CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's track team will open the outdoor season Saturday, March 9 at the Gamecock Quad Invitational hosted by Jacksonville State at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Ala.
 
"We are looking forward to shifting the focus to outdoor season," Chattanooga head coach Andy Meyer said. "While indoor is fun, outdoor is what everyone loves. The tracks are a little wider, less turns to run around and just more room to run your race."
 
Field events will kick off the meet beginning at Noon Central Time. Taylor Grayson will compete in the Hammer Throw while freshmen Rebekah Hampton and Rebekah Bryant will both take part in the Long Jump and the Triple Jump. Grayson will compete in the Shot Put to close out the field portion of the meet.
 
"We are definitely excited to see them jump and throw," Meyer said. "Coaches Gadson and Reno have done a great job getting them ready for the outdoor season."
 
The meet will be a rolling start for each event. The 3000 meter Steeplechase will start the track events at 1:30 p.m. CT followed by the 4x100 meter relay.
 
"We are moving kids into their specialty event(s) and allowing them to focus more on race tactics here at JSU," Meyer said. "Not so much pacing, but race strategy."
 
The first track event for the Mocs will be the 1500 meter. Chattanooga will field five runners in the meet including Sophia Neglia, Haley Morris, Brianna Nelson, Julia Henderson and Hannah Caldwell.
 
Nelson will run the 400 meter along with Katie Coker. Neglia and Morria will be joined in the 800 meter run by Abby Bateman, Ashlynd Broling, Taylor Sawyer and Nicole Buehrle.
 
"Coach Amanda Cotter will have the mid distance runners ready for this first outdoor meet," Meyer said. "They have really worked hard and she does an outstanding job of coaching these young ladies."
 
Hampton will run the 100 meter Hurdles while Rebakah Wich and Emily Poole will close out the individual races with the 5000 meter.
 
The Mocs have two teams set to run in the 4x400 meter relay which will conclude the meet.
 
The weather forecast for Saturday in Jacksonville is for showers early and to become a steady rainfall later in the day with a high in the mid 60s.
 
"The weather looks a little questionable for the meet, but everyone has to run in the same conditions," Meyer said. In a meet like this, many times it isn't the fastest, but the mentally toughest who prevails.
 
"Being tough and competing well in adverse conditions will pay huge dividends later down the round as the season progresses."
 
The meet is set to start at 12:00 p.m. Central Time and will be a rolling start throughout the day, meaning each event will start as soon as the one before is completed. Results will be posted on GoMocs.com as they become available.
 
400m
Katie Coker                                         FR
Brianna Nelson                                 SR
 
800m
Abby Bateman                                  SO
Ashlynd Broling                                 FR
Taylor Sawyer                                    SO
Nicole Buehrle                                  SO
Sophia Neglia                                     FR
Haley Morris                                      SR
 
1500m
Sophia Neglia                                     FR
Haley Morris                                      SR
Brianna Nelson                                 SR
Julia Henderson                                SO
Hannah Caldwell                              SO
 
5000m
Rebekah Wich                                   SO
Emily Poole                                         FR
 
100mH
Rebekah Hampton                          FR
 
4x400m Relay
Coker, Henderson, Nelson, Bateman, Broling
Neglia, Poole, Caldwell, Broling, Sawyer, Morris
 
Long Jump
Rebekah Bryant                                FR
Rebekah Hampton                          FR
 
Triple Jump
Rebekah Bryant                                FR
Rebekah Hampton                          FR
 
Shot Put
Taylor Grayson                                  SO
 
Hammer Throw
Taylor Grayson                                  SO