University of Memphis Athletics
Sunday, May 15
Orlando, Fla.
University of Memphis
vs
American Athletic Conference Championships
Photo by: Jason Roberts
Greenlee, Vaughn Win Crowns At The American Championships Sunday
May 15, 2016 | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field
Men's team finishes third, women's squad seventh.
ORLANDO, Fla. – The University of Memphis men's and women's track and field programs added two more crowns in final-day action at the 2016 American Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships Sunday, wrapping up a successful weekend at the UCF Soccer and Track Complex.
Juniors Chardae Greenlee and Luke Vaughn notched league individual titles in the women's triple jump and men's shot put, respectively. Greenlee won her second-consecutive women's triple jump championship with a mark of 42-9 (13.03m). She took last year's triple jump title with her school-record mark of 44-2.5 (13.47m).
Vaughn, who won last year's conference discus title, added the shot put crown to his trophy case Sunday. He won the men's shot put with a personal-best 60-0.5 (18.03m) toss.
Greenlee and Vaughn led the Tigers women's and men's squads, respectively, to solid performances in the final team standings. The Memphis women placed seventh with 86 team points, which was just 11 points shy of a top-three finish. The Tigers' 86 points were the most by a Memphis women's team at a conference championships meet since 1996. At the 1996 Conference USA Outdoor Championships, the Tigers women posted 102 points for a third-place finish.
On the men's side, Memphis had its second top-three team performance in the last three seasons (all in The American). The Tigers were second at the 2014 American Athletic Conference Championships.
The Memphis men had two other top-three finishes on the day. LaForrest Church, who won the league's 800 meters indoor title in February, placed second in the 800 meters Sunday. Church was second in a time of 1:49.77. The other top-three finish came in the 400-meter hurdles with Aaron Persinger's third-place performance (52.10).
The Tigers men's 4x400 meter relay nearly reached the school record with its fourth-place finish Sunday. The relay team of Christopher Walker, Alex Klatt, Juan Paul Green and Church ran a 3:09.06, which was only :00.26 off the 1978 school record of 3:08.80.
The Tigers women's team added one fourth-place performance and four fifth-place finishes to go along with Greenlee's crown. Martina Rodriguez Sala placed fourth in the 1500 meters (4:28.06).
The squad's four fifth-place finishes came courtesy of Chelsea Ladd in the 5000 meters (17:04.61), Martine Bye in the high jump (5-7; 1.70m), Melinda Murdock in the 400-meter hurdles (1:00.89) and the 4x400 meter relay (3:40.95). Murdock's 1:00.89 in the 400-meter hurdles was a personal-best.
Men's Team Standings (Final): Â 1. Houston, 203; 2. Connecticut, 148; 3. MEMPHIS, 97; 4. USF, 92.5; 5. East Carolina, 91; 6. Tulsa, 85; 7. Cincinnati, 72; 8. Tulane, 24.5
Memphis Men's Results
400m – 5. Juan Paul Green, 47.85; 6. Christopher Walker, 48.04
800m – 2. LaForrest Church, 1:49.77; 5. Alex Klatt, 1:51.47
400m hurdles – 3. Aaron Persinger, 52.10; 4. Jason Kimmet, 52.45
Shot Put – 1. Luke Vaughn, 60-0.5 (18.30m)
4x100m relay – 5. Memphis (Christopher Walker, Davon DeMoss, Jason Kimmet, Luis Hannsler), 41.37
4x400m relay – 4. Memphis (Christopher Walker, Alex Klatt, Juan Paul Green, LaForrest Church), 3:09.06
Women's Team Standings (Final):Â 1.Cincinnati, 111; 2. UCF, 98; 3. Connecticut, 97; 4. East Carolina, 93; 5. Tulane 90; 6. SMU, 89; 7. MEMPHIS, 86; 8. Houston, 66; 9. Temple, 37; 10. USF, 29; 11. Tulsa, 22
Memphis Women's Results
400m – 7. Destinee Lansden, 55.41
1500m – 4. Martina Rodriguez Sala, 4:28.06
5000m – 5. Chelsea Ladd, 17:04.61
400m hurdles – 5. Melinda Murdock, 1:00.89; 6. Derriana Parrish, 1:02.03
High jump – 5. Martine Bye, 5-7 (1.70m)
Triple jump – 1. Chardae Greenlee, 42-9 (13.03m)
4x400m relay – 5. Memphis (Melinda Murdock, Derriana Parrish, Destinee Lansden, Rebeka Holt), 3:40.95
Juniors Chardae Greenlee and Luke Vaughn notched league individual titles in the women's triple jump and men's shot put, respectively. Greenlee won her second-consecutive women's triple jump championship with a mark of 42-9 (13.03m). She took last year's triple jump title with her school-record mark of 44-2.5 (13.47m).
Vaughn, who won last year's conference discus title, added the shot put crown to his trophy case Sunday. He won the men's shot put with a personal-best 60-0.5 (18.03m) toss.
Greenlee and Vaughn led the Tigers women's and men's squads, respectively, to solid performances in the final team standings. The Memphis women placed seventh with 86 team points, which was just 11 points shy of a top-three finish. The Tigers' 86 points were the most by a Memphis women's team at a conference championships meet since 1996. At the 1996 Conference USA Outdoor Championships, the Tigers women posted 102 points for a third-place finish.
On the men's side, Memphis had its second top-three team performance in the last three seasons (all in The American). The Tigers were second at the 2014 American Athletic Conference Championships.
The Memphis men had two other top-three finishes on the day. LaForrest Church, who won the league's 800 meters indoor title in February, placed second in the 800 meters Sunday. Church was second in a time of 1:49.77. The other top-three finish came in the 400-meter hurdles with Aaron Persinger's third-place performance (52.10).
The Tigers men's 4x400 meter relay nearly reached the school record with its fourth-place finish Sunday. The relay team of Christopher Walker, Alex Klatt, Juan Paul Green and Church ran a 3:09.06, which was only :00.26 off the 1978 school record of 3:08.80.
The Tigers women's team added one fourth-place performance and four fifth-place finishes to go along with Greenlee's crown. Martina Rodriguez Sala placed fourth in the 1500 meters (4:28.06).
The squad's four fifth-place finishes came courtesy of Chelsea Ladd in the 5000 meters (17:04.61), Martine Bye in the high jump (5-7; 1.70m), Melinda Murdock in the 400-meter hurdles (1:00.89) and the 4x400 meter relay (3:40.95). Murdock's 1:00.89 in the 400-meter hurdles was a personal-best.
Men's Team Standings (Final): Â 1. Houston, 203; 2. Connecticut, 148; 3. MEMPHIS, 97; 4. USF, 92.5; 5. East Carolina, 91; 6. Tulsa, 85; 7. Cincinnati, 72; 8. Tulane, 24.5
Memphis Men's Results
400m – 5. Juan Paul Green, 47.85; 6. Christopher Walker, 48.04
800m – 2. LaForrest Church, 1:49.77; 5. Alex Klatt, 1:51.47
400m hurdles – 3. Aaron Persinger, 52.10; 4. Jason Kimmet, 52.45
Shot Put – 1. Luke Vaughn, 60-0.5 (18.30m)
4x100m relay – 5. Memphis (Christopher Walker, Davon DeMoss, Jason Kimmet, Luis Hannsler), 41.37
4x400m relay – 4. Memphis (Christopher Walker, Alex Klatt, Juan Paul Green, LaForrest Church), 3:09.06
Women's Team Standings (Final):Â 1.Cincinnati, 111; 2. UCF, 98; 3. Connecticut, 97; 4. East Carolina, 93; 5. Tulane 90; 6. SMU, 89; 7. MEMPHIS, 86; 8. Houston, 66; 9. Temple, 37; 10. USF, 29; 11. Tulsa, 22
Memphis Women's Results
400m – 7. Destinee Lansden, 55.41
1500m – 4. Martina Rodriguez Sala, 4:28.06
5000m – 5. Chelsea Ladd, 17:04.61
400m hurdles – 5. Melinda Murdock, 1:00.89; 6. Derriana Parrish, 1:02.03
High jump – 5. Martine Bye, 5-7 (1.70m)
Triple jump – 1. Chardae Greenlee, 42-9 (13.03m)
4x400m relay – 5. Memphis (Melinda Murdock, Derriana Parrish, Destinee Lansden, Rebeka Holt), 3:40.95
Players Mentioned
Multi-event
/ Women's Track and Field
Middle Distance
/ Men's Track and Field
Sprints
/ Men's Track and Field
Sprints
/ Men's Track and Field
Jumps
/ Women's Track and Field
Middle Distance
/ Women's Track and Field
Sprints
/ Men's Track and Field
Middle Distance
/ Men's Track and Field
Distance
/ Women's Track and Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track and Field
Distance
/ Women's Track and Field
Sprints/Hurdles
/ Women's Track and Field
Sprints/Hurdles
/ Men's Track and Field
Distance
/ Women's Track and Field
Throws
/ Men's Track and Field
Sprints
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