Michigan
Big Ten Indoor Championships (Day 1)
Bentley Repeats as Big Ten Indoor Long Jump Champion
2/26/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
Wolverines in Fifth Place After Day One of Big Ten Meet
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- The University of Michigan women's track and field team stands in fifth place at the 2000 Big Ten Conference Women's Indoor Championships following the first day of competition Saturday (Feb. 26). The Wolverines earned 24 points and trail Indiana (54), Purdue (50), Wisconsin (44) and host Minnesota (25).
The Wolverines' bid for a third straight Big Ten indoor championship was sparked by senior Brandi Bentley (Detroit, Mich./Marian HS), who won the long jump for the second year in a row, with a leap of 19-11 3/4. Also aiding the Michigan cause were a pair of distance runners as both Katie Clifford (Grand Rapids, Mich./West Catholic HS) and Katie Ryan (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams HS) scored for the Wolverines in the 3,000-meter run. Clifford placed fourth (9:44.35), while Ryan finished sixth in a time of 9:51.10.
The Maize and Blue also received point contributions from a pair of field athletes. Tasha Phillips (Sarasota, Fla./Booker HS) joined Bentley as a scorer in the long jump, with an eighth-place finish (18-9). Phillips also qualified for the final in the 60-meter hurdles by placing fourth (8.62) in heat one of the semifinals. Freshman April Phillips (Fraser, Mich./Fraser HS) finished eighth in shot put with a distance of 44-11 3/4 to also help Michigan's cause. Michigan's final points of day one came from the distance medley relay foursome, with a fifth-place finish (11:54.60).
Although down 30 points to first-place Indiana, Michigan qualified several athletes for event finals on Sunday and could still make a run at a three-peat. Senior sprinter Maria Brown (Kingston, Jamaica/Immaculate Conception HS) qualified for the finals in the 60- and 200-meter dashes. Brown finished runner-up in heat two of the 60 preliminaries with a NCAA provisional qualifying time of 7.44, her career best, and won heat two of the 200 (24.29).
Michigan could do some damage in the middle distances on Sunday after qualifying four runners in both the 600-meter dash and 800-meter run. Tamika Craig (Inkster, Mich./Robichaud HS) and Nicole Johnson (Bancroft, Mich./Corunna HS) placed second (1:35.25) and third (1:36.68), respectively, in heat two of the 600 preliminaries. They were joined as qualifiers in that event by Ursula Taylor (Edwardsburg, Mich./Edwardsburg HS), who placed second (1:35.48) in heat three, and Regine Caruthers (Inglewood, Calif./St. Bernard HS), who won heat four (1:33.43).
In the 800-meter run, Lisa Ouellet (Sudbury, Ontario/Lasalle SS) won heat one (2:12.61) and was followed by fellow Wolverine Rachel Sturtz (Traverse, Mich./Traverse HS), who placed fourth (2:15.36). Michigan went 1-2 in heat two as Erica Murdock (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights HS) finished first (2:15.47) and Erin White (Battle Creek, Mich./Central HS) placed second (2:15.59).
N O T E S
Brandi Bentley is the first Michigan athlete ever to win two indoor Big Ten Conference long jump titles. Tania Longe (1995-98) won a pair of outdoor Big Ten long jump crowns (1995 and '98) as well as one indoor title (1998).
Team Standings (After Day 1)
1. Indiana 54 2. Purdue 50 3. Wisconsin 44 4. Minnesota 25 5. MICHIGAN 24 6. Illinois 11 Penn State 11 8. Ohio State 10 9. Iowa 3 10. Michigan State 2
Event Winners/U-M Finishers (Day 1)
60-Meter Dash (Preliminaries)
Heat 2 1. Kerry Ann Richards, Ill. 7.33#! 2. Maria Brown, U-M 7.44#!
200-Meter Dash (Preliminaries)
Heat 2 1. Maria Brown, U-M 24.29!
400-Meter Dash (Preliminaries)
Heat 2 1. Kristin Liphardt, Purdue 56.02 -- Shalina Rankin, U-M DQ
600-Meter Dash (Preliminaries)
Heat 2 1. Jordana Meyer, Ill. 1:35.24! 2. Tamika Craig, U-M 1:35.25! 3. Nicole Johnson, U-M 1:36.68! Heat 3 1. Andrea Geurtsen, Wis. 1:35.19! 2. Ursula Taylor, U-M 1:35.48! Heat 4 1. Regine Caruthers, U-M 1:33.43!
800-Meter Run (Preliminaries)
Heat 1 1. Lisa Ouellet, U-M 2:12.61! 4. Rachel Sturtz, U-M 2:15.36! Heat 2 1. Erica Murdock, U-M 2:15.47! 2. Erin White, U-M 2:15.59!
Mile Run (Preliminaries)
Heat 1 1. Sarah Ahrens, Iowa 4:56.17 6. Colleen Lange, U-M 5:04.18 Heat 2 1. Susanne Heyer, Penn State 4:53.09 8. Melanee Schuring, U-M 5:23.29
3,000-Meter Run (Final)
1. Bethany Brewster, Wis. 9:39.15# 4. Katie Clifford, U-M 9:44.35 6. Katie Ryan, U-M 9:51.10 15. Colleen Lange, U-M 10:23.76
60-Meter Hurdles (Preliminaries)
Heat 1 1. Donica Merriman, OSU 8.36#! 3. Tasha Phillips, U-M 8.66! Heat 2 1. Crystal Riley, Ill. 8.52 4. Robin Landfair, U-M 8.77 5. Ashlie Wilbon, U-M 8.91 Heat 3 1. Dominique Calloway, OSU 8.35#! 5. Tanisha Williams, U-M 9.03
60-Meter Hurdles (Semifinals)
Heat 1 1. Danielle Carruthers, Ind. 8.31#! 4. Tasha Phillips, U-M 8.62! 6. Ashlie Wilbon, U-M 8.87 Heat 2 1. Donica Merriman, OSU 8.13#! 5. Robin Landfair, U-M 8.74 6. Tanisha Williams, U-M 8.80
Distance Medley Relay
1. Wisconsin 11:45.97 (Susie Motl, Lisa Kincaid, April Beard, Erin AufderHeide) 5. Michigan 11:54.60 (Rachel Sturtz, Regine Caruthers, Erica Murdock, Lisa Ouellet)
Pole Vault
1. Amy Spellmeyer, Purdue 12-9 1/2 (3.90m)# 14. Anna Fisher, U-M 10-0 3/4 (3.07m) 15. Tiffany Sylvertooth, U-M 10-0 3/4 (3.07m)
Long Jump (Preliminaries)
Flight 1 1. Tina Johnson, Purdue 19-2 3/4 (5.86m)! 3. Tanisha Williams, U-M 18-8 1/2 (5.70m)! Flight 2 1. Rose Richmond, Indiana 19-9 (6.02m)! 6. Nkechi Okwumabua, U-M 17-11 1/2 (5.47m) Flight 3 1. Brandi Bentley, U-M 19-5 1/2 (5.93m)! 3. Tasha Phillips, U-M 18-9 (5.71m)!
Long Jump (Final)
1. Brandi Bentley, U-M 19-11 3/4 (6.09m) 8. Tasha Phillips, U-M 18-9 (5.71m) 9. Tanisha Williams, U-M 18-8 1/2 (5.70m)
Shot Put (Preliminaries)
Flight 2 1. Aubrey Schmitt, Minn. 51-3 1/2 (15.63m)#! 6. April Phillips, U-M 44-11 3/4 (13.71m)!
Shot Put (Final)
1. Jennifer Brown, Indiana 53-7 (16.33m)@ 8. April Phillips, U-M 44-11 3/4 (13.71m)
Pentathlon (Final)
1. Andrea Guersten, Wis. 3818 pts. 11. Breanne Tenclay, U-M 3172 pts. @ NCAA Automatic Mark # NCAA Provisional Time ! advanced to event final
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
