NASHVILLE, Tenn. — For its first 2015-16 indoor effort, Austin Peay State University track and field team has a lot to hang its hat on after the Vanderbilt Indoor Opener, Saturday, at the Vanderbilt Indoor Multi-purpose facility.
The Govs best finish came thanks to the legs of junior Chancis Jones, who placed third in a stacked long jump field with a 5.86m (19-2.75) leap. Not only was that a personal-best for the 2015 NCAA East Preliminary participant, it bested all indoor long jump marks by a Governor last season.
Two Austin Peay track stand-outs finished just outside the top three in their respective events. Junior Myiah Johnson kicked off the track portion of the event with a fourth-place, 8.72 run in the 60m hurdles, while senior Kymmalett Ross followed a short while later with a fourth-place, personal-best 7.62 mark in the 60m dash.
With Breigh Jones trying her hand at the 800m on Saturday, junior Terri Morris led the way for Austin Peay’s 400m runner, posting a fifth-place, 56.67 run that bested all nine of her 400m attempts, both indoor and outdoor, from last season.
Senior Michella Carter began her final campaign with a strong showing in the shot put. The Memphis native’s 12.02m (39-5.5) toss earned her sixth place honors, and she was the top thrower in the event’s first flight.
A trio of freshmen found nice marks in the field events for Austin Peay. Nia Gibbs-Francis hit 1.61m (5-3.25) in the high jump, placing her ninth and equaling Austin Peay’s best indoor high jump from a year ago. Newcomers Dascha Hix and Savannah Amato both cleared 3.45m (11-3.75) in the pole vault, the best indoor vault mark by a Governor since the 2009-10 season.
Austin Peay’s 4x400m relay team of Jones, Ross, Morris and Allysha Scott closed the day with a fourth-place, 3:52.17 mark—nearly four-tenths of a second better than last season’s opening-weekend showing by Austin Peay’s top relay quartet.
The Govs will take a break for the Christmas holiday and return to action Jan. 10 at the Ed Temple Invitational, hosted by Tennessee State.