Bradenton, Fla.—Carson-Newman athletes Tori Gaul (Salisbury, N.C.) and Kevin Snead (Richmond, Va.) wrapped up day one of competition for the Eagles with a 19^th-place finish in the women's pole vault and a finals qualification time in the men's 100 meter dash at the 2016 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Bradenton, Fla.

Gaul and Snead represent two of the Carson-Newman-high four athletes sent to the 2016 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Both competitors set and reset program records in their events numerous times throughout the season and made their second trip to the NCAA Championships on the year.

The Salisbury, N.C. native, Gaul, kicked things off for the Eagles with a 19^th-place showing overall in the women's pole vault. The sophomore cleared the opening bar of 3.65 meters on her third try before failing to surpass 3.75 meters in the next round.

Coming into competition ranked-20^th in Division II, Gaul placed above two other contestants, Christina Carr from UC San Diego and Kutztown's Emma Sullivan, who never cleared the initial height.

Gaul's sophomore campaign comes to an end on Thursday, the same day the scholar was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District first team. After clearing a high-mark of 3.81 meters at the High Point Vertklasse Meeting on April 1, Gaul was awarded to the All-Southeast Region team for the third time in her career.  

The sophomore also made headlines during the indoor season while notching a career-best at the UCS Invitational on Feb. 20^th after recording a mark of 3.90 meters and made her first trip to the national stage at the 2016 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships in early March.

Though the 2016 journey ended Thursday for the pole vaulter, Gaul was a two-time region champion while also claiming the South Atlantic Conference title in the event as well on the year.

"We are certainly proud of Tori and what she did today and what she has accomplished all year long," coach David Needs said. "She came in here and finished higher than where she was seeded. She cleared a bar and that is certainly a good thing for suffering a hamstring injury so late in the season. To be where she was, we were very pleased."

Carson-Newman's other participant on the day was Snead in the men's 100 meter prelims race. Needing to make the top-eight overall to move on to the finals round Saturday evening, Snead placed-sixth overall with a time of 10.40 seconds.

The sprinter finished second-overall in heat No. 3 which featured three other runners that made the cut into the final round.

Coming into the contest, the junior was the No. 1 seed after running a season-best time of 10.21 seconds at the Aggie Last Chance Meet on May 15. Snead, along with the seven others who qualified, will move on to the finals round of the men's 100 meter Saturday night at 6:35 p.m.

Next on the docket for the sprinter will be the 200 meter dash prelims set to take place Friday evening at 5:35 p.m.

"We are excited about Kevin qualifying for the finals round in the 100 meter dash. Like we have said countless times, no one has ever won a national championship without running in the finals. You have to be out there and he got there," Needs said. "So, we are really happy about that and we know that he will run a better time against some of the very best on Saturday. We get to run the qualifying race for the 200 meter tomorrow and we are again excited about that. Kevin isn't one of those guys that are just happy to be there. He wants to win.

"It was a great day and it was a busy day. Tomorrow will be another busy day and hopefully Saturday will be even busier than that if everything goes right."

Keep up with Gaul and the rest of the Carson-Newman track and field athletes competing at the 2016 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships at cneagles.com and on twitter at @CNathletics.  

Carson-Newman Results

Tori Gaul: Pole Vault: 19^th- 3.65 meters

Kevin Snead: 100 Meter Dash Prelims: 6^th-10.40 seconds

-CN-