Freshman Key Track's Future

By Larry Leathers

Hurdler Amanda Mullins-Hall and a trio of improving distance runners are among a solid freshman class that has Vanderbilt women's track and field coaches eagerly anticipating the future.

Mullins-Hall of Cincinnati, distance runner Erika Schneble of Hendersonville, N.C., miler Caitlin Shannon of DePere, Wisc., and distance runner Jackie Wachsman of Upper Brookville, N.Y., have been among the team's top performers in the early season and look to improve as the squad enters the outdoor season.

The Vanderbilt track and field squad, under the direction of Lori Shepard, is underway with an outdoor season that will take them to Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Iowa, Ohio and Indiana. The team also hosts the Vanderbilt Invitational at its new facility on Friday and Saturday, April 18-19.

With just six seniors, Shepard's squad will count on the freshmen production from Mullins-Hall, Schneble, Shannon, Wachsman and several other promising athletes from the class, including Anna Bishop, Latisha Bryant, Anna-Laura Morgan, Joanna Serago and Garnetta Holloway.

"It will be interesting to watch their progress because there is a lot of talent among our freshmen athletes," Shepard said. "As the team adds conditioning during the season, we could see a lot of improvement in this group."

Early in the season, Mullins-Hall, Schneble and Shannon were among the list of top Commodore performers led by sophomore heptathete/high jumper Josie Hahn.

In her first collegiate outdoor meet, Mullins-Hall qualified for the NCAA Regionals with a 14:06 clocking in the 100-meter hurdles. The lanky Mullins-Hall, a four-time All-State performer in Ohio, should improve at her specialty and is working with former Commodore All-American Ryan Tolbert at 400-meter hurdles. Mullins-Hall, who barely missed qualifying for the NCAA Indoor Championships this season, also provides a solid leg on the Commodores' 4x400 relay squad.

Schneble and Shannon have been outstanding contributors since their arrival on campus. Schneble progressed steadily during cross country under Coach Jim Spivey, ending the season as the team's No. 1 runner and the ninth best finisher at the NCAA Cross Country Regionals. Schneble carried the form into indoor track season, winning three races and running the third fastest indoor 5,000 meters in school history. Shannon lowered her mile personal record in three races during indoor season. In the SEC Indoor finals, she took more than eight seconds off her personal best with a time of 4:58.40. Wachsman began making an impression late in the indoor season, finishing second in the 5,000 meters at the Saluki Invitational with a collegiate best of 18:27.99.

Others have plenty of talent. The coaches expect a big outdoor season from versatile Bryant, who can earn points at 400 and 800 meters as well as jumping events. Bryant has the talent to run top five all-time Vanderbilt times at either 400 or 800 distance, and offers excellent potential at the 4x400-meter relay. Bishop showed potential in the steeplechase at the Tuscaloosa meet, capturing ninth place in 12:28.37. It was her first effort at track's only event that includes a hurdle and water obstacle.