BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- University of Tennessee at Chattanooga junior Marquis Carter and redshirt freshman Maddison Melchionna both earned all-conference honors Saturday on the final day of the Southern Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Crossplex in Birmingham, Ala.
“Marquis tried to win the 800,” UTC Head Coach Bill Gautier said. “He took off, but they caught him coming off the back stretch.”
Carter, from Memphis, Tenn., finished third with a time of 1:55.67, less than one second off the lead time set by Samford's Brandon Hazouri of 1:54.73. Melchionna, from Afton, Tenn., also placed third in the women's 800 meter hitting a PR time of 2:13.39, just 0.18 off the school record set in 2010 by assistant coach Anneli [Uys] Morrison.
Junior Trevor Janssen (Jordan Station, Ontario) was sixth in the 800m for the men while sophomore Hannah Chamblin (Memphis, Tenn.) was sixth in the women's race at 2:15.25.
Senior Amanda Cotter (Bristol, Conn.) had two strong races Saturday finishing just out of all-conference range. She was fifth in the women's Mile with a time of 5:00.69 and fourth in the 5000 meter at 17:11.27.
In the women's mile, sophomore Jessica York (Normandy, Tenn.) placed eighth iwht a time of 5:06.14 and junior Rebecca Greenwall (Bogart, Ga.) was 12th with a time of 5:17.47. In the men's mile, senior John Gilpin (Nashville, Tenn.) was ninth with a time of 4:17.08 and sophomore Austin Casassa (Nashville, Tenn.) was a spot behind at 4:21.67.
Freshmen Emily Drouin (Verona, Ontario) and Anna Kate Chance (Columbia, Tenn.) earned All-Freshman honors in the women's 5000 meter run. Drouin placed sixth for the Mocs with a time of 17:23.05 and Chance recorded a PR in the event with a time of 18:19.49.
Junior Kiaana Howard (Nashville, Tenn.) was eighth in the women's 400 meter finals with a time of 59.53 and junior Keeley Stewart (Winchester, Tenn.) placed ninth in the women's 5000 meter with a time of 17:47.55.
Freshman Jacob Noorbergen (Ooltewah, Tenn.), seeded second in the 200 meter finals, finished sixth despite pulling a hamstring injury while freshman Drake Watson (Gallatin, Tenn.) was fifth in the men's 60 meter Hurdles earning him all-freshman honors.
“Drake [Watson] stretched too hard in the hurdles,” Gautier said. “That hurt us in the men's Mile Relay. He and Jacob [Noorbergen] weren't able to run in it and that put us back a few spots.”
The men's 4x400 meter relay featuring DeQuantez Sandifer (Nashville, Tenn.), Geoff Nelson (Brentwood, Tenn.), Carter and Matthew Marshall (Signal Mountain, Tenn.) placed fifth overall with a time of 3:23.47. The women's Mile relay team, Howard, Melchionna, Chamblin and Greenwall, also took fifth with a time of 4:01.44.
Junior Nicole Sumida (Chattanooga, Tenn.) scored for the Mocs in the high jump, topping the bar at 1.57 meters (5' 1.75”).
“I'm very proud of both teams,” Gautier said. “It was a very emotional time for us and everyone did what they could and some better than expected.”
The men placed sixth with 32 points, 8.5 shy of fifth, in the final standings while the women finished fifth with 46 points.
The Mocs move on to the outdoor season which opens Friday, March 20 at the Alabama Relays in Tuscaloosa.
