Buffalo // Youngstown Icebreaker
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The University at Buffalo track and field team opened up their 2019-20 indoor season on Friday afternoon as they competed in the Youngstown Ice Breaker hosted by Youngstown State University.
The day was highlighted by three Bulls receiving automatic MAC qualifying scores. In the weight throw, senior Sam Wray won the event with a score of 18.91 meters, which is fourth in UB's all-time list in the event. Wray now holds the third and fourth top scores in school history as he scored a 19.65 meters in the 2018-19 indoor season.
Also receiving an automatic bid to the MAC Championships was Anthony Clark in the 60 meter hurdles as he finished in a time of 8.06. This time ties Mike Morgan (2015) for fifth on UB's all-time list.
To top the day off, Nisa Raqib stampeded her way to a first place finish in the triple jump with a score of 12.77 meters. This score also stampeded to the top of the UB all-time records list as she has now topped a 16 year record of 12.75 meters held by Biaunca McFarland (2003). Raqib has also qualified for the MAC Championships in the first meet of the season.
Jeremy Lissade made the finals for the 60 meter dash and finished in 6.92, good for second place. Lissade is now in a four-way tie for ninth place on UB's all-time list with Dan Schichtel (2010), Joshua Gali (2017) and Roy Richards (2004).
In the 200 meter dash, Priscilla Faa cracked in the top-10 in UB's record books as she had a personal record in the event with a time of 25.21.
Katriel Perrier ran a strong 400 meter dash as she finished in ninth place in a time of 57.92.
Earnie Burapan won the pole vault with a score of 12-02.50/3.72 meters. Burapan tied her record from last season for eighth on the all-time UB list.
In the women's 5000 meter run, the Bulls had three runners finish in the top-10. Riley Jones finished in second place in 17:48.94 with Dana Lynch (fifth place – 18:22.75) and Meghan LaTuso (sixth place – 18:24.95) right behind. All three of the runners each earned their personal-bests in the event with Jones beating her previous time by nearly 20 seconds.
"This was a solid opener for both the men's and women's team," Head Coach Vicki Mitchell said. "We had a lot of newcomers to the program competing in their first collegiate meet, and many returners open with personal best. We will use this meet to evaluate our training and preparation over the next 4 weeks to our next meet."
The Bulls next meet will be on Saturday, Jan. 11 in Ann Arbor, Mich. as they will compete in the Wolverine Invite, hosted by the University of Michigan.
Central Michigan // GVSU Holiday Open
ALLENDALE, Mich. – One meet, two program records, plenty of placers, and a good start for Central Michigan for the indoor track & field season.
CMU's Nadia Williams broke her own record in the women's long jump and Quiara Wheeler broke the Chippewas women's standard in the weight throw on Friday as the Chippewas opened the season at the Grand Valley State Holiday Open at the GVSU's Kelly Family Sports Center.
"They both looked really good," said Jenny Swieton, CMU director of track & field/cross country. "I think Nadia has looked the best she's ever looked as far as her approach and the way she finishes. She obviously came together last year, but now it's just being consistent, and fine tuning the little things.
"Quiara is getting so much stronger. She did really well in the weight throw last year. But it's the same thing (as Nadia), it's starting to come together. For her, all three of her throws were farther than the program record. It wasn't just one good throw, it was consistently throwing really well.
"I think that everybody competed well at some point. Even if someone had an off race in one event, they came back in the next one and really put it out there. There were people who didn't feel awesome, but still gave everything they had. Everybody walked away having learned something or gaining something from the experience, regardless of if it was a personal best or not."
Results
Williams' long jump of 21 feet 1 ¼ inches was good for first place as she eclipsed her previous mark of 21-1/2. The senior from Mount Horeb, Wis., an All-American both indoors and outdoors last season, also won the 200-meter dash on Friday with a time of 24.71 seconds.
Wheeler finished third with a throw of 64-4 ½. She broke Charity Sunderman's program record of 62-6.
CMU also got a first-place finish, on the men's side, from senior Logan Targgart in the weight throw. His winning throw was 69-5 ¼. CMU's Connor Covert placed sixth, 57 feet 6 ½ inches.
Chippewa places
• Erin Howard placed second in the women's shot put, 47-9 ¼.
• Alyssa Vandegriff placed second in the women's high jump, 5-5 ¾. Alexandra Robinson finished fourth, 5-2 ½, and she was eighth in the 60-meter hurdles in 9.29 seconds.
• Isaac Sadzewicz tied for second in the men's pole vault, 15-7.
• Jackson Blanchard and Dante Lander placed second and fourth, respectively, in the men's 60-meter hurdles. Blanchard finished in 8.24, while Lander was clocked at 8.35.
• Maija Rettelle and Lauren Lasceski finished in fourth and sixth, respectively, in the women's mile, Rettelle ran 5:20.01; Lasceski, 5:20.81.
• Emma Fountain and Olivia Hankey placed fourth and fifth, respectively, in the women's 600. Fountain ran 1:39.59; Hankey, 1:40.97.
• Siobhan Szerencsits and Kasey Stanley placed fourth and tied for sixth, respectively, in the women's pole vault. Szerencsits went 11-9 ¾, while Stanley measured at 11-3 ¾.
• Madi Mandelke placed fourth in the women's 1,000 in 3:09.
• Ja'la Taylor placed sixth in the women's triple jump, 37-2 ¼.
• Christopher Rilley placed sixth in the men's high jump, 6-1 ¼.
• Cole Targgart placed sixth in the men's shot put, 48-7 ½.
• John Mitrzyk placed eighth in the men's 60, 7.09.
• Clay Langer placed eighth in the men's long jump, 21-4 ¾.
Next
CMU will head to Ann Arbor on Saturday, Jan. 11 for the Wolverine Invitational.
Eastern Michigan Men // GVSU Holiday Open
UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's track and field team started the 2019-20 indoor season at the SVSU Holiday Open Friday, Dec. 6, inside the SVSU Fieldhouse.
The Eagles totaled three individual champions and in the first half of the two-day meet. EMU clinched each of the top-three places in the weight throw, with freshman Kappa Bedoui (Doha, Qatar-Aspire Academy) leading the way in his debut with a toss of 19.52m. Redshirt senior Zach Harkey (Huron, Ohio-Huron) finished in second place with a heave of 18.90m, while redshirt junior Taige Bryant (Edmond, Okla.-Edmond Memorial) placed third with a throw of 18.64m. From there, freshman Chukwusom Enekwechi (Valley Stream, N.Y.-Jamaica Gateway to the Sciences (Monroe College)) claimed sixth place with a 17.29m toss. Meanwhile, redshirt junior Baboucar Sallah-Mohammed (Arlington, Va.-Fishburne Military) was the only EMU representative to compete in the long jump, taking home first prize with a leap of 6.83m.
On the track, sophomore Charlie Young (Grand Haven, Mich.-Grand Haven) clinched Eastern's third individual crown in the 600m race, as he set a new personal-best and a SVSU Fieldhouse-record with a time of 1:21.89. The Eagles continued their tradition of excellence in distance events, as sophomore Ronald Brandal (Huron, Ohio-Huron) clocked in at 2:29.42 to earn second place in the 1000m, while cross country teammate and fellow sophomore Joe Ingram (Cincinnati, Ohio-Anderson) finished in sixth position with a time of 2:38.01 EMU also had a pair of top-five finishers in the 400m race, as freshman Frankie Grey (Brentwood, N.Y.-Brentwood) and sophomore Payne Wylie (Saskatchewan, Canada-Colonsay School) ended up with times of 48.90 and 49.19 seconds, respectively.
The Green and White will conclude the SVSU Holiday Open Saturday, Dec. 7, before having an extended break from competition through the new year. Eastern is set to continue its indoor slate with a short trip to Ann Arbor to compete in the Wolverine Invitational, hosted by the University of Michigan, Jan. 11, 2020.
Eastern Michigan Women // GVSU Holiday Open
ALLENDALE, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's track and field team kicked off the 2019-20 indoor campaign at the GVSU Holiday Open Friday, Dec. 6, inside the Kelly Family Sports Center.
In all, the Eagles captured three individual titles and 13 top-three finishes in their season opener. EMU swept the podium in the 400m race, as sophomore Tiffany Cernej-Garcia (Ann Arbor, Mich.-Pioneer) claimed first place with a personal-best time of 55.88 seconds. From there, fellow sophomore Mair Edwards (Basingstoke, England-The Costello School) finished in second place exactly one tick behind Cernej-Garcia, before junior Abbey Zastrow (Arcadia, Wis.-Arcadia (University of Mary)) clinched third place at 57.83.
The Green and White also posted a one-two finish in the 200m dash, as senior Kolby Ganther (Park City, Kan.-Northeast Magnet (Garden City C.C.)) and junior Keypathwa Gibson (Toledo, Ohio-Roy C. Start) led the field with times of 24.8 and 24.96, respectively. Meanwhile, freshman Alyson Davis (Summerfield, N.C.-Weaver Academy for Performing and Visual Arts) marked her EMU debut by finishing second in both the 60m preliminaries and finals as she clocked in at 7.58 and 7.56, respectively, while sophomore Angel Gazaway (Cincinnati, Ohio-Princeton) was the runner-up in the 60H finals with a time of 8.79.
In the field events, junior Quintella Johnson (Las Vegas, Nev.-Saint Mary's (Texas Southern)) became the third Eagle to earn an individual title, as she was the only competitor to clear the 1.70m-high bar, while sophomore Nina Ward (Fairfield, Ohio) placed second in the long jump with a personal-best leap of 5.93m. Additionally, Kadian Clarke (Kingston, Jamaica-Immaculate Conception) shattered a program record in the weight throw with a heave of 19.06m, which was good for fourth overall at the meet.
The Green and White will have a long break from competition through the new year, as they resume indoor competition with a short trip to Ann Arbor to compete in the Wolverine Invitational, hosted by the University of Michigan, Jan. 11, 2020.
Kent State // Youngstown Icebreaker
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Kent State had eight student-athletes in action at the YSU Icebreaker on Friday's opening day of the indoor track and field season.
Christian Champen won the men's pole vault with a top clearance of 16'-6.75". Champen also led the Golden Flashes in the men's long jump with a mark of 23'-4.5 for fifth-place.
Mitchell Kubicki also competed in the men's pole vault and cleared 15'-5" on his first attempt of the day to tie for third.
In the women's pole vault, Christy Nell and Ally Thompson tied for third with a top height of 11'-8.5".
Devin Snowden advanced to the 60-meter hurdles final with a time of 8.22 but did not run in the final. Jacob Mally finished in 8.30 to place ninth. Snowden took seventh in the men's long jump (23'-2.5") and Mally placed 11th (21'-11").
TJ Lawson had a top throw of 43'-5.75" to place 12th in the men's shot put.
Kole Johnson, Lawson, Mally and Snowden finished third in the 4x400 relay with a time of 3:21.77.
The Golden Flashes will have just over a month off from competition for final exam week and winter break before returning to Youngstown for the YSU Invitational on Friday, Jan. 17. Kent State's first home meet at the Kent State Field House will be the Akron Dual on Friday, Jan. 24.
Miami // BG Opener
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Miami RedHawks women's track and field team got its first taste of indoor action Friday evening when they kicked off the winter season at the Bowling Green Opener.
The 'Hawks went up against Cleveland State and the host Bowling Green Falcons in the meet, taking home a total of six event wins with three apiece on the track and in the field.
Miami's freshmen, making their first collegiate track and field appearance, were certainly one of the bright spots of the day, as all three of the victorious Miami runners were first-year athletes. Kayla Walters had a strong showing, as she recorded a time of 7.80 to finish in first in the 60m hurdles while also having a good performance in the 200.
Gabby Cossio looked sharp in the 400m, pacing all runners with a 1:00.56 in the event, while Elena Pazman was a similar story in the 800 where she finished first with a 2:19.62. That pair joined Sonia Slusarczyk and Tori Shriver in Miami's third-place 4x400 relay team to close out the running events.
Olivia Bechtel ran in the 60m dash, where she finished first in the preliminary section before coming in third with a 7.80 in the finals. She also ran in the 300 and took second.
Over on the field, one of Miami's veterans in Hannah Falcione had a good day with a win in the triple jump and a second-place appearance in the long jump. Miami entered five athletes into the high jump, with junior Elise Walker proving to be the best of the bunch as she cleared a height of 1.63m. Grace Dima won the pole vault, while another impressive freshman was Addison Hoover who had a strong performance in the weight throw.
A quick look at Miami's top athletes in each event can be found below, while full results are attached above.
The RedHawks will now take a break and return in the new year, with Miami's next meet scheduled for January 17 at Vanderbilt.
Ohio // Marshall Open
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Ohio track and field team heads back to Athens after taking second in the Marshall Opener on Friday, December 6. Marshall finished with 120 points, the Bobcats finished with 76 points, and Morehead State finished with 21 points.
FIELD EVENTS
Senior Tajah Haley (Washington, Pa.) took second in the High Jump, scoring five points with a height of 1.60m, setting a lifetime best for herself.
Ohio took the top two spots in the Long Jump, with freshman Mya King taking first overall with a distance of 5.25m and freshman Kassidy Betzing taking second overall with a distance of 5.15m.
Junior Abby Moore (Rootstown, Ohio) took first place in the Shot Put, recording an indoor personal record distance of 13.62m. Moore also took first in the Weight Throw with a distance of 18.40m. Finishing second in the same event was sophomore Autumn Mohan (Chillicothe, Ohio) with a distance of 14.61m.
RUNNING EVENTS
Freshman Mya King took second in the 400 Meter Dash with a time of 1:00.10, earning five points for Ohio.
Senior Ashleigh Kitrell took home first place in the 600 Meter Run, earning the full seven points for the Bobcats, and finishing with a time of 1:33.71.
UP NEXT
After concluding the tri-meet at Marshall, the Bobcats will enter a winter hiatus until competition resumes in 2020. Ohio will travel back to Marshall to compete in the Marshall Women's Classic on Jan. 11, 2020.
