Tigers Track And Field Back In Action This Weekend

Friday, January 20

Nashville, Tenn.

University of Memphis

Vanderbilt Invitational

Davon DeMoss, 2015-16 Men's Track and Field

Photo by: Nikki Boertman

Jan 19, 2017 | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

Teams return to competition after 47-day layoff over semester break.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis 2017 spring semester started just this week, and the Tigers track and field squads are pushing a "re-start" button on its indoor season this weekend after a 40-plus day layoff from competition and team training. The Tigers' last competition was Dec. 3.

Memphis returns to competition Friday-Saturday, Jan. 20-21 at the Vanderbilt Invitational. It is the second of three trips to Nashville, Tenn., for the Tigers during the 2016-17 indoor campaign. Memphis already competed in the Vanderbilt Opener Dec. 3 and is scheduled for the Music City Challenge Feb. 10-11.

Robinson on the break, this weekend's meet:
"I have a mature team that is committed and dedicated. But, I also know that the atmosphere, intensity and camaraderie of the team training together is so much greater than training alone. I know our athletes do their best to train over the break, but it's not the same as training together.

"The last five weeks are the most difficult part of our sport. We spend all fall training, and then all of a sudden, they're (athletes) gone and our coaches can't work with them. Over the break, they go home to different facilities, different climates.

"I feel good about this team. We're a good team, a dedicated team, a committed team. However, I really don't know what to expect this weekend."

Robinson on competing at Vanderbilt for second time this season:
"Vanderbilt is hosting the SEC Indoor Championships this year, so all its meets leading up to that are going to be very competitive. Several SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC schools are participating in these meets, so they're going to be some of the most competitive in the country.

"This is a great opportunity for us because we get to compete against some high-level competition, and also gives us some great exposure at the same time. We have quite a few athletes that can compete at that level, and the more exposure we get against the Power 5 conferences, we can show that we can compete with them. This says a lot for our program and where we are. It's great exposure, good for the athletes and the program."

The following is this weekend's meet information:

Team Scoring:
The 2017 Vanderbilt Invitational is a non-scoring team meet.

Competing Schools:
Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Furman, Georgia Tech, Louisiana Tech, Memphis, Middle Tennessee, Mississippi State, Samford, South Carolina, Southern Illinois, Southern Miss, Tennessee State, UAB, Vanderbilt, Western Kentucky

What To Watch For:

The Memphis distance squads sat out the Dec. 3 Vanderbilt Opener after a successful, but grueling cross country campaign. Those runners return to action for their first indoor meet this weekend.
Senior Martina Rodriguez Sala competes in both the women's mile and 3000m. Last indoor season, she set school records in both events and also won the American Athletic Conference women's mile crown. Rodriguez Sala is coming off a highly successful 2016 cross country campaign in which she earned All-American Athletic Conference and All-NCAA South Region honors.
On the men's side, sophomore Matthew Viveiros and junior Julian Sanchez Pinto are running in the mile. Viveiros and Sanchez Pinto were the Tigers' 1-2 punch in the cross country campaign. The duo helped the squad to two first-place team performances this past fall.
Sophomore Davon DeMoss, who tied the school mark in the 60m (6.73) as a freshman last indoor season, is competing in the men's 60m for the first time this weekend.
Sophomores Olushola Olojo and Jordan Wesner are jumping in their second meet of the season, and both had solid performances in the Dec. 3 Vanderbilt Opener. Olojo placed second in the men's triple jump, and Wesner was third in the men's high jump. Wesner's high jump mark (6-11; 2.11m) is 35^th nationally.
Senior Chardae Greenlee earned the American Athletic Conference Female Field Athlete of the Week after her performance at the Vanderbilt Opener. Greenlee won the women's triple jump and placed seventh in the women's long jump. It was the first time in Greenlee's career that she finished in the top-10 in both events at the same indoor meet. This weekend, Greenlee is only competing in the triple jump.
Greenlee's triple jump mark of 41-1.75 at the Dec. 3 Vanderbilt Opener is 18^th nationally.
Rafael Vallery won the men's shot put with a personal-best throw of 56-6.5 (17.23m). The mark is 55^th nationally.