Chavez Sets School Record At Memphis Invitational

Friday, April 28

Memphis, Tenn.

University of Memphis

Memphis Invitational

Adam Neelly, 2016-17 Men's Track and Field

Photo by: Nikki Boertman

Apr 28, 2017 | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

Memphis Invitational/Friday Results

Criticos, Pryke take men's, women's javelin crowns.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – University of Memphis' Cera Chavez set the school record in the women's 200 meters to lead the Tigers in first-day action at the 2017 Memphis Invitational Friday. Chavez won the event in a school-record time of 23.32.

Chavez, a freshman, broke the previous school-best time of 23.36 set by Wanda Hooker in 1981.

For the sixth time in six outdoor meets in 2017, the Michael Criticos-Ashley Pryke tandem swept the men's and women's javelin titles. Criticos won the men's crown with a 212-6 (64.78m) throw, and Pryke, the reigning American Athletic Conference Female Field Athlete of the Week, took the women's title with a 165-0 (50.30m) mark.

Memphis Invitational/Day One Highlights

Sophomore Davon DeMoss ran a personal-best 20.76 in the men's 200 meters. He bettered his previous -best of 20.99 set at Southeast Missouri's Joey Haines Invitational two weeks ago.
Freshman Josh Hamlet ran a season-best 4:05.65 in the men's 1500 meters Friday.
Freshman Adam Neelly set a personal-best in the men's hammer for the second-straight meet. On Friday, Neelly threw a personal-best 171-4 (52.24m) hammer throw, which was over 10 feet better than last week's mark (161-1; 49.11m).
Juniors Chelsea Ladd (4:43.10) and Megan Briley (4:47.60) both ran personal-bests in the women's 1500 meters.
Senior Chardae Greenlee just missed tying her personal-best in the women's long jump. She had a leap of 19-3.25 (5.87m) Friday. At the 2016 Joey Haines Invitational, Greenlee set her personal-best with a 19-3.5 (5.88m) jump.
Freshman Sandra Ekblom recorded a season-best 18-5.25 (5.62m) long jump Friday. The mark surpassed her previous-best by nearly a foot (17-6.75).
Sophomore Nicole Lawson set a personal-best in Friday's long jump with a 17-9 (5.41m) mark. She bettered her previous-best by nearly five inches (17-4.25).
In addition to winning the women's javelin, Ashley Pryke competed in the women's hammer Friday. It was the sophomore's first outdoor hammer competition of her career.
Junior Kelly Baxter threw a season-best 117-3 (35.75m) in the women's javelin.

2017 Memphis Invitational
Memphis Men's Results
200m – 2. Davon DeMoss, 20.76; 3. Kolbeinn Gunnarsson, 21.08
1500m – 11. Josh Hamlet, 4:05.65; 13. Brock Ballard, 4:07.16
5000m – 4. James Durkin, 15:48.88
Hammer – 6. Adam Neelly, 171-4 (52.24m)
Javelin – 1. Michael Criticos, 212-6 (64.78m); 5. Simon Hosten, 179-4 (54.67m); 7. Rafael Vallery, 173-4 (52.85m); 8. Lennard Biere, 164-10 (50.25m)

Memphis Women's Results
200m – 1. Cera Chavez, 23.32
1500m – 3. Chelsea Ladd, 4:43.10; 6. Arnica Zitting, 4:46.36; 9. Megan Briley, 4:47.60; 16. Lauren Wheeler, 4:57.35; 22. Savannah Smith, 5:07.95
5000m – 14. Gabrielle Byndas, 19:04.21; 17. Mary Minkler, 19:19.37; 24. Gabriella Pabst, 19:58.32; 25. Meghan Christensen, 20:14.09
Long jump – 9. Chardae Greenlee, 19-3.25 (5.87m); 13. Sandra Ekblom, 18-5.25 (5.62m); 16. Nicole Lawson, 17-9 (5.41m)
Hammer – 8. DeeNia McMiller, 146-7 (44.69m); 11. Ashley Pryke, 134-8 (41.06m); 17. Kelly Baxter, 115-0 (35.06m)
Javelin – 1. Ashley Pryke, 165-0 (50.30m); 5. Kelly Baxter, 117-3 (35.75m)