NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Rookie Marissa Coombs continued to make her initial season with the Virginia Wesleyan College track and field team a memorable one during competition in the recent Vince Brown Invitational hosted by Christopher Newport University.
Coombs (Newton, N.J./Kittatinny Regional) emerged as the first Division III runner to crosss the finish line in the mile run, doing it in a VWC program time of 5:17.29. That effort smashed the former VWC mark of 5:23.46 set by Shelby Bryceland in 2013. Coombs' time is also the third fastest in the event so far this season by Old Dominion Athletic Conference athletes.
Another rookie, Michelle Yates (Berryville/Clarke County) set two new Marlin standard. She placed 9th in a field of 40 with a heave of 37 feet, 3.25 inches, which currently ranks No. 2 among ODAC athletes. Yates broke VWC's existing mark of 35-8.75 set by Chelsea Lewis in 2013. She was also VWC first competitor in the weight throw where she recorded a distance of 35-4.5.
First-year Marlins continued to take the spotlight for the women as Rolonda Taylor (Norfolk/Norview) fared well in the jumps. She placed 9th in a field of 50 in the long jump with a leap of 16 feet, 8 inches, currently the fifth best among ODAC jumpers, and cleared a height of 4-10.5 in the high jump to place 13th in a field of 27
Sophomore Trey White (Spotsylvania/Courtland) came through with one of the top efforts of the meet for the Marlin men when he clocked a time of 51.14 in the 400 meter dash. He placed 10th in the field of 66, recording a time that currently ranks No. 1 in the ODAC. Senior Dan Elmore (Warrenton/Fauquier) placed 17th in the event with a time of 52.00, which ranks No. 5 in the ODAC.
Virginia Wesleyan will compete again on Friday, Feb. 20, and Saturday, Feb. 21, at the University of North Carolina Invitational in Chapel Hill.
Vince Brown Invitational complete results
VWC highlights in the VBI:
WOMEN
Mile run -- Marissa Coombs, 5:17.29, RECORD...old record 5:23.46, Shelby Bryceland, 2013
400 -- Shakiella Daniel (Suffolk/Lakeland), 13th of 55, 1:00.97; Tiana Hughes (Stafford/Brooke Point), 25th, 1:02.72
200 -- Tiffany Lennon (Carrollton/Smithfield), 20th of 80, 26.92
Long jump -- Rolonda Taylor, 9th of 50, 16-8
High jump -- Rolonda Taylor, 13th of 27, 4-10-.5
Shot put -- Michelle Yates, 9th of 40, 37-3.25
5K -- Liz Wade (Chesapeake/Great Bridge), 10th of 14, 19:33.81
4x400 -- 4:12.36, Shakiella Daniel, Tiana Hughes, Marissa Coombs, Tiffany Lennon
MEN
Long jump -- Ethan Fowlkes (Quinton/New Kent), 6th of 40, 22-0.75
Triple jump -- Ethan Fowlkes, 12th of 16, 42-3.25
High jump -- Ed Chase (Falls Church/J.E.B. Stuart), 10th of 16, 6-0
60 -- Ethan Fowlkes, 7.63
400 -- Trey White, 51.14, 10th of 66; Dan Elmore, 52.00, 17th
3K -- Trevor Maloney (Houston, Del./Milford), 11th of 30, 9:14.61; Hunter Melius (Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee), 17th, 9:36.86; Matt Cooke (richmond/Heritage), 19th, 9:50.01
--AMDG--
