"It was a great day," UTC Head Coach Bill Gautier said. "We had a lot of positives from both the men and the women."
Junior Lucas Cotter (Collierville, Tenn.) claimed the title in the men's 1500 meter run with a PR time of 3:51.92, outdistancing runners from Kentucky, Alabama and Louisville.
"Lucas had an awesome race," Gautier said. "He started out fast and then they went slow and slow and then he went really fast. He just did a great job managing his strategy and getting the win against some very strong runners."
Junior Joshue Vasquez (Johnson City, Tenn.) placed eighth in the event with a time of 3:57.67.
Senior Emmanuel Kirwa (Kapsabet, Kenya) claimed the title in the men's 3000 meter run in his final season of competition. He finished with a time of 8:35.79, more than half a second ahead of South Florida's Philip Wise.
Senior Chris Berry (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) just missed making it a trifecta for the Mocs top three runners, placing second in the men's 5000 meter run with a time of 14:34.86, more than one second off the lead pace of 14:33.72 set by Embry-Riddle's Evans Kirwa (no relation to UTC's Emmanuel Kirwa). Sophomore Mark Cole (McKenzie, Tenn.) was fourth for the Mocs with a time of 15:18.05 in his first race.
Freshman Dezerick Frazier (Goodletsville, Tenn.) placed seventh in the men's 400 meter dash with a time of 48.69, just missing the school record by .34 seconds.
"Dez had a fantastic race," Gautier said. "This is just his first year with us and he's running great!"
On the women's side, sophomore Amanda Sumner (Bristol, Conn.) placed seventh in the 1500 meter run with a time of 4:37.16 and freshman Keeley Stewart (Winchester, Tenn.) was fifth in the 3000 meter run with a time of 10:29.63.
"Amanda did a great job today," Gautier said. "She won her heat. She should have been in the other heat, but that's just the way it goes. She ran a great race.
"I was really impressed with Keeley [Stewart] today. She has improved a great deal since last year when she was running in high school."
The Mocs will return to action March 31 at the Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket Invitational in Atlanta.
COMPLETE RESULTS
400m Dash
18. Gabby Cader 1:00.86
800m Run
26. Ambria Reese 2:26.49
29. Jessica Philpott 2:28.37
1500m Run
7. Amanda Sumner 4:37.16
3000m Run
5. Keeley Stewart 10:29.63
400m Hurdles
24. Samantha Pulido 1:09.44
4x400m Relay
11. Chattanooga 4:13.14
400m Dash
7. Dezerick Frazier 48.69
35. Drew Harris 52.46
1500m Run
1. Lucas Cotter 3:51.92*
8. Josh Vasquez 3:57.67
22. Nathan Wanuch 4:05.01
28. Drew Austell 4:07.64
30. John Gilpin 4:09.02
3000m Run
1. Emmanuel Kirwa 8:35.79
22. Patrick O'Brien 9:36.77
5000m Run
2. Chris Berry 14:34.86
4. Mark Cole 15:18.05
400m Hurdles
13. Blake Olson 56.09
*Personal Record (PR)
