foote (Bristol, Tenn.) and Ryan Jones (Apopka, Fla.), too, raced to a third-place finish with a time of 3:17.92 in the men’s 4x400 meter relay.

The Blue & Gold also slotted among the top-five in a number of events including the duo of Adam Chase (Kingsport, Tenn.) and Sean Duffy (Jonesborough, Tenn.) placing fourth and fifth in the men’s 5000 meter run with collegiate-best times of 14:56.20 and 14:56.83, respectively. Additionally, Lisa Pallotta (Leesburg, Va.) used a time of 4:46.74 in the women’s 1500 meter run to place fourth overall.

Competition in the 2014 outdoor season for the Bucs will continue next weekend, April 25 – 26, at the Highlander Invitational in Radford, Va.

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