Blue Raiders Set to Compete at the Music City Challenge

Friday, February 12

Nashville, TN

All Day

Middle Tennessee

Music City Challenge

2/11/2021 10:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country and Track & Field, Women's Cross Country and Track & Field, Track & Field/Cross Country

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee track and field team finally kicks off its 2020-21 indoor season this Friday, Feb. 12, and Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Music City Challenge hosted by Vanderbilt in Nashville. This weekend's meet marks the first time the Blue Raiders have competed since Feb. 2020.

Legendary head coach Dean Hayes is in the midst of his fifth decade at Middle Tennessee State University as the longest-tenured head coach in Blue Raider athletics. He begins his 56th season at the helm of the men's and women's track & field program.

Of the 18 student-athletes competing this weekend, five new faces will be making their Blue Raider debuts at the Music City Challenge.

Last Time Out
The Blue Raiders 2019-20 indoor track season concluded at the Conference USA Indoor Track and Field Championships, where the women were named runners-up and the men captured third place.

Cecilia Francis reclaimed her 2018 championship title in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.44s. Several Blue Raider women set new personal bests in the mid-distance events. Eusila Chepkemei took the silver in the 800-meter, beating her personal best with a time of 2:12.63. Esther Isa was the women's high jump individual champion after clearing 1.76m.

The Blue Raider men had two individual champions in mid-distance, with Brian Rono claiming the gold in the 800-meter with a time of 1:52.28 and Jacob Choge winning the one mile run with a time of 4:06.88. Choge also came in second in the 800-meter behind Rono. Kigen Chemadi took the crown in the 3,000-meter run, finishing in 8:12.31, and Choge followed closely behind to claim second with a time of 8:12.90.

Meet Information
The meet is set to start at noon CT on Friday and will go through 3:20 p.m. CT on Saturday at the David Williams II Recreation and Wellness Center. No spectators will be allowed in the building per COVID-19 regulations.

The teams competing in the Music City Challenge are Auburn, East Tennessee State, Furman, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State, Kentucky, LSU, Louisville, Missouri, Mississippi State, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Southern Miss, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt.

Live Results
Meet Information/Schedule
Watch: Day 1
Watch: Day 2

Keep up with Blue Raider track & field on Facebook (Middle Tennessee Blue Raider XC/Track & Field), Twitter (@MT_TrackField), and Instagram (@mt_trackfield).