Track & Field 2k21: Tennessee Relays Saturday Recap

As we entered the second day of the Tennessee Relays, we thought that it would be a balance between the second and third day of events. Due to an expected rough day of weather on Sunday, many of that day's events were squeezed into Saturday's schedule. While the day went a little longer than expected, the University of Tennessee's athletic department and staff did as smooth as possible of a job in making things work. Here's a look at some of the news of Saturday's festivities.

Thirteen sprinters participated in the 100-meter dash as Tennessee's Maia McCoy claimed victory with a personal best time of 11.23. The win is her third straight during outdoor season. The All-American senior also won the 100 meters at the FSU Relays (11.26) and Auburn Tiger Track Classic (11.35). McCoy finished ahead of Cincinnati's Caisja Chandler who also ran a personal best at 11.38. Chandler opened her outdoor season last weekend with a home win at the Oliver Nikoloff Invitational.

One of the national stars of this year's indoor season, Tennessee freshman Joella Lloyd placed third at 11.52 during her first collegiate outdoor meet. Lloyd finished sixth at this year's NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships in the 60 meters.

During the shot put competition, the top three competitors all accomplished personal bests as well. In fact, the top two throwers currently have the best throws in all of the NCAA. Tennessee's Latavia Maines set a school record on her final throw of 17.96. North Dakota State's Akealy Moton was the runner-up with the second best throw of the meet and nation of 17.94, tying Iowa's Laulauga Tausaga who threw the same mark at the B1G North Florida Invitational, last weekend.

Moton's teammate Shelby Gunnells tossed to a mark of 17.78 which is fourth best in the NCAA as of Friday night.

Before the weekend, we made a big deal about Ayesha Champagnie's participation in the heptathlon and she was in the running to at least finish in the top three, but an apparent leg injury in the javelin throw took her out of the competition. Auburn senior Natosha Jordan continued the trend of personal bests, scoring a career high 5,521 points during the competition. Prior to Friday, only three competitors in the NCAA scored as many points in the event this season. Tennessee's Kiara Rhodes was second with 5,223 points and Cincinnati's Katie Straus claimed the third spot scoring 5,200 points.

Tennessee's Britton Wilson started her day with a sweet rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner," before capturing a couple of wins in the 400-meter hurdles and the 1,600-meter relay. In her first outdoor season Wilson topped her runner-up finish of 59.07 at last month's FSU Relays, with a winning time of 58.68 in the 400-meter hurdles. She was the only competitor out of 13 that competed the race under one minute. After that win, she and her teammates won a tight 1,600-meter relay at 3:41.17, just ahead of Middle Tennessee State's 3:41.93 and Pitt's 3:42.74.

Other winners of the day include: 200 Meters - Cincinnati's Caisja Chandler (23.25), 400 Meters - Pitt's Nikki Scherer (53.75), 800 Meters - Richmond's Brooke Fazio (2:03.86), 1,500 Meters - Vanderbilt's Grace Jensen (4:16.74), 5,000 Meters - North Dakota State's Jennie Baragar-Petrash (15.53.40), 10,000 Meters - Louisville's Purity Sanga (34:05.91) 100-Meter Hurdles - Tennesee's Alexis Duncan (13.38), 3,000-Meter Steeplechase - Tennessee's Katie Thronson (10:33.50), 400-Meter Relay - Tennessee (44.26), 1,600-Meter Relay - Tennessee (3:41.17), Discus Throw - Clemson's Veronica Fraley (56.70), Hammer Throw - (Unattached) Annette Echikunwoke (69.32), High Jump - Middle Tennessee's Esther Isa (1.79), Javelin - North Dakota State's Kari Wolfe (54.86), Long Jump - Louisville's Alexis Gibbons (6.22), Pole Vault - Louisville's Gabriela Leon (4.16), Triple Jump - Middle Tennessee State's Esther Isa (13.11).