Potts-Howard leads C-N into Tennessee Challenge
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn.—The Carson-Newman outdoor track and field team will resume activates Saturday, May 6, at the Tennessee Challenge as coach David Needs again sends a select number of individuals to the nearby Division I powerhouse with hopes of improving national qualifying marks in preparation for the 2017 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships that is set to take place at the tail end of May in Bradenton, Fla.
VIDEO: David Needs Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn.—The Carson-Newman outdoor track and field team will resume activates Saturday, May 6, at the Tennessee Challenge as coach David Needs again sends a select number of individuals to the nearby Division I powerhouse with hopes of improving national qualifying marks in preparation for the 2017 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships that is set to take place at the tail end of May in Bradenton, Fla.
"We are excited about the opportunity this weekend because anytime you can got go the University of Tennessee, it's a good thing," Needs said. "It's a great opportunity for our kids to go and run and jump in this venue. For some of our kids, this will be their last meet of the year, so we are looking forward to it."
A total of 15 C-N athletes will make the voyage to Knoxville, Tenn. Saturday morning to take part in the all-day event. Individuals from the distance, jumpers and sprint groups make up the tally while some look to build on positive outings in their last couple of meets.
One for example is Eagle jumper Kristofer Potts-Howard (Tullahoma, Tenn.). The sophomore made his presence known the last time the club was at the facility on March 25 for the Tennessee Rust Buster by collecting personal-bests in both the long and triple jumps en route to top-10 marks in each.
In the long jump during the meet, Potts-Howard came out of nowhere to secure a second-place finish with a 7.44 meter mark. The jump was the second-longest in program history, sitting only behind C-N's 1977 National Champion Larry Cooke's 7.62 meters. The jumper will also take part in the triple jump once again this go around at the Big Orange capital.
"Kris is special form the standpoint of his improvement. He has really put himself in a position to be successful and to do some great things this year," Needs said. "I really look forward to Kris improving on that 7.44 meter long jump mark and to really make a difference. If he can do that, then we can long him into nationals."
Joining Potts-Howard in the long jump Saturday afternoon will be three-time South Atlantic Conference long jumping champion T.J. Davis (Chattanooga, Tenn.). The senior, along with the former, are coming off impressive showings at the 123rd running of the historic Penn Relays last weekend on April 30.
On the women's side for the horizontal jumps, Tiana Mills (Chattanooga, Tenn.) will compete in both the long and triple jumps while freshman Shelby Reynolds will also take part in the long jump. Mills is coming off a SAC championship in the long jump while also finishing second in the league in the triple.
Tanner Stepp (Jefferson City, Tenn.) and Christian Stumpf (Johnson City, Tenn.) are set to take off in the men's high jump over the weekend as both are provisional qualifiers in the event already on the season. Though the former came up just short with a second-place finish at the SAC Championships three weeks ago, Stepp impressed at the Penn Relays with a third-place finish of 2.12 meters in the elite sector of the men's high jump.
Other notable Eagle athletes who will be taking part in competition Saturday afternoon will be Tori Gaul (Salisbury, N.C.) in the women's pole vault, Caleb Agee in the men's 400 meter hurdles and Holly Talbut-Smith in the women's 400 meter hurdles.
After being injured for the greater portion of the 2016-17 track and field season, Gaul found her stride at the SAC Championships with a second-place finish of 3.61 meters. The junior and the league's inaugural Elite 18 award winner looks to clear a qualifying height in order to make her second-straight trip to the national stage.
Both Agee and Talbut-Smith have performed well during the outdoor season in the 400 meter hurdles as the former claimed the SAC championship in the event as a freshman with a time of 55.26 seconds while the latter finished sixth in the conference with a trip to the finals round.
Live stats of Saturday's events can be found by clicking here and be sure to keep up with the team by following the club's Twitter account at @CN_Track for continual updates throughout the day of events.
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