Michigan
Red Simmons Invitational
Woods Runs NCAA Provisional Time at Simmons Invite
1/21/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Sophomore Mike Woods (Ottawa, Ontario/Hillcrest HS) registered the University of Michigan men's track team's first NCAA qualifying effort of the 2006 season at the Red Simmons Invitational on Saturday (Jan. 21), netting a 3,000-meter provisional time with a strong runner-up performance in the Kris Eggle Invitational event. The Wolverines' team performance on the afternoon was punctuated by a trio event victories -- two individual efforts and one relay.
Woods hung with an impressive group of leaders through the opening 13 laps until just slightly falling off pace in the final 300 meters to take second place. The Wolverine clocked 7:58.55 in the season-opening effort, just 0.51 seconds off his personal best in the event and a 15-second improvement over his time from last season's Red Simmons meet.
With Olympian Grant Robison setting a quick early pace, the front pack of four built a sizable distance on the field after just the opening 400 meters, with sophomore/freshman Victor Gras (Belmont, Mass./Belmont HS) leading the chase group about 20 meters back. Robison -- followed by Woods, former Wolverine Nate Brannen and former Eastern Michigan standout Gavin Thompson -- towed the pack through the opening 1,200 meters at 3:12 before stepping off the track and allowing Woods to take the lead. The U-M sophomore held the pace as the group clocked a 4:16.5 mile split, but Thompson pushed to the front around the bend and accelerated, taking the trio through the 2,000-meter mark at 5:21.5.
Brannen took over the lead at 2,000 meters and did not relinquish it. As the volunteer coach continued to step up the pace with each remaining lap, Woods hung onto his heels and the pair dropped Thompson after a couple laps. Brannen made his final surge with 300 meters to go to pull away from Woods. He closed with a 29.8 final lap to record a personal-best 7:54.78, more than a three-second improvement over his performance at last season's meet.
Gras and freshman Lex Williams (Ann Arbor, Mich./Dexter HS) rounded out the event's top five with personal-best performances of their own. Gras recorded a time of 8:10.41 in fourth place, while Williams boasted 8:10.98 in his first collegiate race.
Junior Jeff Porter (Somerset, N.J./Franklin HS) captured his second 60-meter hurdles crown in as many weeks behind a season-best time of 7.92, missing the NCAA provisional standard by only 0.01 seconds. Porter has won three consecutive high hurdle trophies at the annual Red Simmons meet. The Wolverine junior also clocked 6.98 to place fifth in the 60-meter dash.
Sophomore Andrew Wechter (Shelby, Ohio/Shelby HS) registered 1:19.85 to capture the 600-meter title and miss his personal best in the event by a slim 0.53 seconds. Wechter took the lead early and remained neck and neck with Central Michigan's Abraham Mach through most of the race until surging into the final turn to pull away at the end.
Wechter also came from behind to anchor the Wolverines' winning 4x400m squad to a narrow decision against the Eastern Michigan quartet, pulling around the Eagles' Donnie Young with 300 meters remaining and winning by 0.09 seconds. Joining Wechter were junior/sophomore Chris Stowe (Traverse City, Mich./West HS), sophomore/freshman Dan Harmsen (Rockford, Mich./Rockford HS) and freshman Andre Barnes (West Bloomfield, Mich./West Bloomfield HS), who combined for a time of 3:18.03, Michigan's fastest relay effort of the season.
In just his second appearance of the season, senior Paul Sarantos (Portage, Mich./Northern HS) threw a personal-best 52-2 1/2 in his third-place shot put performance. The mark was more than a three-inch improvement over his previous best, which he registered at last season's indoor Big Ten meet.
The Wolverines will hit the road next weekend, heading to Boston, Mass., on Friday (Jan. 27) for the annual Terrier Classic, hosted by BU at the Track and Tennis Center.
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
