Women’s track and field continues to finish in top 10

The Pitt track and field teams traveled to Knoxville, Tenn., Thursday for the Sea Ray… The Pitt track and field teams traveled to Knoxville, Tenn., Thursday for the Sea Ray Relays hosted by the University of Tennessee.

The women’s team turned in another solid performance, earning numerous top 10 finishes, and the men’s team showed signs of improvement as it earned five top 10 finishes of its own.

Leading the way for the Panthers was the 4 x 800-meter relay team of Deanna Cole, Maureen McCandless, Rachel Rothe and Abigail Zaylor, who raced to a third place finish in a time of eight minutes, 57.79 seconds. McCandless ran to a seventh place finish of her own in the 1,500-meter race in a time of 4:30.32.

Amanda Walker turned in a fourth place finish in the shot put as she registered a mark of 15.64 meters, while teammate Melanie Carter leapt to a fourth place finish in the triple jump with a distance of 12.75 meters. Carter also grabbed seventh place in the long jump with a distance of 5.77 meters.

The 4 x 400 meter relay team of Elizabeth Bayne, Cole, Trenace Elliott and Kimberly Lyles crossed the line in fourth place with a time of 3:39.30. Bayne, who also competed in the 400-meter hurdles, raced to a sixth place finish in a time of 59.45 seconds, while Elliott sprinted to an eighth place finish in the 400 meters in a time of 54.40 seconds.

Pitt also earned another fourth place finish in the women’s shuttle hurdle event with a time of 59.22 seconds.

After winning the heptathlon at the Texas Relays, Tamara McGill returned to action, this time earning a fifth place finish in the 100-meter hurdles in a time of 13.80 seconds. McGill also placed seventh in the high jump, clearing a height of 1.67 meters.

Distance runner Lauren Shaffer earned a seventh place finish in the 3,000-meter open race in a time of 10:09.11. Lastly, the women’s sprint medley team of Bayne, Carter, Cole and Elliott brought home an eighth place finish in a time of 3:57.97.

In men’s action, the relay teams, like the women’s, turned in some solid efforts. The 4 x 800-meter relay team of Deon Bascom, Raymond Gayle, Jeryl Wilborn and Andy Zang raced to a third place finish in a time of 7:34.66.

The 4 x 400-meter relay team of Chris Anderson, Bascom, Andy Jones and Troy Roberson crossed the line in eighth place in a time of 3:12.82, which is one of the better times the team has registered all spring.

In the javelin, Pitt grabbed two spots in the top five. Mike Kennedy got third place with a distance of 60.68 meters, while teammate Shawn Paronish threw to a fifth place finish with a mark of 59.52 meters.

The Panthers return to action April 19 when they travel to Morgantown, W.Va., for the Mountaineer Classic hosted by West Virginia University.