Top talent await Eagles at Tennessee Challenge

Top talent await Eagles at Tennessee Challenge

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Carson-Newman men and women's track and field teams will have athletes compete in the Tennessee Challenge hosted by the University of Tennessee in preparation for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the end of May.

Representing the men will be senior Randall Freeman (Ooltewah, Tenn.), sophomore TJ Davis (Ooltewah, Tenn.) and freshman Tanner Stepp (Jefferson City, Tenn.). Both Davis and Stepp qualified for Nationals earlier in the season and Freeman plans to do the same this weekend.

Coach David Needs said, "We have several individuals seeking to go to Nationals. This meet should provide them the opportunity to show that is where they belong,"

Davis will be competing in the men's long and triple jump and Stepp will be competing in the men's high jump, events each athlete previously qualified in for the National Meet.

Freeman will be competing in the men's shot put, javelin and triple jump.

I think this weekend is an excellent opportunity to show our progression as a team, and program. Being the only D-II team competing, we have the ability to make a lot of noise against top competition," Freeman said. 

Representing the women will be junior Shauntae Miller (Bahamas), freshmen Gabrielle Fewell (Knoxville, Tenn.), Samantha Gudger (Kingsport, Tenn.) and Tori Gaul (Salisbury, N.C.) and sophomores Kristin Chapman, and Tiana Mills.

Miller will be competing in the women's 200 and 400m Dash. Both Fewell and Gaul will be competing in the women's 400m Hurdles; Gaul will also participate in the women's pole vault.

Grudger and Chapman will each participate in the women's high jump, while Mills will compete in both the women's long and triple jump.

Of the women, Mills is the only who has previously qualified for the D-II National Championships in the women's triple jump.

"Anytime we go to the University of Tennessee, we know our athletes will bring their very best. I don't expect this time to be any different," Needs said.

The Tennessee Challenge is an invitation only meet. The action begins Saturday at Tom Black Track..

Check back to cneagles.com for recap and results following the day's events. And don't forget to follow us @CNAthletics on Twitter for updates and other Carson-Newman athletics information.

-CN-