Track teams stay strong as season winds down
Timothy Henshaw
Issue date: 4/16/09 Section: Sports
The running Mocs produced yet another solid showing this season at the Sea Ray Relays in Knoxville. Junior Anneli Uys, Somerville, Australia, qualified for the NCAA regional meet with a time of 4.27.18 in the 1500-meter run while Lauren Anderson, sophomore from Greeneville, Tenn., junior Shelley Taylor, Cohutta, Ga., and senior Emily Wood, Kingsport, Tenn., teamed up with Uys and took second in the women's 4-by-800 as well as the 4-by-1500.
The running Mocs finished second to Villanova in the 4-by-800 and Tennessee in the 4-by-1500.
Coach Gautier talked a little about the 4-by-800. "We beat UT in [that] relay, so that's always exciting."
The men's team was not as successful but still had a solid weekend, managing to take seventh in both key relays - the 4-by-800 and 4-by-1500 - despite some unfortunate events.
Freshman Chris Berry, Murfreesboro, Tenn., had his shoe stepped on in the second race and finished without it and then was one-half of a bad-handoff in the 4-by-800 with junior Blake Ketron, Kingsport, Tenn.
One consistent bright spot for the Mocs indoor and outdoor track seasons has been senior Emily Wood. She has gotten better and better as she has gotten older according to Coach Gautier.
Having already graduated from UTC in August with a degree in Criminal Justice, Wood is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in public administration and planning to graduate in the spring of 2010.
She does not see herself continuing her track career after college, but rather would like to get a job in the FBI or "something like that."
"She's the perfect example of a student-athlete," Gautier said.
Wood said of her performance on the track that "having the other girls to be competitive really pushed me to get better. I was not a highly-recruited high school athlete, but I trained really hard. I didn't want to fall behind."
Wood's hard work both on and off the track has led to a great career at UTC.
She currently holds the school record in the 800 with a time of 2.13.76, and hopes to qualify for the NCAA's in her final season at UTC.
The running Mocs finished second to Villanova in the 4-by-800 and Tennessee in the 4-by-1500.
Coach Gautier talked a little about the 4-by-800. "We beat UT in [that] relay, so that's always exciting."
The men's team was not as successful but still had a solid weekend, managing to take seventh in both key relays - the 4-by-800 and 4-by-1500 - despite some unfortunate events.
Freshman Chris Berry, Murfreesboro, Tenn., had his shoe stepped on in the second race and finished without it and then was one-half of a bad-handoff in the 4-by-800 with junior Blake Ketron, Kingsport, Tenn.
One consistent bright spot for the Mocs indoor and outdoor track seasons has been senior Emily Wood. She has gotten better and better as she has gotten older according to Coach Gautier.
Having already graduated from UTC in August with a degree in Criminal Justice, Wood is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in public administration and planning to graduate in the spring of 2010.
She does not see herself continuing her track career after college, but rather would like to get a job in the FBI or "something like that."
"She's the perfect example of a student-athlete," Gautier said.
Wood said of her performance on the track that "having the other girls to be competitive really pushed me to get better. I was not a highly-recruited high school athlete, but I trained really hard. I didn't want to fall behind."
Wood's hard work both on and off the track has led to a great career at UTC.
She currently holds the school record in the 800 with a time of 2.13.76, and hopes to qualify for the NCAA's in her final season at UTC.
