Waits, Distance Runners Pace U-M in Jack Harvey Invite

Saturday, January 11

Ann Arbor, Mich.

9:30 AM

Michigan

Jack Harvey Invitational

Waits, Distance Runners Pace U-M in Jack Harvey Invite

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

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's track and field team opened up its 2003 indoor season with the Jack Harvey Invitational today (Saturday, Jan. 11) at the U-M Track Building, playing host to teams from Eastern Michigan, Detroit Mercy, Siena Heights and Western Michigan in the non-scoring meet.

Waits picked up one of U-M's three wins, taking first place in the 400-meter dash.

Sophomore Seth Waits (Grand Rapids, Mich./Otsego HS) had a strong outing, winning a tightly contested 400-meter dash and running the anchor leg of the Wolverines' second-place 1,600-meter relay team. Michigan's strength in distance events was on display, as the Maize and Blue took titles in three of four distance events.

Waits' 400-meter dash was one of the day's most exciting performances. Trailing Eastern Michigan's Dean Haqq by 60 meters coming around the final turn, Waits made up the difference with his final push toward the finish line. The U-M sophomore clocked in with a final time of 49.46, leading Haqq by only 0.09 seconds, to take the title. Waits also anchored the Wolverines' top 1,600-meter relay squad, which placed second with a time of 3:20.89.

The Maize and Blue was successful in the afternoon's distance runs, earning wins in the 800-meter, mile and 3,000-meter events. Senior Phil Stead (Dearborn, Mich./Divine Child HS) was the champion in the 800-meter run. Stead's time of 1:55.34 outpaced teammate Dan Cooke (Pinckney, Mich./Pinckney HS), who clocked in at 1:56.22.

Senior transfer Alex L'Hereux (Weedon, Quebec/Palm Beach Gardens HS, Fla.) earned a win in his first race as a Wolverine with his time of 4:14.58 in the mile. L'Hereux ran away with first place, while redshirt freshman Rondell Ruff (Detroit, Mich./Henry Ford HS), junior Brian Turner (Omaha, Neb./Millard North HS) and Tarn Leach (East Jordan, Mich./East Jordan HS) battled for second place with times under 4:20.

Senior/junior Ryan Hesselink (Freeport, Mich./Thornapple-Kellogg HS) ran unattached in the 3,000-meter run but pulled out the victory, finishing with a time of 8:32.13, just 0.86 seconds in front of senior/junior Nick Stanko (Wyandotte, Mich./Roosevelt HS). Leach pulled double duty in the 3,000 meters after running in the mile earlier in the meet and finished in third place at 8:37.38.

The Wolverines had four runner-up finishes in field events. Junior/sophomore David Malonson (Lynnwood, Calif./Mayfair HS) was second with a personal-best long jump of 22-10. Freshmen Adam Kring (Port Huron, Mich./Northern HS), Craig Theissen (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny HS) and Jason Newburn (Milwaukee, Wis./Nicolet HS) had second-place performances in the high jump, pole vault and triple jump events, respectively. Kring leapt to 6-8 before fouling out, while Theissen vaulted to 14-6 and Newburn triple jumped to 41-1.75 in each athlete's first collegiate meet.

Michigan's sprinters had a good first outing of the season. Fifth-year senior Kevin Lamb (East Lansing, Mich./Haslett HS) took second in the 200-meter dash (22.65) and sophomore Nathan Taylor (Courtenay, B.C./GP Vanier HS) placed fourth in 60-meter dash at 6.99. Junior/sophomore Nick Meter (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Brother Rice HS) was the last to qualify for the final of the 60-meter hurdles but saved his best for the last run by taking third place (8.53).

The Maize and Blue will host a quadrangular meet with Indiana, Michigan State and Kent State next Saturday (Jan. 18) at the U-M Track Building. Field events start at 9:30 a.m., with competition on the track slated for a noon start.

Contact: Andrew Ladd (734) 763-4423