Taylor Wins Triple Jump at Alex Wilson Invitational
3/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
Event: Alex Wilson Invitational
U-M Team Finish: No Team Scoring
Next U-M Event: Fri-Sat., March 13-14 -- at NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships (College Station, Texas), 10 a.m./Noon
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Senior Casey Taylor (Chicago Heights, Ill./Marian Catholic) earned first place in the triple jump and the 4x400-meter relay quartet of senior/junior Shana Vinson(Detroit, Mich./Mumford), sophomore Jennifer Neville(Dearborn, Mich./Divine Child), senior Amber Hay(Detroit, Mich./Renaissance) and senior Katie LaValley(Ada, Mich./Forest Hills Central) sent a new school record as the No. 6-ranked University of Michigan women's track and field team competed in the Alex Wilson Invitational on Saturday (March 7) at the Loftus Sports Center. The event was the final regular-season meet of the indoor season and the last chance for athletes to qualify for the NCAA Championships, taking place next weekend.
Taylor earned top honors with an NCAA provisional-qualifying mark of 13.07 meters, reached on the second of six jumps during the day. Taylor bettered second-place Lauren Martin of Indiana State by 0.15 meters. Taylor also earned second place in the long jump with a top leap of 5.86 meters; Jessica Penney of Illinois took first with a leap of 6.14 meters.
The 4x400-meter relay foursome of Vinson, Neville, Hay and LaValley broke the U-M record en route totaking seventh, meeting the NCAA provisional standard with a time of 3:37.95 while competing in heat one. Illinois earned the top spot with a time of 3:35.13 running in heat two. The previous school record of 3:40.33 was set last season by Vinson, LaValley, Hay and Serita Williams.
In theone-mile run, sophomore Danielle Tauro(Manhawkin, N.J./Southern Regional) clocked in at a season-best, NCAA provisional time of 4:38.71 to earn fifth place. Tauro was just over three seconds behind first-place Kellyn Johnson of Wichita State (4:35.55).
Senior/junior Kelly Sampson(Detroit, Mich./Renaissance) took 14th in the 800-meter run for the Maize and Blue. Sampson crossed the line in a time of 2:11.32; Indiana State's Erica Moore won the event in 2:04.94
Next Friday and Saturday (March 13-14), the Wolverines will travel to College Station, Texas, to compete in the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium. Competition will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday and will resume at noon on Saturday.
Event Winner/U-M Finishers
800-meter Run 1. Erica Moore, Indiana State 2:04.94* 14. Kelly Sampson, U-M 2:11.32 One-mile Run 1. Kellyn Johnson, Wichita State 4:35.55* 5. Danielle Tauro, U-M 4:38.71# 4x400-meter Relay 1. Illinois 3:35.13# 7. Michigan 3:37.95#$ (Shana Vinson, Jennifer Neville, Amber Hay, Katie LaValley)
Long Jump 1. Jessica Penney, Illinois 6.14m# 2. Casey Taylor, U-M 5.86m (19-2 3/4) Triple Jump 1. Casey Taylor, U-M 13.07m# (42-10 3/4)
* denotes NCAA automatic qualifying time
# denotes NCAA provisional qualifying time
$ denotes new U-M school record
Contact: Jeremy Reid (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
