Shipp, Smith set school records at Vanderbilt

Sam Shipp ran 8:32.17 in the 3000 meters to set a school record at Vanderbilt (photo by Reily Rogers)

Posted: Jan 20, 2024

NASHVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University men's and women's track & field teams competed on the second day of the Vanderbilt Invitational on Saturday at the Vanderbilt Multipurpose Facility.

The Pioneer men set two program records on Saturday, as sophomore Daryl Smith Jr. moved into the top 10 nationally in the triple jump and freshman Sam Shipp set a new school record in the 3000 meters.

Tusculum will be back in action at the VMI Invitational on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 26-27 in Lexington, Virginia.

MEN'S RECAP
Smith finished third in the triple jump with a best mark of 15.22 meters (49 feet, 11 1/4 inches), which shattered his previous school record of 14.46 meters (47 feet, 5 1/4 inches) set last year at the VMI Winter Classic. Four of Smith's six jumps on Saturday surpassed his previous record, and his 15.22 is the best in the Southeast Region this season and puts him on the NCAA Division II qualifying list.

Shipp ran 8:32.17 in the 3000 meters which broke the record of 8:38.57 set by Will Cronin at the 2020 SAC Championship. He finished third in his section in a race that included 10 Division I runners among the 18 competitors.

Grad student Zack Nelson took seventh in the 400 meters at 48.37 seconds, while both senior Dorian Craven and junior Stephen Brewer ran career bests. Craven finished 13th overall at 49.00 seconds and Brewer took 28th place at 49.87 seconds.

Senior Jordan Taylor finished eighth overall in the 60 meters at 6.89 seconds, with senior Jamal Cash placing 19th in the 60 hurdles at 8.69 seconds for the fifth-best time in program history.

In the mile run, freshman Pau Valdepenas posted the second-fastest time in school history as he crossed the line in 4:21.20, less than five seconds off the record of 4:16.99 set by Cronin in 2021.

The Pioneers' 4x400 relay of Craven, Nelson, Brewer and junior Xay Bogus finished eighth with a time of 3:17.98, the second-best time in school history.

In the shot put, sophomore Adrian Gumm just missed breaking his school record that he set at Vanderbilt last year as he placed sixth overall at 14.53 meters (47 feet, 8 inches), a half-inch shy of his record throw. Sophomore Gavin Rowell took eighth place and moved into fourth on the program performance list with a toss of 13.59 meters (44 feet, 7 inches).

WOMEN'S RECAP
The Pioneers had a limited group competing on Saturday. In the 60 meters, sophomore Kiera Taylor finished 20th at 7.80 seconds, followed by freshman A'jaylah Yates in 24th at 7.83 seconds and freshman Alonda Shelton at 7.94 seconds for 32nd place.

In the 60 hurdles, sophomore Theresa Green-White finished 31st overall at 9.41 seconds.

Vanderbilt Invitational
Tusculum results
MEN
60: 8. Jordan Taylor, 6.89; 31. Zack Nelson, 7.12; 36. Marquel Pittman, 7.15.
60 hurdles: 19. Jamal Cash, 8.69.
400: 7. Zack Nelson, 48.37; 13. Dorian Craven, 49.00; 28. Stephen Brewer, 49.87.
Mile: 38. Pau Valdepenas, 4:21.20.
3000: 27. Sam Shipp, 8:32.17 (school record).
4x400: 8. Tusculum (Craven, Nelson, Brewer, Bogus), 3:17.98.
Triple jump: 3. Daryl Smith Jr., 15.22m (49-11 1/4) (NCAA qualifier/school record); 15. Joshua Stephens, 14.20m (46-7 1/4).
Shot put: 6. Adrian Gumm, 14.53m (47-8); 8. Gavin Rowell, 13.59m (44-7)