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ATLANTA, Ga. -- Tennessee's top-ranked track and field squad overcame rainy conditions to win two events to close the Georgia Tech Invitational Saturday night in Atlanta.
The rain was a factor in dampening marks and times for much of the evening. In fact, the pole vault was finally canceled at 11:05 p.m. as torrents continued to fall from the Georgia sky. The pole vault cancellation was an unfortunate ending to the season for Clint Binder and Rocky Danners, both of whom hoped to jump for a NCAA qualifier.
"It's unfortunate that we had bad weather in our last chance to qualify for nationals," head coach Bill Webb said.
The Vol 4x100M relay team fired the biggest shot of the day with a track and meet record time of 39.32. While the time broke records, Tennessee has run the event faster twice this season. The Vols changed the relay personnel a bit with Sean Lambert, Justin Gatlin, Russell Frye and Leonard Scott passing the baton, as Hassaan Stamps has traditionally run the third leg this season. The Vol 4x100M relay team already has an automatic qualifier locked up with its school-record 39.00 effort March 24 at the Baldy Castillo Invitational in Tempe, Ariz. The main purpose for competing at the Georgia Tech Invitational this weekend was to stay sharp and improve handoffs.
Tyler Garrett also found himself atop the medal stand with a 176-9 throw in the discus. The mark was about nine feet off his season-best provisional effort from the SEC Outdoors last week.
Tennessee appeared to strike gold in the 4x400M relay in 3:06.98, but the Vols were disqualified on the official results. Tennessee has a fairly strong provisional time of 3:04.89 from the Baldy Castillo Invitational in March. The Vols used the same relay team that ran the event at the SEC Outdoors in Jebreh Harris, Adrian Wheatley, Shannon Wheatley and Dwayne Bell.
Adrian Wheatley clocked a season-best time of 1:48.97 to earn a provisional mark and seventh place in the 800M run. However, the provisional time won't be fast enough to make the NCAA field.
The NCAA Championships await the top-ranked Vols May 30-June 2 in Eugene, Ore. Before this year's title, the last time Tennessee won the SEC Outdoor title was in 1991. The same year the Volunteers also traveled to Eugene, Ore., for the NCAA Championships. A complete list of Tennessee's NCAA qualifiers will be released mid- week. VOL FINISHES Georgia Tech Invitational, Atlanta, Ga. Saturday, May 19, 2001
400M dash
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1. Rickey Harris, Fla.
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45.22**
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8. Jebreh Harris, Tenn.
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46.62
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800M run
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1. Nick Muchoki, Wallace St.
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1:47.16**
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7. Adrian Wheatley, Tenn.
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1:48.97* SB
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11. Marcus Tanner, Tenn.
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1:50.41 SB
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28. Damion Drummond, Tenn.
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1:52.70
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110M hurdles (preliminaries)-
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1. Ron Bramlett, Ala.
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13.51** Q
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5. Karl Jennings, Tenn.
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13.91 Q
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6. Justin Gatlin, Tenn.
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13.96 Q
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24. Matt Rush, Tenn.
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14.83
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110M hurdles (finals)
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1. Ron Bramlett, Ala.
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13.55**
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4. Karl Jennings, Tenn.
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14.03
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-- Justin Gatlin, Tenn.
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DNS
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400M hurdles
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1. James Carter, Nike
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49.01**
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5. Hassaan Stamps, Tenn.
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51.52
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4x100M relay
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1. Tennessee
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39.32* TR
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(Sean Lambert, Justin Gatlin,
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4x400M relay
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1. Tennessee
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3:06.98
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(Jebreh Harris, Adrian Wheatley,
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Discus
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1. Tyler Garrett, Tenn.
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176-9
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4. Lance Jauron, Tenn.
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171-3
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