VIDEO: David Needs Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn.— The Carson-Newman track and field team will begin to ramp up individual efforts with hopes of improving national rankings and picking up more provisional qualifications as the Eagles send sprinter Kevin Snead (Richmond, Va.) to Clemson for the Tiger Paw Invitational and 10 more athletes to Roanoke College for the Finn Pincus Invitational for competition Friday and Saturday.
Snead, who competed for the first time this season at the JDL Camel City Invitational last weekend, Feb. 3-4, will be looking for better results as the 2016 three-time All-American seeks a provisionally qualification in the men's 60 and 200 meter sprints with the 2017 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships looming in the next three weeks.
The speedster false started in the 60 meter dash during the trial, but rebounded a day later to post a modest 22.74 second time in the 200 meter dash. The time was nearly two seconds off his career-best, however, is not far off from a qualification mark in the event.
In the 60 meter dash, Snead's all-time best came at the UCS Invitational on the JDL fast track on Feb. 20 of last season with a 6.73 second time. Snead went on to finish 10th in the event at the 2016 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships.
Clemson will sport a field of some of the nation's top sprinters in the 60 meter dash that covers the bulk of the Division I landscape.
"We are hoping that Kevin will run the best time that he has ever ran this weekend," coach David Needs said. "Great sprinters run well against great competition. We are hoping that this weekend will help Kevin in his pursuit of being a national champion and to be as successful as possible. We think he belongs there with the very best."
For the rest of C-N athletes who will be in competition this weekend, a group of about 10 will make the voyage to the Roanoke Finn Pincus Invitational with hopes of either provisionally qualifying or improving on their current standings.
In the high jump, both Tanner Stepp (Jefferson City, Tenn.) and Christian Stumpf (Johnson City, Tenn.) will take their courses of action with hopes of climbing up the rankings in the event. Stepp currently sits at a tie for No. 5 in the nation following a 2.11 meter leap at the ETSU David E. Walker Kickoff Classic a week ago. Stumpf's best mark of the season was a 2.07 meter mark at the ETSU Invitational on Jan. 13 and the sophomore is currently No. 17 in all of Division II.
T.J. Davis (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and Kristopher Potts-Howard (Tullahoma, Tenn.) will compete in the men's long jump at the event while Timontrez Eady (Duval County, Fla.) will compete in multiple events. Noah Hill (Nashville, Tenn.) will also compete in the men's 60 meter dash with the hope of breaking the seven-second mark.
For the women, Tiana Mills (Chattanooga, Tenn.) will compete in both the women's long and triple jumps with hopes of improving her national rankings in the two events. Mills is currently ranked No. 26 in the nation in the long jump and 32nd in the triple.
Cassie Smith (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Madison Pickel (Sevierville, Tenn.) will both compete in the women's 60 and 200 meter dash while C-N's pole vaulting duo of Tori Gaul (Salisbury, N.C.) and Marshall Shank (Granite Quarry, N.C.) will also look to post qualifying marks.
"We have some athletes who are going to Roanoke who have already provisionally qualified like Tiana, T.J., Tanner and Christian, and they are in a position to where they are trying to improve their placement," needs said. "They are in a position now that might change here in the next few weeks.
"We have some others who are trying to build on strong showings in weeks past in order to make that provisionally qualifying mark. Finally, we have a few that may not have a qualifying mark in sight, but are still working to improve and to break into a new tier of competition. This weekend should be a great opportunity for all of our athletes to keep improving."
Keep up with Carson-Newman track and field over the weekend by following the club's Twitter account at @CN_Track for live updates throughout the competition. Tune into cneagles.com for complete recaps following both Friday and Saturday.
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