Michigan
Eastern Michigan Invitational
Wolverines Claim Nine Event Wins at EMU Invitational
4/21/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
YPSILANTI, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's track and field claimed nine first-place finishes along with six NCAA Regional qualifying standards on Saturday (April 21) at the EMU Invitational hosted by Eastern Michigan University on Olds-Marshall Track.
In the 800-meter run, the Wolverines claimed three NCAA Regional qualifying times, sweeping the top three places. Graduate/senior Anna Willard (Greenwood, Maine/Telstar Regional HS) led the pack, taking first place with a career-best time of 2:03.94. Sophomore Geena Gall (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc HS) and junior Nicole Edwards (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Vincent Massey HS) placed second and third, respectively. Gall crossed the finish line with season-best 2:05.03, while Edwards clocked in with a career-best 2:06.09.
U-M had a total of seven runners in the top 10 in the 1,500-meter run, with senior Erin Webster (Dearborn, Mich./Divine Child HS) posting the fastest time for the Maize and Blue with a career-record, regional qualifying time of 4:24.86, good for second place. Fifth-year senior co-captain Rebecca Walter (Beverly Hills, Mich./Groves HS) finished third in her first-ever 1,500m run with time of 4:29.55.
Sophomore Katie LaValley (Ada, Mich./Forest Hills Central HS) placed second in the 400-meter hurdles with a season-best, regional qualifying time of 1:00.22. Sophomore Amber Hay (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance HS) and senior/junior Kiana Stringfield (Midland, Mich./Midland HS) finished in third and fourth place, respectively. Hay posted a time of 1:02.48, while Stringfield earned a season-best time of 1:03.80.
In the sprints, sophomore Tiffany Ofili (Ypsilanti, Mich./Ypsilanti HS) claimed two first-place finishes in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. Ofili posted a career-record time of 11.95 in the 100m along with a personal-best time of 24.43 in the 200m. Also in the 200m, senior Chanelle Campbell (Round Rock, Texas/Round Rock HS) finished second with a time of 24.90, while sophomore co-captain Bettie Wade (Northville, Mich./Farmington HS) came in fourth (25.22).
Campbell led the Maize and Blue in the 400-meter run with a first-place time of 54.81, while junior Serita Williams (Crete, Ill./Crete-Monee HS) took second with a season-best time of 56.49.
The Wolverines posted two relay victories, finishing with a season-best time of 46.52 in the 4x100m relay and crossing the finish line in 3:43.06 in the 4x400m relay.
Wade claimed the Wolverines' lone NCAA Regional qualifying mark in the field events as she took first place in the high jump with a career best of 5-11 1/4, eclipsing her previous best by 3 1/4 inches. Sophomore/freshman Christina Solomon (Belleville, Mich./Belleville HS) tied for second with a career best of 5-4 1/4.
In the pole vault, fifth-year senior Kristin Pearson (Escanaba, Mich./Escanaba HS) finished second with career best of 11-11 3/4. Junior/sophomore Jennifer Mehl (Novi, Mich./Novi HS) placed third, tying her career best of 11-11 3/4.
Ofili led the Wolverines in the long jump with a first-place leap of 18-9 1/4. Sophomore Casey Taylor (Chicago Heights, Ill./Marian Catholic HS) placed second with a season-best distance of 18-8. Taylor also finished second in the triple jump (39-0 1/4).
In the throws, senior/junior Bridgette Maynard (Clawson, Mich./Bishop Foley HS) posted a first-place distance of 144-6 in the discus. In the hammer throw, Maynard posted a fourth-place, career-best distance of 170-8. Maynard also finished fourth in the shot put with a career best of 41-7.
The Wolverines split up next weekend for action in Pennsylvania, Iowa and Michigan. The Maize and Blue will be represented at the Penn Relays (Philadelphia, Pa.), Drake Relays (Des Moines, Iowa) and Hillsdale Relays (Hillsdale, Mich.). All three meets take place Thursday through Saturday (April 26-28).
Event Winners/U-M Finishes
High Jump 1. Bettie Wade, U-M 5-11 1/4# (1.81m) t2. Christina Solomon, U-M 5-4 1/4 (1.63m) Pole Vault 1. Janice Keppler, Eastern Michigan 12-5 1/2# (3.80m) 2. Kristin Pearson, U-M 11-11 3/4 (3.65m) 3. Jennifer Mehl, U-M 11-11 3/4 (3.65m) 7. Lisa Sonntag, U-M 10-6 (3.20m) -- Sarah Conkle, U-M NH -- Kate Dannecker, U-M NH Long Jump 1. Tiffany Ofili, U-M 18-9 1/4 (5.72m) 2. Casey Taylor, U-M 18-8 (5.69m) 11. Samantha Smith, U-M 16-10 3/4 (5.15m) 13. Shana Vinson, U-M 16-7 (5.05m) 14. Teleicia Rose, U-M 16-1 3/4 (4.92m) Triple Jump 1. Taren James, Michigan State 40-10 1/4# (12.45m) 2. Casey Taylor, U-M 39-0 1/4 (11.89m) Discus Throw 1. Bridgette Maynard, U-M 144-6 (44.05m) 7. Anna Wilson, U-M 121-6 (37.04m) Hammer Throw 1. Erica Bailey, Michigan State 177-8# (54.15m) 4. Bridgette Maynard, U-M 170-8 (52.03m) 15. Anna Wilson, U-M 117-5 (35.80m) Javelin Throw 1. Elise Knutzen, Notre Dame 130-0 (39.63m) 6. Bettie Wade, U-M 100-10 (30.74m) 10. Anna Wilson, U-M 90-10 (27.70m) 13. Samantha Smith, U-M 82-9 (25.22m) 16. Dorothy Doughty, U-M 78-2 (23.83m) Shot Put 1. Erica Bailey, Michigan State 50-4 3/4 (15.36m) 4. Bridgette Maynard, U-M 41-7 (12.67m) 10. Anna Wilson, U-M 35-1 3/4 (10.71m) 100-Meter Dash 1. Tiffany Ofili, U-M 11.95 6. Charne Lumbus, U-M 12.89 7. Teleicia Rose, U-M 13.03 200-Meter Dash 1. Tiffany Ofili, U-M 24.43 2. Chanelle Campbell, U-M 24.90 4. Bettie Wade, U-M 25.22 11. Samantha Smith, U-M 26.49 13. Charne Lumbus, U-M 26.76 400-Meter Dash 1. Chanelle Campbell, U-M 54.81 2. Serita Williams, U-M 56.49 800-Meter Run 1. Anna Willard, U-M 2:03.94# 2. Geena Gall, U-M 2:05.03# 3. Nicole Edwards, U-M 2:06.09# 12. Linda Montgomery, U-M 2:21.79 1,500-Meter Run 1. Lisa Senakiewich, Michigan State 4:24.02# 2. Erin Webster, U-M 4:24.86# 3. Rebecca Walter, U-M 4:29.55 4. Laura Glynn, U-M 4:30.24 6. Jennifer Biewald, U-M 4:32.03 7. Eileen Creutz, U-M 4:37.79 8. Elisabeth Uible, U-M 4:38.17 9. Kelly Sampson, U-M 4:39.23 16. Natasha Luppov, U-M 4:45.67 17. Katie Williams, U-M 4:45.70 18. Lisa Montgomery, U-M 4:47.80 100-Meter Hurdles 1. Crystal Dooley, Unattached 14.01 2. Bettie Wade, U-M 14.22 4. Charne Lumbus, U-M 15.06 5. Samantha Smith, U-M 15.41 400-Meter Hurdles 1. Crystal Dooley, Unattached 59.41# 2. Katie LaValley, U-M 1:00.22# 3. Amber Hay, U-M 1:02.48 4. Kiana Stringfield, U-M 1:03.80 4x100-Meter Relay 1. Michigan 'A' 46.52 (Tiffany Ofili, Casey Taylor, Charne Lumbus, Chanelle Campbell) 4x400-Meter Relay 1. Michigan 'A' 3:43.06 (Katie LaValley, Anna Willard, Nicole Edwards, Genna Gall) 6. Michigan 'B' 4:03.80 14. Michigan 'C' 4:38.31 # NCAA Regional Qualifying Mark
Q U O T E S
Michigan Assistant Coach Anne Takacs-Grieb
On the team's performance ... "We had some really outstanding performances today. We had some lifetime bests and season bests. Bridgette Maynard had a lifetime best in the hammer and a season best in the shot put, and the vaulters had a consistent weekend. One of the major highlights is that Bettie Wade cleared 5-11 1/4 in the high jump, which was a huge personal best, and she almost cleared 6-1. Anna Willard was an outstanding performer in the 800-meter run."
On expectations heading into the meet ... "People had been waiting for some good weather to get some good marks. So the desires were high, the expectations were that we would have some good performances based on the fact that we finally had a beautiful day and not a lot of travel to get to the meet. Although people were mentally stressed due to finals, having a one-day meet across town was good. They were able to commit 100 percent to today's performance."
Contact: Joseph Conrad (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
