April 12, 2009

FSU Records Eight Regional Qualifying Marks In Day Two Of The 2009 Seminole Invitational
The final day of the 2009 Seminole Invitational at Florida State’s Mike Long Track saw a little bit of everything … eight regional qualifying times, numerous personal records, a Canadian record and the world’s fastest time. That’s right… the fastest time in the world this season. Former Seminole Walter Dix brought the standing room only crowd to its feet when he ran this year’s fastest time in the world Saturday afternoon with a time of 10.00, in the 100m dash. Dix’s season-opening performance bettered Jamaica’s Yohan Blake’s time of 10.08, the previous top mark in the world this year.

The women had a great day for the Seminoles. Getting things started and in her first long jump appearance of the outdoor season, sophomore standout Kim Williams (Kingston, Jamaica), not only won the event at the 2009 Seminole Invitational, but did so in impressive fashion, setting a personal record with a mark of 21-00.75 (6.42m) which ranks first in the ACC and third in the nation. The mark also regional qualifies Williams and places her fourth in FSU history in the long jump.

Liz Mabry (Gulf Breeze, Fla.) put forth an excellent effort with a first place finish in the pole vault. Her mark of 13-01.50, a personal record for the junior, ranks first in the ACC this season and second in Seminole history. Mabry has now recorded regional qualifying marks in three meets (Disney Classic and Texas Relays) this season.

Seven Regional Marks Fall At Joe Hilton UNC Invitational
The North Carolina track and field teams honored their 11 seniors Saturday at the Joe Hilton UNC Invitational where the Tar Heels posted seven regional marks in the final week of preparations before next week's ACC Championships in Miami, Fla. Ashley Verplank ran a personal-best 2:07.51 in the 800-meter run to capture the individual title while a pair of women hurdlers also claimed regional marks.

Also posting regional marks on the women's side were the hurdling duo of LaToya James and Elizabeth Mott. James clocked a personal-best 13.44 in the 100-meter hurdles as she won the individual title and claimed a regional mark to go along with her 400-hurdles mark set earlier this season. In the 400-hurdles Mott ran a 1:00.15 to claim a regional mark of her own as she took the top spot as well.

Tyler Ford cleared the 20-foot mark in the long jump as she took a first place spot as well when she tallied a top jump of 20-00.25. Ford became the first Tar Heel long jumper to reach a regional mark. The women's 4x400-meter relay squad also earned a regional mark as the quartet ran a 3:41.97 for their second regional mark of the year.

Smith Breaks Program’s All-Time 100m Hurdle Record
Junior Ayla Smith broke her second school record of the year on Saturday at the Lou Onesty/Milton Abramson Invitational, winning the 100m hurdles in 13.65. Smith bettered current teammate Lauren Echko's time of 13.72 from last year and currently holds the program’s all-time 60m hurdles indoor record, also – running 8.39 this past winter.

A pair of Cavalier All-Americans won the discus competitions, with senior Yemi Ayeni winning the men’s side with a season-best throw of 197’ 2”. Senior Billie-Jo Grant led the women with a season-best toss of 167’ 8”, while Caitlin Kelly finished runner-up with a mark of 159’ 2”.

Ayeni also finished third in the shot put, throwing 58’ 6.5”, while junior Eric Pickle threw a season-best 51’ 8.25” in the event. 

Hokie Men's 4x100-meter relay squad sets school record
The men’s 4x100-meter relay squad set a school record on Saturday, as the Virginia Tech track and field squads finished their final tune-up before the ACC Championships at the Sea Ray Relays on the Tom Black Track in Knoxville, Tenn.

The quartet of freshman Keare Smith, freshman Nick Vaughn, sophomore Ebenezer Amegashie and freshman Keith Ricks clocked a 41.04 to set a Tech record in the 4x100-meter relay, earning sixth place. The unit broke the previous school record of 41.16, set in 2000 by Larry Austin, Darryl McCoy, Jevon Jenkins and Andre Davis.

The women’s 4x100-meter squad, consisting of senior Shakirra Pinnock, freshman Aunye Boone, freshman Leslie Arirguzo and freshman Ogechi Nwaneri took third in the event. The foursome crossed the finish line in 46.15. 

Clemson Track & Field Competes at USATF State Meet
The Clemson track & field finalized preparations for the ACC Outdoor Championships on Wednesday at the USATF State Meet at the University of South Carolina. The meet was held at the school's Weems Baskin outdoor track facility.

Stephanie Buffo, a sophomore from Spartanburg, SC, won the 3000m steeplechase. She turned in a time of 11:36.88, the second-best time in school history for the event behind only Jenny Barton (2006). Buffo led a sweep of the top three spots for Clemson athletes. Lauren Klas was runner-up, also turning in a personal best time (11:46.88). Lisa Brown (12:16.36) was third.

Lilla Fordos also earned a win for the Tiger track & field team. She crossed the finish line in the 1500m run with a time of 4:53.23, holding off teammate Taylor Hughes (5:00.75). Maggie Bernard (5:28.60) also competed in the event and was seventh overall.

Hurricanes Primed for ACC Championships After Strong Miami Elite
The University of Miami track and field teams hosted the Miami Elite Invitational and welcomed an All-Star lineup on a rain and lightning delayed day. The Hurricane women, ranked No. 18 in the nation led the way with regional qualifying marks in three events, including both relays.

Led by seniors Murielle Ahoure and Krista Simkins, the women's 4x100 relay was the first collegiate team to cross the finish line and third overall at 44.39 seconds. Also on the team that earned a regional qualifying time was junior Kristy Whyte and sophomore Charlene Fuller.

Whyte, Simkins and Ahoure were joined by Tameka Jameson in the 4x400 relay that was the first collegiate team to finish, trailing only the women's Bahamas team, with a time of 3:37.51. As they did in the 4x100, the women earned a regional qualifying time.

Weinstein, Loughlin, & Fryt Lead Duke With Wins At UNC
Robert Weinstein, Patricia Loughlin, and Amy Fryt won their events at the Joe Hilton UNC Invitational Saturday at the University of North Carolina’s Irwin Belk Track at Fetzer Field, highlighting another quality outing for the Duke track & field squads.

Weinstein won the javelin with a throw of 201-08, another NCAA Regional and IC4A qualifier for the senior.

Loughlin, an All-East performer in the steeplechase in 2008, clocked 10:51.61 in the event to win and notch an ECAC mark. Her teammate, freshman Mary Carleton Johnston, completed the first steeple of her collegiate career in 11:29.13 to take third.

Jones Hits Third NCAA Mark in Shot Put
Jason Jones hit his third NCAA regional qualifying mark of the season at the Joe Hilton UNC Invitational on Saturday. His mark of just over 58' was his second-longest this season. Jones won the event and finished fourth in the hammer throw.

Another event winner was Kwame Boatwright in the high jump. Boatwright topped his previous-best by two inches with a height of 6'06.75" 

Demon Deacons Complete Final Tune-up For ACC Championships
Freshman Erin Brooks turned a personal-best mark to win the women's long jump as the Wake Forest track & field team competed at the Joe Hilton UNC Invitational at the Belk Track on Saturday.

Brooks took the top spot in the long jump with a personal-best jump of 18-5.75. She also competed in the 100-meter dash and finished 11th overall with a time of 12.49.

Junior Alex Gove turned in a season-best time of 14.39 in the women's 100-meter hurdles to finish fifth in the race. She bested her previous season-best of 14.51, which she ran two weeks ago at the Raleigh Relays.

Boston College Women's Track & Field Takes Bronze at UMass Invitational
The women's track and field team finished in third place on Saturday at the UMass Invitational held in Amherst. Freshman Kelsey Huckins turned in two of the best performances in the hammer and discus throws that the program has ever seen.

Maine won the event with a total of 178.50 points and UMass finished in second with 140.50. The Eagles totaled 131 points on the day while Williams College and Hartford finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Huckins won the hammer throw with a toss of 50.03m which was the second-best mark in program history. She previously broke the record at the Stanford Invitational earlier in the season. She also took second in the discus with a throw of 42.95m which is also the second-best toss in school history. 

Boston College Men's Track & Field Competes in UMass Invitational
The men's track and field team finished in eighth place on Saturday at the UMass Invitational held in Amherst. Boston College won the 4x400m relay event and had several other top five performances.

UMass won the event with a total of 186 points while Central Connecticut State finished in second with 113. Williams, Maine and Westfield State rounded out the top five.

The 4x400m relay team won the event with a time of 3:20.36 while the 4x100m relay team took third place by crossing the finish line in 43.84.