Michigan
Harold Silverston Invitational
Three Achieve NCAA Provisional Marks in Silverston Invite
2/22/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's track and field team had a successful day Saturday (Feb. 22) at its Harold Silverston Invitational at the U-M Track Building as three athletes earned NCAA provisional qualifying marks and the Wolverines swept the top two spots in a total of seven events. The Silverston featured competition from Detroit, Calvin College, Eastern Michigan, Hillsdale, Waterloo and Windsor, in Michigan's final tuneup for the 2003 Big Ten Conference Indoor Championships next weekend (March 1-2).
Sophomore Stephanie Linz (Okemos, Mich./Okemos HS) had one of the day's highlights with an NCAA-eligible result of 5-11 1/4 to take first place in the high jump. Linz's mark surpassed the NCAA provisional cut of 5-9 3/4 by 1.5 inches and established a new career best by half an inch. Freshman Beth Vinkier (Yale, Mich./Yale HS), who finished third, also set a new career best (5-2 1/4).
The Wolverines continued to dominate in the field, posting one-two finishes in the triple jump, shot put and weight throw. Senior tri-captain April Phillips (Fraser, Mich./Fraser HS) won the latter two events and earned an NCAA provisional mark with her throw of 52-1 3/4 in the shot put. Other U-M wins in the field came from senior Teyonna Simpson (Fremont, Calif./Mission San Jose HS) in the triple jump and freshman pole vaulter Elizabeth Boyle (Northbrook, Ill/New Trier HS).
In the 800-meter run, Michigan placed seven runners in the top 10. Freshman Katie Erdman (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac HS) led the way with an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 2:09.11, while redshirt sophomore Lindsey Gallo (Freehold, N.J./Howell HS) and sophomore Jennifer Kulchar (Burton, Mich./Atherton HS) completed a Maize and Blue sweep of the top three with times of 2:12.80 and 2:14.97, respectively.
Reshirt junior Robin Landfair (Okemos, Mich./Okemos HS) had a successful day, finishing first in the 60-meter hurdles (8.61) and third in the 60-meter dash (7.99). Carly Knazze (Southfield, Mich./Southfield HS) was the Wolverines' top performer in the 60-meter dash with a season-best time of 7.69 in second place. Vera Simms (Mililani, Hawaii/Mililani HS) was second (8.80) in the hurdles to complete U-M's sweep of the top two places in that event, and she won the 400-meter dash with a season best of 56.08.
The Wolverines showed strong improvement in the 600 meters, an event contested at the upcoming Big Ten Championships but not in the NCAA finals. Senior Rachel Sturtz (Traverse, Mich./Traverse HS), sophomore Theresa Feldkamp (Lorain, Ohio/Amherst Steele HS) and redshirt freshman Jennifer Wendling (Chesaning, Mich./New Lothrop HS) set season bests, placing 1-2-3 in the event.
The Wolverines look to defend their 2002 conference indoor team title when they travel to Bloomington, Ind., for the Big Ten Indoor Championships Saturday and Sunday, March 1-2, at Indiana University. The pentathlon begins Saturday's competition with the 60-meter hurdles starting at 9 a.m. Sunday's events are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. when April Phillips looks for her first conference title in the weight throw.
Contact: Gene Skidmore (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
