vols come up short in attempts for ncaa qualifying marks

    BLACKSBURG, Va. -- Three members of the Tennessee men’s track & field team made the trip up I-81, seeking a performance at the Virginia Tech Final Qualifier that would earn them a spot in next week’s NCAA Indoor Championship meet. Unfortunately for the Vol trio, none of the marks they posted on Saturday at Rector Field House accomplished that goal.
     Sophomore Robert Rasnick and junior Joe Berry, however, did conclude the indoor campaign with their best efforts of the season in the pole vault. Each cleared 17 feet 1 1/2 inches, with the mark standing as a career-best for Rasnick. The Vol duo had entered the meet with matching 2010-bests of 17-0 3/4.
     Rasnick wound up in sixth place and Berry eighth after the sophomore cleared the mark of record on his first try, while it took the junior all three attempts to navigate the bar at that height. They each took three stabs at 17-7 3/4 but came up short.
     Also competing for Tennessee was sophomore Desmond Brown in the long jump. He finished eighth with a top mark on Saturday of 23-10 1/4. He has a leap of 25-0 to his credit this season.
     The NCAA will announce its qualifiers for the NCAA meet on Monday. The national championship competition will take place March 12-14 at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark.