Wolverines Begin 2010 With First Place at Akron Opener

Friday, January 8

Akron, Ohio

7:00 PM

Michigan

Akron Opener

Wolverines Begin 2010 With First Place at Akron Opener

1/8/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field

Jan. 8, 2010

Site: Akron, Ohio (Stile Athletics Field House)
Event: Akron Opener
U-M Team Finish: 1st of Three Teams (117 points)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Jan. 16 -- at PSU Northeast Challenge (State College, Pa.), 10 a.m.

AKRON, Ohio -- In the first event of the 2010 season, the University of Michigan women's track and field team took first place at the Akron Opener on Friday (Jan. 8), winning six events to rack up 117 points at the Stile Athletics Field House. The Wolverines out-distanced host Akron by 20 points to win the event for the third consecutive season.

U-M won all three distance events on the evening, with Danielle Tauro (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional) winning the mile run (4:58.10), Rebecca Addison (Spring Lake, Mich./Grand Haven) taking first in the 3,000m run (10:03.52) and Jillian Smith (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional) crossing the finish line first in the 800m run (2:10.89).

Shana Vinson (Detroit, Mich./Mumford) led the Wolverines in the sprinting events, winning the 400m dash (55.98) and anchoring the 4x400m relay team to a victory (3:54.80). Meanwhile, Julian Purvis (Oakland, Calif./St. Elizabeth) won the 60m hurdles (8.65) to give U-M six wins on the night.

The Wolverines also picked up four runner-up finishes in the field events, coming in the long jump, weight throw, shot put and high jump.

The Wolverines will now head to Penn State University next Saturday (Jan. 16) to participate in the PSU Northeast Challenge. Joining Michigan at the event are Albany, Cornell, Georgetown, Penn, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Seton Hall, St. Francis (Pa.) and West Virginia. Action will begin at 10 a.m. from the Ashenfelter Track.

Final Team Standings

1. Michigan   1172. Akron       973. Buffalo     75

Event Winners/U-M Finishers

Long Jump 1. Niesha Kelly, Akron            5.97m 2. Tofunmi Akeredolu, U-M         5.89m
Weight Throw 1. Valerie Wert, Akron           19.56m 2. Emily Pendleton, U-M          17.08m 4. Erin Pendleton, U-M           16.67m 5. Ashley Greer, U-M             15.51m
Pole Vault 1. Tiffany Maskulinski, Buffalo   3.85m 4. Carly Schiffer, U-M            3.25m    Abbey Breidenstein, U-M        3.25m    Sara Olds, U-M                 3.25m 7. Andrea Marcos, U-M             3.25m
High Jump 1. Alina Bocicor, Akron           1.78m 2. Christina Solomon, U-M         1.73m 3. Olivia Both, U-M               1.63m    Brianna Jenkins, U-M           1.63m 5. Sara Nitz, U-M                 1.58m
Shot Put 1. Kristy Woods, Buffalo         15.24m 2. Allison Liske, U-M            15.15m 4. Danica Haight, U-M            13.85m 5. Emily Pendleton, U-M          13.73m 7. Erin Pendleton, U-M           12.83m
Triple Jump 1. Niesha Kelly, Akron           12.00m 5. Auriel Bell, U-M               9.92m
Mile Run 1. Danielle Tauro, U-M          4:58.10 2. Jenny Morgan, U-M            4:58.56 4. Rachel Severin, U-M          5:03.03 7. Melany Mioduszewski, U-M     5:23.39
60m Hurdles 1. Julian Purvis, U-M              8.65 4. Teleicia Rose, U-M              8.97 6. Tofunmi Akeredolu, U-M          9.0311. Sara Nitz, U-M                 11.22
400m Dash 1. Shana Vinson, U-M              55.98 2. Jennifer Neville, U-M          56.93
60m Dash 1. Seanlay Bell, Akron             7.76 3. Alisha Cole, U-M                7.85 4. Teleicia Rose, U-M              7.86 5. Charlotte Cahill, U-M           7.90 8. Ada Unachukwu, U-M              7.98 9. Julian Purvis, U-M              7.99
800m Run 1. Jillian Smith, U-M           2:10.89 3. Alexandria Williams, U-M     2:16.83 4. Jami Hill, U-M               2:17.44 7. Meg Bellino, U-M             2:18.07 8. Brittani Williams, U-M       2:18.1310. Morgan Bailey, U-M           2:21.4611. Chloe Prince, U-M            2:27.4412. Emily Welker, U-M            2:28.9713. Nicole Prince, U-M           2:30.18
200m Dash 1. Jaimee McClary, Buffalo        24.75 2. Shana Vinson, U-M              25.09 3. Alisha Cole, U-M               25.25 6. Charlotte Cahill, U-M          25.82 7. Ada Unachukwu, U-M             25.8210. Julian Purvis, U-M             26.3511. Teleicia Rose, U-M             26.4514. Auriel Bell, U-M               27.76
3,000m Run 1. Rebecca Addison, U-M        10:03.52 2. Kaitlyn Patterson, U-M      10:12.14 4. Rachel White, U-M           10:20.36 6. Amanda McKenzie, U-M        10:28.47 7. Courtney Clancy, U-M        10:31.89 8. Alysha Valencia, U-M        10:49.98
4x400m Relay 1. MICHIGAN                     3:54.80   (Jennifer Neville, Alisha Cole,    Brittani Williams, Shana Vinson)