
SKYHAWK TRACK AND FIELD OPENS 2023 SEASON THIS WEEKEND
1/12/2023 10:34:00 AM | Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field
MARTIN, Tenn. – After posting some of the best point totals in school history last season, the University of Tennessee at Martin track and field programs will look to continue its ascension during the 2023 season.
The Skyhawks open the season this weekend and will compete in four indoor meets before setting their sights on the OVC Indoor Championship in February. Following a brief break, the program will crank up its outdoor season in late March to set up a five-meet sprint to the OVC Outdoor Championships in May.
The indoor season includes trips to the Redhawk Invite (Jan. 14) in Cape Girardeau, Mo., both the Bellarmine Open (Jan. 20) and PNC Bank Bellarmine Classic (Feb. 3) in Louisville, Ky. before closing out the regular season at Hoosier Hills (Feb. 10) in Bloomington, Ind. The OVC Indoor Championship will once again be contested at the Birmingham CrossPlex on Feb. 22-23.
During last season's OVC Indoor Championship the Skyhawk men finished fourth in the meet for the program's best performance in school history while a young women's squad came in ninth. UT Martin won the DMR with an impressive showing by Cole Davis, John Collin Askew, Andre Brown and Luke McNair while earning several podium finishes.
The outdoor season kicks off at the Margaret Simmons Invite (March 24-25) in Murray, Ky. before the Skyhawks travel to the Lake Stride Joey Haines Invitational in Cape Girardeau, Mo. (March 31-Apr. 1). After a week layoff, UT Martin closes out the regular season slate with three consecutive weeks of competition at the Rhodes 7-Way Meet (Apr. 14) in Memphis, followed by the Red Wolves Open (Apr. 22-23) in Jonesboro, Ark. and the Outdoor Music City Challenge (Apr. 29-30) in Nashville.
A season of preparation will be put to the test at the OVC Outdoor Championship which runs from May 11-13 in Edwardsville, Ill. At last season's outdoor championship, the Skyhawks posted numerous individual personal records in the championship field - including setting three new school records - while reaching the podium six times with medalist honors. UT Martin's men finished the championship in fifth with 80 points – setting a new program scoring record – ranking 31 points higher than the 49-point total which it recorded during the 2021 season. Meanwhile the Skyhawk women finished in ninth.
This season's squad brings back a wealth of experience along with a wide assortment of talented newcomers. Returning to action is reigning OVC Indoor Track and Field Freshman of the Year Darius Holland who has shattered UT Martin's record books during his career while holding two indoor school records in the long jump and triple jump while also possessing top marks in the outdoor high jump, long jump, triple jump and 4x100m relay.
Senior Brady Fry has also left his mark on the highest stage with three indoor school records in the 55m dash, 55m hurdles and 60m hurdles while also holding the outdoor 110m hurdles mark. Fry has also been a fiver-time OVC medalist with one championship in the 60m hurdles, three other runner-up finishes in the 60m hurdles and 110m hurdles while also placing third on the 4x100m relay team.
On the distance side, sophomore Will Cahill looks to build upon an impressive cross country season following up a podium finish at the OVC Indoor Championship last season after finishing second in the men's 3k. He also earned another runner-up finish in the outdoor 5k.
For the women, junior Lilia Alvarez had a strong cross country season with hopes of continuing those performances on the track after ranking as the team's top finisher in multiple meets. Meanwhile, the sprinting tandem of Janay Chapman and JayleAna Wyatt return to the squad after impressive debut seasons in 2022.
The Skyhawks open the season this weekend and will compete in four indoor meets before setting their sights on the OVC Indoor Championship in February. Following a brief break, the program will crank up its outdoor season in late March to set up a five-meet sprint to the OVC Outdoor Championships in May.
The indoor season includes trips to the Redhawk Invite (Jan. 14) in Cape Girardeau, Mo., both the Bellarmine Open (Jan. 20) and PNC Bank Bellarmine Classic (Feb. 3) in Louisville, Ky. before closing out the regular season at Hoosier Hills (Feb. 10) in Bloomington, Ind. The OVC Indoor Championship will once again be contested at the Birmingham CrossPlex on Feb. 22-23.
During last season's OVC Indoor Championship the Skyhawk men finished fourth in the meet for the program's best performance in school history while a young women's squad came in ninth. UT Martin won the DMR with an impressive showing by Cole Davis, John Collin Askew, Andre Brown and Luke McNair while earning several podium finishes.
The outdoor season kicks off at the Margaret Simmons Invite (March 24-25) in Murray, Ky. before the Skyhawks travel to the Lake Stride Joey Haines Invitational in Cape Girardeau, Mo. (March 31-Apr. 1). After a week layoff, UT Martin closes out the regular season slate with three consecutive weeks of competition at the Rhodes 7-Way Meet (Apr. 14) in Memphis, followed by the Red Wolves Open (Apr. 22-23) in Jonesboro, Ark. and the Outdoor Music City Challenge (Apr. 29-30) in Nashville.
A season of preparation will be put to the test at the OVC Outdoor Championship which runs from May 11-13 in Edwardsville, Ill. At last season's outdoor championship, the Skyhawks posted numerous individual personal records in the championship field - including setting three new school records - while reaching the podium six times with medalist honors. UT Martin's men finished the championship in fifth with 80 points – setting a new program scoring record – ranking 31 points higher than the 49-point total which it recorded during the 2021 season. Meanwhile the Skyhawk women finished in ninth.
This season's squad brings back a wealth of experience along with a wide assortment of talented newcomers. Returning to action is reigning OVC Indoor Track and Field Freshman of the Year Darius Holland who has shattered UT Martin's record books during his career while holding two indoor school records in the long jump and triple jump while also possessing top marks in the outdoor high jump, long jump, triple jump and 4x100m relay.
Senior Brady Fry has also left his mark on the highest stage with three indoor school records in the 55m dash, 55m hurdles and 60m hurdles while also holding the outdoor 110m hurdles mark. Fry has also been a fiver-time OVC medalist with one championship in the 60m hurdles, three other runner-up finishes in the 60m hurdles and 110m hurdles while also placing third on the 4x100m relay team.
On the distance side, sophomore Will Cahill looks to build upon an impressive cross country season following up a podium finish at the OVC Indoor Championship last season after finishing second in the men's 3k. He also earned another runner-up finish in the outdoor 5k.
For the women, junior Lilia Alvarez had a strong cross country season with hopes of continuing those performances on the track after ranking as the team's top finisher in multiple meets. Meanwhile, the sprinting tandem of Janay Chapman and JayleAna Wyatt return to the squad after impressive debut seasons in 2022.
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