Gall Claims Mile Crown at the Penn Relays

Thursday, April 23

Philadelphia, Pa.

Michigan

Penn Relays

4/25/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field

Site: Philadelphia, Pa. (Franklin Field)
Event: Penn Relays (Day 3)
U-M Team Standing: No Team Scoring
Next U-M Event: Fri-Sat., May 1-2 -- at Jesse Owens Classic (Columbus, Ohio), 2 p.m./11 a.m.; Saturday, May 2 -- at Payton Jordan Classic (Palo Alto, Calif.)

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- Senior co-captain Geena Gall(Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc) of the No. 13-ranked University of Michigan women's track and field team won the Olympic Development one-mile run on Saturday (April 25) at the Penn Relays, held at Franklin Field. Sophomore Danielle Tauro(Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional) also won the college division 3,000-meter run during the meet on Thursday (April 23).

Gall paced the nine-runner field in the Olympic Development Mile with a time of 4:43.34. Gall's season-best performance in the mile earned her the victory over professional runner Maureen McCandless, who took second in 4:43.51.

On Thursday, Tauro clocked in with a time of 9:33.18 to win the college championship in the 3,000-meter run. Tauro edged second-place Lucy Van Dalen of Stony Brook by just 14 one-hundredths of a second (9:33.32).

Three other Wolverines also recorded top-10 performances on Thursday at the Penn Relays. Senior Amber Hay(Detroit, Mich./Renaissance) claimed fifth place in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 59.62. Fawn Dorr of Penn State won the 400 hurdles in 57.78. Also Thursday, senior Bettie Wade(Northville, Mich./Farmington) and senior Tiffany Ofili(Ypsilanti, Mich./Ypsilanti) earned top-10 spots in the long jump as Wade turned in a top mark of 19-6 3/4 (5.96m) to earn seventh and Ofili's top leap of 19-5 1/2 (5.93m) was good enough for ninth. Senior Casey Taylor(Chicago Heights, Ill./Marian Catholic) just missed the top 10; her best leap of 19-2 1/2 (5.85m) earned her 11th. Shara Proctor of Florida won the long jump with a mark of 20-4 1/2 (6.21m).

The Wolverines return to action next Friday (May 1) when they compete in the first day of the two-day Jesse Owens Classic in Columbus, Ohio. Competition begins at 2 p.m. U-M will also compete on Saturday (May 2) at the Payton Jordan Classic in Palo Alto, Calif.

Event Winners/U-M Finishes

 DAY THREE (SATURDAY, APRIL 25)

 Olympic Development One Mile Run 1. Geena Gall, U-M 4:43.34 # 2. Maureen McCandless, Syracuse Elite 4:43.51 DAY ONE (THURSDAY, APRIL 25)

 College 400-meter hurdles 1. Fawn Dorr, Penn State 57.78 5. Amber Hay, U-M 59.62 # 59. Katie LaValley, U-M 1:10.02 College 3,000-meter run 1. Danielle Tauro, U-M 9:33.18 13. Kaitlyn Peale, U-M 9:54.91 College 5,000-meter run 1. Jackie Aerson, Tennessee 16:11.71 21. Lisa Montgomery, U-M 17:00.10 Olympic Development 5,000-meter run 1. Toni Salucci, adidas Raleigh 16:17.70 21. Kelly Sampson, U-M 17:13.02 College Long Jump 1. Shara Proctor, Florida 20-4 1/2 (6.21m) 7. Bettie Wade, U-M 19-6 3/4 (5.96m) 9. Tiffany Ofili, U-M 19-5 1/2 (5.93m) 11. Casey Taylor, U-M 19-2 1/2 (5.85m) # denotes NCAA Regional qualifying mark