Rodriguez Sala Captures Mile Championship

Monday, February 29

Birmingham, Ala.

University of Memphis

American Athletic Conference Championships

Photo by: Ben Solomon

Feb 29, 2016 | Women's Track and Field

Tigers Finish Seventh

By: Tammy DeGroff

MEMPHIS – Junior Martina Rodriguez Sala twice had to make big moves to take the lead in the mile run at the American Athletic Conference Championships at the Birmingham Crossplex, Monday. Just before the final lap bell, she had to move to the third lane to get away from traffic on the inside. On the backstretch, she had to make her second move, kicking through the last turn and down the stretch to capture the race in 4:45.13. The 10 points from her win helped propel Memphis to a seventh place finish in the women's half of the championships, finishing with 54 points, one behind Tulane and three behind fifth-place East Carolina.

Rodriguez Sala also added points in the women's 3,000 meter run following her mile victory, finishing seventh in 9:59.81 while running in the women's seeded heat. Memphis also added points on the track with its 4x400 meter relay team. The team of De'Vonni Farrar, Derriana Parrish, Destinee Lansden and Rebeka Holt finished sixth in 3:44.68 to tally the final track points of the day for the Tigers.

In the field events, the Tigers got a silver medal finish from junior Chardae Greenlee in the triple jump. Greenlee's best mark was 12.77 meters, putting her second behind Cincinnati's Rebecka Abrahamsson.

In the multi-event competition, sophomore Martine Bye finished third overall with 3,799 points, finishing behind a pair of senior competitors from Connecticut and SMU. Bye was fourth in the pentathlon long jump (5.29 meters), second in the 800-meter run (2:23.85) and fourth in the long jump (5.29 meters) to add up to her third place finish.

Connecticut won the team title with 110 points, while Cincinnati edged UCF by seven points, 98.5-91.5 for second and third overall.

Memphis Finishers
Mile Run: 1. Martina Rodriguez Sala, 4:56.13
3000 Meter Run: 7. Martina Rodriguez Sala, 9:50.81; 18. Chelsea Ladd, 10:13.34; 36. Lauren Wheeler, 10:36.38
4x400 Relay: 6. Memphis (De'Vonni Farrar, Derriana Parrish, Destinee Lansden, Rebeka Holt), 3:44.68
High Jump: T9. Martine Bye, 1.61 meters
Triple Jump: 2. Chardae Greenlee, 12.77 meters; 12. Nicole Lawson, 11.59 meters; Sydney Wright, Foul
Shot Put: 17. Ashley Pryke, 12.31 meters
Pentathlon: 3. Martine Bye, 3799