Areson Autos, Breaks UT Record

Jackie Areson broke the school record in the 3000 meters in Happy Valley for the second straight season, automatically qualifying for the NCAA Championship meet and collecting one of four Tennessee victories on Saturday at the Penn State National.
Areson ran away with the race in a time of nine minutes, 1.91 seconds to shatter her previous UT best of 9:07.27 (set here in 2010) and punch her ticket to indoor nationals on March 11-12 in College Station, Texas. The current NCAA leader in the 3K, Areson also toppled the meet and facility standards with her effort in the invitational division. Classmate Liz Costello, who is performing extremely well after transferring to UT from Princeton for her final season, took second in a career-best 9:15.39. She remains No. 2 in the nation and No. 8 all-time at UT with that mark.
“Jackie is coming into her own and has been able to do some quality things in her career,” UT Director of Track & Field J.J. Clark said. “To surpass her PR and break the school record by six seconds and qualify for the NCAA meet with the fastest time in the nation is a great accomplishment.
“Liz ran together with Jackie for quite a while tonight and got another PR as well. She is doing a nice job after having a couple of years off from the indoor scene, and we’re excited about where she is headed.”
In the Invitational 800 meters, junior Chanelle Price was the top collegiate finisher and placed second overall in a season-best 2:05.61. Entering the meet ranked second in the NCAA, Price improved her time more than two seconds to move to the top of the NCAA descending order list this season.
“Chanelle is coming into form,” Clark said. “She improved her season best by two seconds with the fastest time in the nation today. I am very happy with the progress she is making.”
Also picking up victories were sophomore Nijgia Snapp in the Invitational 500m (1:10.92), junior Brittany Sheffey in the 1000m (2:48.46) and sophomore Martinique Octave in the 400m (55.68). Snapp’s time was the No. 4 readout in Lady Vol history behind the efforts of UT greats Cathy Rattray and Phoebe Wright, while Sheffey’s performance makes her the school’s No. 5 women’s performer at that distance.
“We knew Nijgia was very talented, and she continues to display her ability,” Clark said. “To run a time in an event where only those two decorated athletes stand in front of you is quite impressive.
“Brittany and Martinique are coming along nicely as well. Brittany is in a good place right now after running another PR, and Martinique continues to show consistent improvement. Coach Seagrave is getting her ready, and I am very proud of what she did today.”
Tennessee picked up two more runner-up efforts. Varick Tucker posted a PR of 48.41 in the men’s 400m to earn his, while the Lady Vol 4x400m relay crossed the line second in a season-best 3:40.81 with junior Ellen Wortham, Snapp, Price and Octave carrying the baton.
In the men’s heptathlon, Kevin Carney wrapped up his first college outing in this event since 2009, taking fifth with a career-best score of 4,848 points. Carney closed out the seven-event competition by placing seventh in the 60m hurdles (8.86), tied for second with a career-best in the pole vault (13-9 1/4) and came in fourth in the 1000m in 2:56.41. He had finished seventh here with 4,717 points two seasons ago.
Other noteworthy efforts for the Big Orange included freshman Brittney Jackson taking fourth in the 500m at 1:15.20, UT’s 4x800m relay tandem of sophomore Elizabeth Altizer, Jackson, freshman Amber Zimmerman and senior Kim White checking in fifth and freshman Justin Hunter placing eighth in the high jump with a leap of 6-8 3/4.
At the Rod McCravy Memorial in Lexington, Ky., where most of UT’s men were competing, Deaundra Dailey had a hand in the top two finishes by the UT men. In addition to taking eighth in the 400m in a career-best 48.16, the junior led off the Vols’ 4×4, which finished third in a season-best 3:13.05. Dailey shared the baton with sophomore Terry Benson and freshmen Jarael Nelvis and Dentarius Locke, as they improved upon the Big Orange’s previous season best of 3:15.04.
“On the men’s side, we are continuing to make strides,” Clark said. “The 4×4 ran a season best in Lexington, Terry Benson had a PR in the hurdles, Deaundra Dailey had a PR in the 400m and Jarael Nelvis continues to show good signs in the sprints. Kevin finished his first heptathlon since joining us, and a lot of others are coming along in the time frame I like, which means the coaching staff is doing a good job of preparing them to peak at the right time.”