NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Alabama track & field teams opened competition at the Vanderbilt Invitational on Friday with a pair of school top-10 performances in the men’s pole vault.
Tide junior Will Herrscher was the top collegiate finisher in the event with a clearance of 17-4 ½. The mark ranks No. 3 all-time at Alabama and gives Herrscher the top five indoor pole vault marks in school history. Freshman Jake Spotswood was the No. 2 collegiate finisher with a mark of 17-0 ¾. Spotswood’s mark ranks No. 9 all-time at Alabama.
The Alabama men opened the evening with a 1-2 finish in the men’s high jump as junior Shelby McEwen won the event in his UA debut with a clearance of 7-0 ¼. Freshman Christian Edwards finished second at 6-9 ¾. The finish was the second top-two placement for Edwards in his first two collegiate outings. He won the high jump at the season-opening UAB Blazer Invitational on Jan. 12.
Highlights for the Tide women included senior Filippa Fotopoulou (20-3 ½) and junior Kiara Williams (19-9 ¾) finishing as the top two collegiate jumpers in the women’s long jump. Freshman Jaimie Robinson finished fifth at 19-1 ¼. Alabama’s distance medley relay of freshman Margot Dooley, juniors Mauricia Prieto and Sarah Mohan and sophomore Caroline Brooks finished second in 11:59.50.
Day 2 of the Vanderbilt Invitational will get underway at 10 a.m. CT with the women’s 3,000 meters. Field events will start at 10:30 a.m. CT with the women’s pole vault.
