Mullins-Hall, Hahn, Campbell, Wachsman, Shannon Have Solid Performances at Alabama Relays Saturday

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Performances by freshman hurdler Amanda Mullins-Hall, sophomore high jumper Josie Hahn, junior thrower Vensherrie Campbell and freshman distance runners Caitlan Shannon and Jackie Wachsman provided Vanderbilt women’s track highlights Saturday at the Alabama Relays.

Mullins-Hall, coming off a solid indoor season, finished fourth in the 100-meter hurdles with a 14.06 clocking, fourth fastest ever by a Commodore hurdler. The effort is significant to Mullins-Hall because it qualifies her for the important NCAA Region Meet later this season.

Hahn finished third in the high jump with an effort of 5’5” after winning the heptathlon Friday. Hahn cleared 5’7.75” in the heptathon competition Thursday, a height that would have won the open competition Saturday. She set the school’s outdoor mark of 5’9.25” last year.

Campbell, returning from an injury, displayed her best form in recent months. Her shot put effort of 43’9.75” was good for fifth place and fell short of her personal best by just three inches.

Wachsman continues to show improvement with his distance form. Wachsman earned sixth place in her first attempt at the 3,000-meter steeplechase, running 11:58.97. She becomes the second fastest Commodore ever at the distance behind Kylene Kownurko, who captured the SEC outdoor steeplechase title last year. Wachsman was followed by another Vanderbilt freshman, Anna Bishop, who finished ninth in 12:28.37.

Shannon finished eighth in the highly competitive 1,500 meters with a time of 4:42.31. Fifth-year Commodore senior Colleen Byrne made her first appearance of the season in the event, running 4:45.60.

In the 800 meters, Commodores’ Cicely Campbell, Joy Parker and Latisha Bryant ran 2:16.36, 2:16.65 and 2:17.06, respectively.

Day 1

Josie Hahn Wins Heptathlon at Alabama Relays Friday; 28 Commodores To Compete This Weekend In First Outdoor Meet 3/21/03

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Two excellent performances late in the seven-event heptathlon pushed Vanderbilt sophomore Josie Hahn to an individual victory Friday at the Alabama Relays.

Hahn, second after the first four heptathlon events staged on Thursday, overcame the field with a strong javelin throw and solid closing 800 meters to win the competition with 5,143 points, 11 points better by former Crimson Tide athlete Oluchi Elechi. Commodore fifth-year senior Kyshia Ewing was 12th in the event after a disappointing 100-meter hurdle performance in the first heptathlon event on Thursday.

Hahn and Ewing will be joined by 26 teammates this weekend at the Alabama Relays, the season’s first outdoor meet. It also marks the meet this season, indoors or outdoors, for Ewing and distance runner Colleen Byrne. The meet features an array of individual events Saturday and team relay races on Sunday.

Hahn’s early-season performance ranks among the best ever by a Vanderbilt heptathlete, but does not establish a personal record for the native of Clinton, Tenn. In 2002, Hahn finished third in the U.S. Junior National Trials with a 5,259-point effort. The Commodore record, 5,399 points by Julie Walk, was set at the 1999 SEC Championships.

Coming off a fourth-place finish at the SEC Indoor Championships, Hahn started the event with four solid performances on Thursday: 14.96 (100-meter hurdles), 5’7.75 (high jump), 37’6.5 (shot put) and 26.55 (200 meters). After falling from second to fifth place following a 17’6 long jump, Hahn blitzed the competition in the last two events, tossing the javelin 123’4 and running 800 meters in 2:24.39. Only one other performer in the competition could top Hahn’s effort in either event.

The performance is an indicator that Hahn could contend at the SEC Outdoor Championships this May at Knoxville. Last month, she finished fourth in the SEC Indoor pentathlon.

Most of the Commodores travelling to the University of Alabama will compete Saturday and Sunday. Other Vanderbilt athletes competing in the meet include:
• Cyndy Merse, 10,000 meters
• Paige Roberts and Laura Miller, pole vault
• Courtney Shaughnessy, 5,000 meters
• Vensherrie Campbell, discus, shot put and hammer throw
• Amanda Mullins-Hall, Hahn and Ewing, 100-meter hurdles
• Michelle Young and Caressa Liggins, 100 meters
• Andrea Andrews and Katrina Brewer, long jump
• Latisha Bryant, Cicely Campbell, Joy Parker and Alisa Cotter, 800 meters
• Jackie Wachsman, 3000-meter steeplechase
• Avocato, Ewing and Hahn, high jump
• Adams, Brewer and Liggins, 200 meters
• Mary Baldwin, Vanessa Lagios, Mullins-Hall and former Commodore Ryan Tolbert, 400-meter hurdles
• Colleen Byrne, Nadiyah Humber and Caitlin Shannon, 1,500 meters
• Anna-Laura Morgan and Tolbert, 400 meters
• Adams and Brewer, triple jump
• Parker, Byrne, Cotter and Cicely Campbell, 4x800-meter relay
• Hahn, javelin
• Andrews, Mullins-Hall, Ewing and Lagios, sprint medley
• Wachsman, Shaughnessy, Anna Bishop and Angeline Cione, 4x1500-meter relay
• Liggins, Brewer, Andrews and Morgan, 4x200-meter relay
• Shannon, Adams, Byrne and Humber, 4x400-meter relay