Michigan
Penn Relays
Bickett Sets U-M Discus Record With Nation's Top Throw
4/26/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- Sophomore thrower Melissa Bickett (Akron, Ohio/Revere HS) posted the nation's No. 1 discus throw of the year Friday (April 26) and earned her first career NCAA automatic qualifying mark as she won the championship flight with a personal-best and school-record toss of 186-5 at the Penn Relays. With the victory Bickett earned the highest finish of the University of Michigan women's track and field team's three competitors at the meet.
| | Bickett |
Bickett's 186-5 throw was 15 feet farther than her previous personal best of 171-9 (Mt. SAC Relays, April 21, 2001) and shattered Penny Neers' (1979-82) 20-year-old school record of 184-8 by nearly two feet. The nation's previous best throw (through April 24) was 182-4 by Ohio State's Krista Keir.
The reigning Junior Pan-American Championships gold medalist in the discus, Bickett outdistanced her 2002 season-best mark (168-3) by nearly 20 feet with the automatic qualifying toss Friday, and out-threw runner-up Adriane Blewitt of Ashland by 12 feet.
Michigan's other two competitors on Franklin Field were April Phillips (Fraser, Mich./Fraser HS) and Andrea Parker (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson HS). Phillips earned her fifth NCAA provisional mark of the outdoor season with a fifth-place toss of 49-9 1/2 in the shot put Thursday afternoon (April 25). Parker, the lone runner at the relays, placed 10th in the 3,000 meters with a time of 9:54.63.
The Maize and Blue has two other meets this weekend as 13 athletes are competing at the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, and 14 Wolverines travel to Hillsdale, Mich., for the Hillsdale Relays with events taking place Friday and Saturday (April 26-27).
Event Winners/U-M Finishers
Thursday Results
3,000-meter Run 1. Mary Cullen, Providence 9:39.75 10. Andrea Parker, U-M 9:54.63 Shot Put (Championship) 1. Laura Gerraughty, N. Carolina 56-4 1/2@ (17.18m) 5. April Phillips, U-M 49-9 1/2# (15.17m) Shot Put 1. Mary Mercedes, Turabo (P.R.) 48-9 1/2 (14.87m) 11. Melissa Bickett, U-M 43-4 1/2 (13.21m) Hammer Throw 1. Laura Gerraughty, N. Carolina 192-11# (58.81m) 3. April Phillips, U-M 183-5 (55.92m)
Friday Results
Discus (Championship) 1. Melissa Bickett, U-M 186-5@ (56.83m) @ NCAA automatic mark # NCAA provisional mark
Contact: Gene Skidmore (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
