NASHVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University men's track and field team set three school records and posted a national qualifying mark as the Pioneers competed with the women at the Vanderbilt Invitational on Saturday.
The men's 4x400-meter relay broke the school record and finished fifth in a field that included 16 Division I teams, while Zackary Nelson improved his NCAA qualifying time and broke his own school record in the 400 meters. In the shot put, freshman Adrian Gumm shattered the previous program record and earned a top-10 finish for the Pioneers.
Tusculum will be back on the track Friday-Saturday, Jan. 27-28 at the VMI Winter Classic in Lexington, Virginia.
MEN'S RECAP
The 4x400 relay of Jarvis Barber Jr., Nelson, Marquel Pittman and Stephen Brewer finished second in its heat and held on to fifth place in the final standings with a time of 3:16.86, breaking the old school record of 3:18.33 set at the VMI Winter Relays on Feb. 12, 2022. Nelson and Brewer were both members of that previous record-holding quartet. Their mark of 3:16.86 beat the NCAA Division II provisional qualifying standard of 3:17.34.
Nelson ran in the second-fastest of the nine sections in the 400 meters and finished in 47.72 seconds, which broke his program record of 48.15 seconds set at the USC Indoor Open on Feb. 18, 2022. Nelson entered the weekend ranked ninth in Division II in the 400 meters with a converted time of 48.34 seconds set at the Mondo College Invitational one week earlier. Brewer was 19th in 50.05 seconds for the 10th-fastest time in program history.
Gumm competed in the open division of the shot put and nearly qualified for the finals as his final throw of 14.54 meters (47 feet, 8 1/2 inches) was nearly 2 1/2 feet beyond the previous program record of 13.80 meters (45 feet, 3 1/2 inches) set by Christian Sisto at the Liberty Kickoff on Jan. 25, 2019. Mikeal Pillar finished 20th with a mark of 12.67 meters (41 feet, 7 inches), putting him fifth on the program performance list in the event.
Antonio Aparicio ran 1:56.48 in the 800 meters for the fourth-fastest time in school history, while DeWayne Morris was clocked at 2:00.44 to take third place on the program performance list in the event. In the 60 meters, Barber took 15th place with a time of 7.00 seconds and Pittman was 18th overall in 7.04 seconds.
Jamal Cash ran 8.65 seconds and took 19th place in the 60-meter hurdles, with Daryl Smith Jr. in 22nd place at 8.74 seconds. Smith finished 15th in the triple jump with a best mark of 13.97 meters (45 feet, 10 inches), which is fourth-best in program history.
WOMEN'S RECAP
Emily Coddington ran 2:24.03 in the 800 meters for the third-fastest time in program history and the second-best of her career, behind a 2:22.21 she ran at the VMI Winter Classic on Feb. 13, 2021.
In other events, Kiera Taylor ran 8.13 seconds in the 60 meters, Judy Chellah was timed at 1:08.38 in the 400 meters and Inmaculada Delgado had a time of 6:02.08 in the mile run. In the shot put, Amber Hogan was 39th overall at 10.07 meters (33 feet, 1/2 inch).
Vanderbilt Invitational - Day 2 of 2
Tusculum results
MEN
60: 15. Jarvis Barber Jr., 7.00; 18. Marquel Pittman, 7.04.
60 hurdles: 19. Jamal Cash, 8.65; 22. Daryl Smith Jr., 8.74.
400: 6. Zackary Nelson, 47.72 (school record); 19. Stephen Brewer, 50.05; 34. Xavion Bogus, 52.62.
800: 24. Antonio Aparicio, 1:56.48; 41. DeWayne Morris, 2:00.44.
4x400: 5. Tusculum (Barber, Nelson, Pittman, Brewer), 3:16.86 (school record).
Shot put: 10. Adrian Gumm, 14.54m (47-8 1/2) (school record); 20. Mikeal Pillar, 12.67m (41-7).
Triple jump: 15. Daryl Smith Jr., 13.97m (45-10).
WOMEN
60: 41. Kiera Taylor, 8.13.
400: 39. Judy Chellah, 1:08.38.
800: 29. Emily Coddington, 2:24.03.
Mile: 56. Inmaculada Delgado, 6:02.08.
4x400: 21. Tusculum (Green-White, Coddington, Taylor, Chellah), 4:18.97.
Shot put: 39. Amber Hogan, 10.07m (33-1/2).
