Underclassmen Leave Imprint on Final Day of C-USA Indoor Track and Field Championships

HOUSTON - The foundation looks to be settling for the Tulane University track and field program under first year head coach Eric Peterson. The Green Wave had ten different athletes compete on the final day of the Conference USA Indoor Championships at Yeoman Fieldhouse on the University of Houston campus, with seven of those athletes holding freshman or sophomore status. Jamie Riles improved on her 400-meter times, finishing sixth in the finals, but improved on her career best mark that she set yesterday.

“Though we leave the indoor championships disappointed in our overall performance, we are encouraged in the progress our squad has made to this point of the season and are looking forward moving the program forward,” said Tulane head coach Eric Peterson. “We have a core of young student-athletes in our system that are talented, with the right attitude, and we will continue to build on that as we grow and develop through the outdoor season.”

Freshman sprinter Jamie Riles was one of just three rookie athletes to advance from the trials on Saturday afternoon to a final heat on Saturday on the women’s side. Riles continued to improve on her performance in the 400-meter dash by setting a new personal best in the event at 56.20, besting her prelims time of 56.93.

“Jamie has been a very coachable young woman and, watching her perform today, you can see the strides she has made this season,” said coach Peterson. “I am very proud of her. She has a great work ethic and a very vibrant personality and is very deserving of the type of finish that she had at the championships today.”

 

In the mile run, junior Rebecca Coady ran the fastest time in her heat, posting a career-best time of 5:02.19 on the flat oval in Houston. Coady finished in ninth in the event after the second heat was completed A trio of Green Wave runners competed in the 3000 meter run, led by sophomore Julia Whitrock with a time of 10:17.61. Fellow second-year competitor Jessica Dallager and rookie Katherine Crabtreeplaced 36th and 37th, respectively, with times of 11:01.06 and 11:17.97.

The youth movement continued in the lone relay event of the day as coach Peterson’s 4x400 meter relay squad was comprised of three freshman and a senior. Freshman Candice St. EtienneJerica Banks and Riles joined senior Olivia Kizzee to post an eighth place finish in a time of 3:50.28.

In the field events, Taku Nicolette followed up her career-best showing in the long jump with a leap of 11.97-meter in the triple jump. In the shot put, Arielle Minor claimed a distance of 11.39-meters in her second of three throws in the finals.

The Green Wave track and field program will now turn its attention to the outdoor season which starts on March 19 at the Louisiana Classic in Lafayette.

 

Results

 

400-meter Run

6. Jamie Riles  56.20

 

3000-meter Run

22. Julia Whitrock  10:17.61

36. Jessica Dallager  11:01.06

37. Katherine Crabtree  11:17.97

 

Shot Put

16. Arielle Minor  11.38m

 

Triple Jump

11. Nicolette Taku  11.97m

 

4x400-meter Relay

8.  Tulane  3:50.28