Mocs DMR Third at Bama Relays Saturday

Saturday, March 19

Tuscaloosa, AL

All Day

Chattanooga

Alabama Relays

Complete Results - Bama Relays (html)Complete Results - Bama Relays (pdf)

Maddison Melchionna led off the women's third place DMR team at the Bama Relays

3/19/2016 9:33:00 PM | Cross Country & Track & Field

By: Anne Wehunt

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. --- The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's track and field team opened the 2016 Outdoor season at the John Mitchell Alabama Relays and took third in the Distance Medley Relay Saturday afternoon at the Sam Bailey Track in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Friday's events were a wash due to inclement weather. The schedule was reworked to accommodate two days of races and field events.

Sophomore Maddison Melchionna (Afton, Tenn.), ran the opening 1200 meter leg of the race before handing off to senior Kiaana Howard (Nashville, Tenn.) who covered the 400 meter distance for the Mocs. Sophomore Hannah Chamblin (Memphis, Tenn.) ran the 800 meter in the third leg. Sophomore Emily Drouin (Verona, Ontario) anchored the team to finish third with a time of 11:58.83.

"Maddison ran incredible in the 1200 to lead off," Chattanooga head coach Bill Gautier said. "Hannah ran a 2:14 in the 800. With Kiaana in the 400 and Emily running the mile, they did a great job."

Mississippi State's two team took first and second in the race with the Bulldogs "A" team finishing with a time of 11:27.97 to set a new facility record. Behind the Mocs top team was Middle Tennessee State, Southern Illinois and Tulane.

Chattanooga ran two more teams in the DMR. The Mocs' second team finished seventh with a time of 12:47.34. Junior Jessica York (Normandy, Tenn.) ran the lead leg with senior Makala Diggs (Box Elder, S.D.) next running the 400 meter. Freshman Haley Morris (Lenoir City, Tenn.) ran leg three with sophomore Anna Kate Chance (Columbia, Tenn.) covering the anchor.

Senior Keeley Stewart (Winchester, Tenn.) led off UTC's third team in the DMR. Freshman Mercedes Bright (Kingsport, Tenn.) was second followed by freshman Madison Watson (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and senior Katie DeMars (Knoxville, Tenn.) in the anchor leg.

Senior Helenka Kis (Columbia, Tenn.) finished the women's 800 meter race with a time of 2:32.63.

"This was good to get back in the flow," Gautier said. "It was a pretty good meet for everybody."

Runners from the men's cross country team competed in the 1500 meter race Saturday. Freshman John Payne (Portland, Tenn.) was the first UTC runner across the line with a time of 4:05.71 in the third heat. Junior Paul Stuart (Brentwood, Tenn.) was the next to finish with a time of 4:06.94, placing second in the fourth heat. Freshman Mark Britt (Lebanon, Tenn.), also running in the third heat, finished the race with a time of 4:09.81.

"Two of the heats went out real fast," Gautier said. "The other two heats went out real slow and that hurt Pual. John Payne came roaring in in his race.

"This was a good start and we will build momentum from this."

The Mocs continue the season next weekend at the Vanderbilt Commodore Invitational in Nashville, Tenn. Follow the action at GoMocs.com.