Boyle Breaks School Pole Vault Mark in First College Meet

Saturday, January 11

Ann Arbor, Mich.

9:30 AM

Michigan

Jack Harvey Invitational

Boyle Breaks School Pole Vault Mark in First College Meet

1/11/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's track and field, the reigning Big Ten Conference indoor champion, began its 2003 indoor season Saturday afternoon (Jan. 11) as the Wolverines hosted the non-scoring Jack Harvey Invitational at the U-M Track Building. Michigan posted five event victories, highlighted by freshman Elizabeth Boyle's (Northbrook, Ill./New Trier HS) school-record mark in the pole vault.

Boyle cleared 12-6 on her second try to break U-M's record in the pole vault.

In her first collegiate action Boyle cleared 12-6, six inches higher than senior Anna Fisher's (Ann Arbor, Mich./Gabriel Richard HS) one-year-old mark of 12-0. Boyle, who was the only competitor to clear 11-6, tied Fisher's mark of 12-0 on her third attempt with the entire building cheering her on. It took Boyle one less run to become the new school-record holder as she cleared 12-6 on her second attempt.

Continuing Michigan's successful day of field events, junior Vera Simms (Mililani, Hawaii/Mililani HS) won the long jump with a mark of 18-5 1/4.

Senior tri-captain April Phillips (Fraser, Mich./Fraser HS) claimed the Wolverines' third field event victory with a first-place finish in the shot put. The reigning Big Ten outdoor shot put champion threw 46-11 1/2 to head a 1-2-3 Michigan finish in the event. Junior Melissa Bickett (Akron, Ohio/Revere HS) finished second with a distance of 45-5 3/4, while classmate Ashley Eckel (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc HS) placed third at 42-4 1/4.

Leading the way on the track for the Maize and Blue were event winners Robin Landfair (Okemos, Mich./Okemos HS) and Theresa Feldkamp (Lorain, Ohio/Amherst Steele HS). Landfair claimed victory in the 60-meter hurdles as she out-leaned Simms across the finish line, 8.93 to 8.95. Feldkamp also narrowly beat a Wolverine teammate when she clocked in a 1:34.58 to win the 600-meter run, 0.51 seconds ahead of senior tri-captain Rachel Sturtz (Traverse City, Mich./Central HS), who crossed in 1:35.07.

2002 U-M Female Athlete of the Year Katie Jazwinski (1998-2002) was on the track running unattached and won both the mile and 3,000-meter run. Jazwinski won the mile with a time of 4:48.39, and Michigan took the next three spots with freshman Katie Erdman (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac HS) leading the way with a runner-up finish at 4:57.57. Junior Andrea Parker (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson HS) and redshirt freshman Chelsea Loomis (Traverse City, Mich./West HS) finished third and fourth in 4:59.17 and 4:59.22, respectively.

The Wolverines continue the 2003 indoor season next Saturday (Jan. 18) at the U-M Track Building as the Maize and Blue hosts Indiana, Michigan State and Kent State. Field events are scheduled to begin competition at 9:30 a.m., while running events are set to start at noon.

Contact: Gene Skidmore (734) 763-4423