Michigan
Penn Relays
DMR Makes History With Win at Penn Relays
4/24/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
Site: Philadelphia, Pa. (Franklin Field)
Event: Penn Relays
U-M Team Finish: No Team Scoring
Next U-M Event: Friday-Saturday, April 25-26 -- at Hillsdale (Hillsdale, Mich.), Penn (Philadelphia, Pa.) and Drake (Des Moines, Iowa) Relays
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The University of Michigan clocked the second-fastest collegiate time ever in the women's distance medley relay to place first in the event at the Penn Relays track and field meet Thursday (April 24) on Franklin Field. Freshman Danielle Tauro(Manahawken, N.J./Southern Regional), senior Serita Williams(Crete, Ill./Crete-Monee), junior Geena Gall(Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc) and senior co-captain Nicole Edwards(Winnipeg, Manitoba/Vincent Massey) finished in 10:49.58 to break the school record which had stood for nine years.
Tauro started things off, gaining a lead 1,000 meters into the race. She ran her split in 3:22.20. On the second leg, second-place Tennessee made up some distance, but Williams was able to keep U-M ahead with a split time of 53.40. Michigan lost the lead for a short time to the Volunteers despite Gall's impressive 2:02.10 split. Anchor Edwards recaptured the Wolverine lead on her final lap for the win with a split of 4:31.90.
The quartet broke the previous DMR school record -- 11:06.01, set by Angela Stanifer, Heather Burcar, Adrienne Hunter and Katie McGregor at the 1999 Penn Relays -- by more than 16 seconds.
In the 3,000-meter run, junior/sophomore Kelly Sampson(Detroit, Mich./Renaissance) placed ninth with a personal record of 9:51.09. Teammates sophomore/freshman Jennifer Morgan(Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) and graduate/senior Jackie Gaydos(Allen Park, Mich./Allen Park) placed 10th and 12th, respectively.
In the 5,000-meter run, freshman Kaitlyn Peale(Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) earned the fastest U-M time with a 16:53.69 for 14th and sophomore Rachel Severin(Chelsea, Mich./Chelsea) came in 18th with a 17:06.58.
Michigan will continue competition in the Hillsdale Relays, Drake Relays and Penn Relays Friday and Saturday (April 25-26).
Event Winners/U-M Finishes
Distance Medley Relay 1. Michigan 10:49.58 (Danielle Tauro, Serita Williams, Geena Gall, Nicole Edwards)
3,000-meter Run 1. Liz Costello, Princeton 9:35.01 9. Kelly Sampson, U-M 9:51.09 10. Jennifer Morgan, U-M 9:53.13 12. Jackie Gaydos, U-M 9:54.62 5,000-meter Run 1. Ashley Higginson, Princeton 16:22.56 14. Kaitlyn Peale, U-M 16:53.69 18. Rachel Severin, U-M 17:06.58
Q U O T E S
Michigan Associate Head Coach Mike McGuire
On the DMR... "I thought Danielle (Tauro) really got it going for us. She had a huge last lap and gave us a sizeable lead. Geena's (Gall) split was the fastest she's ever run as I think it was for each of the athletes. We needed it because Tennessee was a formidable challenge for us."
Contact: Stacey Schwartz (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
