Belmont Athletics had a strong showing at the recent USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, held at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa June 21-24. Alumnus and Assistant Track and Field Coach Joe Frye placed 15th in the hammer throw while
Frye, who graduated in 2010 and now coaches the Bruins’ throwers, unleashed a throw of 67.27 meters (220 feet, 8 inches) on his first attempt at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa. He also had throws of 65.87 and 66.29 meters while competing for the Music City Mavericks club team. Friday marked Frye’s fourth trip to the USA Championships, all coming after the conclusion of his collegiate career at Belmont. Frye won three Atlantic Sun Conference championships in the hammer as a member of the Bruins track and field team from 2007-11. The Roscommon, Michigan, native placed 13th at last year’s USA Championships but did so with a shorter throw of 63.95 meters.
Frye was joined by Belmont men’s track team member Caleb Corprew at the USA Championships. The senior hurdler finished 24th on Thursday in the 400-meter hurdles to cap a stellar collegiate career that included three school records, two conference championships and one All-America honorable mention.
The Belmont University athlete ran to 24th place during the first round of the 400-meter hurdles on Thursday, finishing in 52.45 seconds as just the second active Bruin to ever compete at the national championships. A Midwest City, Oklahoma native, Corprew has now concluded his decorated Belmont career. His final race as a Bruin, the first of four star-studded heats in the event, featured former Olympic medalist Bershawn Jackson and recent NCAA champion Eric Futch.
Corprew was 20th in the 400 hurdles at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in May to earn an All-America honorable mention, but it was his performance at the NCAA East Preliminary Championships two weeks prior that earned him a spot among the United States’ elites at the USA Championships. He ran 50.50, a Belmont record, to match the championships’ qualifying standard.
Corprew was also the Ohio Valley Conference gold medalist in both the 400- and 110-meter hurdles.
