Vensherrie Campbell Earns Drake Relays’ Placing With Second Longest Discus Throw of Career 4/27/03

Des Moines, Ia. - Junior Vensherrie Campbell’s 152’5” discus throw Friday was the top performance among a dozen Vanderbilt track and field participants at the 94th annual Drake Relays.

Campbell’s toss, good for seventh place, is the second longest of her career and continues her excellent recent form. Just one week ago, Campbell set a personal best in the discus of 153’5” and a school record in the hammer throw to win individual titles at the Vanderbilt Invitational.

In other Drake Relays action, Ryan Tolbert, a former Commodore all-American and the school’s only individual national champion, ran her yearly best in the 400-meter hurdles with a 56.95 effort, good for second overall. Tolbert, who also serves as a Vanderbilt assistant coach, is hoping to qualify for the United States national squad later this year at the USATF Championships.

With the team in the middle of final exams on campus, Coach Lori Shepard sent a partial unit to the Drake Relays. Another limited Commodore squad could compete next weekend at the IUPUI Invitational in Indianapolis, which will serve as the final preliminary before the Southeastern Conference Championships. The SEC meet is scheduled May 14-17 in Knoxville.

Besides Campbell’s discus throw, the Commodores’ next best performance was turned in by the sprint medley relay unit of Vanessa Lagios, Amanda Mullins-Hall, Latisha Bryant and Cicely Campbell. The quartet finished seventh overall with a 3:58.95 clocking.

Also placing for the Commodores was the 4x800-meter squad of Joy Parker, Caitlin Shannon, Alisa Cotter and Colleen Byrne. They finished eighth in 8:59.93.