Story Courtesy Chattanooga sports information

SACRAMENTO, CA - Chattanooga’s Shannon Wommack was the fastest of 27 entrants in the 3000 meter steeplechase, winning her heat and qualifying for the finals at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Sacramento.

“She wanted to be out front and let them know it” said Chattanooga head coach Bill Gautier. “The rest of the field will be thinking about her for the next two days.”

Wommack won her section with a time of 10:08.20 ahead of six other qualifiers in what was the faster of the two heats. The steeplechase finals will be held Friday at 9:35 (EDT).

The NCAA final is the second for the two-time Southern Conference Outdoor Track Performer-of-the-Year. The Conyers, Ga. native finished fifth in the event last year, earning All-America honors.

College Sports Television (CSTV) will feature two hours of live coverage from 8-10 p.m. (EDT) on Friday.

Story Courtesy Chattanooga sports information

SACRAMENTO, CA - Chattanooga distance runner Lanni Marchant finished 16th in the 10,000 meter finals Thursday night at the NCAA Outdoor Track Championships.

“She was awesome” exclaimed Chattanooga head coach Bill Gautier. “You would never know it was her first time here (the NCAA Championships). She ran her own race and was picking girls off one-by-one at the end. It was really hot, even at 8 p.m., but she didn’t let it bother her.”

Marchant’s was one of only a few runners in the field who came close to their qualifying time due to race-time temperatures approaching 80 degrees with 50 percent humidity. Her time of 34:38.34 was the second-fastest of her career, only behind her qualifying time of 34:16.36 at the prestigious Stanford Invitational on April 1.

Marchant was the 26th fastest of the 27 runners in the field entering the event, but ran one of the best races of her career on the national stage.