Michigan
Spartan Invitational
Catino Claims Pole Vault Crown at Spartan Invitational
4/15/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Senior/junior Kelly Catino (Traverse City, Mich./Central) won the pole vault with an NCAA regional qualifying mark to lead the University of Michigan women's track and field team at the Spartan Invitational on Saturday (April 15) at the Ralph Young Track and Field Facility.
Catino as she took first place in the pole vault with a career-best clearance of 12-5 1/2, while freshman Lisa Sonntag (Saginaw, Mich./Nouvel Catholic Central) and senior/junior Kristen Pearson (Escanaba, Mich./Escanaba) tied for second with career bests of 11-7 3/4. Sophomore Jennifer Mehl (Novi, Mich./Novi) took eighth with a clearance of 11-1 3/4, while freshman Sarah Conkle (Bellaire, Mich./Bellaire) and senior/junior Rachel Wells (Macomb, Mich./Dakota) tied for 11th with clearances of 10-8.
Senior/junior Jamie Barbour (Dearborn, Mich./Edsel Ford) led the way for the Maize and Blue in the throws as she took second, fifth and seventh place in the hammer, shot put and discus, respectively. Barbour posted a career-best throw of 168-0 in the hammer throw, reached a distance of 42-2 in the shot put, and earned a season-best distance of 137-0 in the discus. In the discus freshman Melissa Gurchinoff (Dollar Bay, Mich./Houghton) earned a 12th-place finish with a throw of 126-5.
Also in the throwing events freshman Louise Reina (Kirkland, Wa./Juanita) took fifth place with a throw of 106-7, while senior Beth Vinckier (Yale, Mich./Yale) took 11th place with a season-best throw of 93-10.
Rounding out the field events with the jumping events, sophomore/freshman Samantha Smith (South Lyon, Mich./South Lyon) led the way with a sixth-place finish in the long jump with a jump of 16-7 3/4, while Vinckier came in seventh with a season-best of 16-7.
Competing unattached, freshman Christina Solomon (Belleville, Mich./Belleville) finished in a six-way tie for first place in the high jump, clearing 5-3. Freshman Olivia Both (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) also competed unattached and tied for ninth with Vinckier at 4-11.
In the running events freshman Katie Williams (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) claimed third in the 1,500m run with a season-best time of 4:43.47, with senior/junior Jeni Frudden (Iowa City, Iowa/West) taking fourth with a time of 4:43.82. Rounding out the field for the Wolverines were junior/sophomore Lisa Uible (Cincinnati, Ohio/Indian Hill) and sophomore/freshman Claire Otwell (Traverse City, Mich./Traverse City) taking fifth and sixth, respectively. Uible posted a time of 4:44.10, while Otwell came in at 4:46.59.
Senior/junior Monica Dunn (Macomb, Mich./Dakota) represented Michigan in the 800m run with a fourth-place time of 2:19.50. Sophomore/freshman Linda Montgomery (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson) rounded out the top 10 with a time of 2:25.87.
Closing out the Wolverine competitors were Smith and Vinckier in the 200m dash as they took seventh and 12th, respectively. Smith crossed the finish line with a time of 26.12, while Vinckier came in at 26.87.
The Wolverines will have their first outdoor meet in the state of Michigan when they compete in the EMU Twilight Saturday (April 22) on Old Marshall Track in Ypsilanti, Mich.
Event Winners/U-M Finishes
200-meter Dash 1. DiOnna Williams, Hillsdale 25.11 7. Samantha Smith, U-M 26.12 12. Beth Vinckier, U-M 26.87 800-meter Run 1. Megan Radermacher, Michigan State 2:14.99 4. Monica Dunn, U-M 2:19.50 10. Linda Montgomery, U-M 2:25.87 16. Lisa Montgomery, U-M 2:28.49 1,500-meter Run 1. Aimee Keenan, Michigan State 4:37.19 3. Katie Williams, U-M (unattached) 4:43.47 4. Jeni Frudden, U-M 4:43.82 5. Lisa Uible, U-M 4:44.10 6. Claire Otwell, U-M 4:46.59 100-meter Hurdles 1. Jackie Walton, Michigan State 14.28 4. Beth Vinckier, U-M 15.05 5. Samantha Smith, U-M 15.06 High Jump t1. Christina Solomon, U-M (unattached) 5-3 (1.60m) t9. Olivia Both, U-M (unattached) 4-11 (1.50m) t9. Beth Vinckier, U-M 4-11 (1.50m) Pole Vault 1. Kelly Catino, U-M 12-5 1/2# (3.80m) t2. Lisa Sonntag, U-M (unattached) 11-7 3/4 (3.55m) t2. Kristin Pearson, U-M 11-7 3/4 (3.55m) 8. Jennifer Mehl, U-M 11-1 3/4 (3.40m) t11. Sarah Conkle, U-M (unattached) 10-8 (3.25m) t11. Rachel Wells, U-M (unattached) 10-8 (3.25m) 14. Courtney Doyle, U-M (unattached) 10-2 (3.10m) -- Elizabeth Boyle, U-M NH Long Jump 1. Chaquerra Allen, Michigan State 18-8 1/2 (5.70m) 6. Samantha Smith, U-M 16-7 3/4 (5.07m) 7. Beth Vinckier, U-M 16-7 (5.05m) Shot Put 1. Natalie Coffey, Ashland 46-10 3/4 (14.29m) 5. Jamie Barbour, U-M 42-2 (12.85m) 16. Anna Wilson, U-M (unattached) 36-10 1/4 (11.23m) 19. Beth Vinckier, U-M 32-5 1/2 (9.89m) 20. Melissa Gurchinoff, U-M 32-5 (9.88m) Discus Throw 1. Kari Richards, Western Michigan 151-6 (46.19m) 7. Jamie Barbour, U-M 137-0 (41.77m) 12. Melissa Gurchinoff, U-M 126-5 (38.53m) 27. Anna Wilson, U-M (unattached) 103-5 (31.53m) Hammer Throw 1. Morgan Acre, Grand Valley State 172-9 (52.65m) 2. Jamie Barbour, U-M 168-0 (51.21m) 13. Melissa Gurchinoff, U-M 129-0 (39.33m) Javelin Throw 1. Melinda Buckmaster, Michigan State 130-8 (39.83m) 5. Louise Reina, U-M 106-7 (32.49m) 11. Beth Vinckier, U-M 93-10 (28.60m) 18. Samantha Smith, U-M 70-7 (21.51m) # NCAA Regional Qualifying Standard
Q U O T E S
Michigan Assistant Coach Anne Takacs
On today's performances ... "It was a good thing that we came up, because this where the Big Tens are going to be held, which was a time for the field events people to experience the runways, the circles and the different areas that they'll be competing in. All the pole vaulters were here and they did a good job with Kelly Catino qualifying for the regionals."
On the importance of performing well at a meet like the Spartan Invitational ... "It's important for us right now because we have basically three meets left before the Big Tens. It's important that they're stepping up in each performance that they have and getting closer to regional marks, that's what we're looking for. The fact that we're having personal bests and season bests is good."
On the expectations heading into the meet ... "Part of our expectations before a meet is to have everyone compete in all their events and in the field events to get their three preliminaries and hopefully make the finals and get three more; whereas in a larger meet you get your three prelim throws and if your're not outstanding you don't go to the finals. So this enabled us to get more work in."
On the expectations for the rest of the season ... "I expect each week for my throwers to step up, as well as everyone else. They're increasing their strength and their endurance, so everything should come to a peak right around the time of Big Tens."
Contact: Joseph Conrad (734) 764-4423
Players Mentioned
