Michigan
Wolverine Invitational
Jacobsen, Nelson Crush Weight Throw Record in 2020 Opener
1/11/2020 5:26:00 PM | Women's Track & Field
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (U-M Indoor Track Building)
Event: Wolverine Invitational
U-M Result: No team scoring
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Jan. 18 -- host Simmons-Harvey Big Ten Invitational (U-M Indoor Track Building), 11 a.m.
• Complete Results (PDF) | Photo Gallery
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- For the second year in a row, the season-opening Wolverine Invitational became the "Weight Throw Invitational" for the University of Michigan women's track and field team as Courtney Jacobsen and Briana Nelson combined for four school-record throws in the event to headline the Wolverines' indoor debut on Saturday (Jan. 11).
Jacobsen broke the U-M record in the event on three different occasions, topped once in the middle by Nelson, as the pair finished third and fourth in the weight throw, respectively -- among 15 top-five finishers for the Wolverines on the day.
Along with the historic weight throw performances, Michigan was led by victories in the high jump by Katt Miner and in the shot put by Amanda Schaare. Michigan notched three runner-up performances on the track from Meg Darmofal (800 meters), Julia Hall (600 meters) and Ericka VanderLende (mile).
In what was the highest-caliber women's weight throw competition in school history, Jacobsen topped out at 20.15m (66 feet, 1.5 inches) -- becoming the first Michigan woman to eclipse 20 meters -- and Nelson finished at 19.95m (65-5.5). Both women surpassed the 1-year-old record of 19.53m (64-1) co-held by Bailey Baker and Kayla Deering multiple times, with Jacobsen exceeding that old standard on all five of her measured throws.
Jacobsen led off with a 19.60m (64-3.75) heave on her first throw to break the record, with Nelson also surpassing the previous record on her first attempt at 19.55m (64-1.75). Jacobsen stretched her record to 19.82m (65-0.5) on her second attempt, but it lasted just a few moments as Nelson got her best of 19.95m in that round to claim the record.
The record would not remain with Nelson for much longer. Two rounds later, Jacobsen launched her best of 20.15m to wrestle back control of the top spot on the all-time list. That is where the record would stay, though Jacobsen closed out with a pair of 19.92m (65-4.25) and 19.85m (65-1.5) heaves. The marks will rank both women inside the top-20 nationally.
A stellar indoor collegiate debut victory from Schaare in the shot bolstered the Wolverines' throws corps even further. Though she legally landed just two throws, her 15.22m (49-11.25) from the opening round of competition more than held up for the victory by nearly half a meter.
The throws, which was her first in a Michigan uniform during the collegiate season, established her at No. 6 on the all-time Michigan performance list indoors in the event.
Adjacent to the shot put sector, Miner was having a career-best day in the high jump en route to the victory in her event. The senior clinched the victory on a third-attempt clearance at 1.80m (5-10.75), breaking her free of runner-up Taylor Wright at that height. Not only did she get the win, but she became just the 10th woman in school history indoors to crack 1.80m during the indoor season.
Miner was perfect through her first three heights, as was Jada Wimberly, who topped out at a career-best 1.70m (5-7) in third.
Miner was just the fifth woman to clear 1.80m or higher so far this collegiate season.
With runner-up performances in three different events on the track, the Wolverines also showed some early-season promise on the oval.
All-American relay runner Darmofal was the top collegiate finisher in the 800 meters behind professional Sonia Gaskin, running a career-best 2:08.24 on the strength of a big surge on the final two laps. Michigan finished with eight of the top 10 finishers in the event, including fourth- and fifth-place efforts from All-America relay teammates Chloe Foster (2:11.48) and Alice Hill (2:11.54), respectively.
Big Ten Cross Country Freshman of the Year VanderLende made her U-M track debut in the mile, finishing as the top collegian in 4:49.97 behind U-M alumna and Olympic hopeful Shannon Osika (4:34.40). VanderLende led three Wolverines in the top five, along with fourth-place Kathryn House (4:53.65) and fifth-place Jena Metwalli (4:54.44).
Headlining the sprints was Hall, who ran a career-best 1:32.51 to finish second overall and first among collegians at 600 meters. The top spot in the race went to Canadian Olympian and global medalist Melissa Bishop.
Also finishing top-five on the day for the Wolverines were Jeryne Fish in both the long jump (third) and 200 meters (fourth), Jenna Reid at 400 meters (third) and Samantha Saenz at 3,000 meters (fourth).
The regular season will ramp up in a big way next Saturday (Jan. 18) when the Wolverines welcome rivals Michigan State and Ohio State for the Simmons-Harvey Invitational at 11 a.m. at the U-M Indoor Track Building. The meet, which will be Michigan's only scored competition of the regular season, will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.
Collegiate Career-Best Performances
Career debuts not included
Meg Darmofal -- 2:08.24 / 800m (I)
Julia Hall -- 1:32.51 / 600m (I)
Kathryn House -- 4:53.65 / Mile (I)
Courtney Jacobsen -- 20.15m (66-1.25) / Weight Throw (I)
Katt Miner -- 1.80m (5-10.75) / High Jump (I)
Briana Nelson -- 19.95m (65-5.5) / Weight Throw (I)
Amanda Schaare -- 15.22m (49-11.25) / Shot Put (I)
Jada Wimberly -- 1.70m (5-7) / High Jump (I)
Michigan Results by Event
60 Meters
Prelims
11. Ameia Wilson / 7.77
13. Madison Eaton / 7.90
19. Tiana Luton / 8.21
200 Meters
4. Jeryne Fish / 24.84
10. Julia Hall / 25.56
400 Meters
3. Jenna Reid / 57.76
8. Chika Amene / 59.49
600 Meters
2. Julia Hall / 1:32.51
800 Meters
2. Meg Darmofal / 2:08.24
4. Chloe Foster / 2:11.48
5. Alice Hill / 2:11.54
6. Amber Gall / 2:12.92
7. Julia Vanitvelt / 2:15.35
8. Lauren Biggs / 2:15.90
9. Faith Reynolds / 2:17.15
10. Lexi Munley / 2:18.06
11. Gabby Swider / 2:19.15
13. Eva Jansohn / 2:20.16
15. Thea Johnson / 2:23.30
16. Hannah Palomino / 2:25.83
17. Haley Click / 2:26.44
Mile
2. Ericka VanderLende / 4:49.97
4. Kathryn House / 4:53.65
5. Jena Metwalli / 4:54.44
7. Maddy Trevisan / 5:03.71
3,000 Meters
4. Samantha Saenz / 10:02.92
6. Raquel Powers / 10:12.98
7. Annie Taylor / 10:29.16
11. Charlotte Cochrane / 10:40.22
60-Meter Hurdles
FINAL
6. Michaiah Thomas / 8.86
7. Madison Eaton / 8.92
PRELIMS
7. Michaiah Thomas / 8.82q
8. Madison Eaton / 8.84q
9. Theresa Mayanja / 8.91
13. Sydney McGinley / 9.11
15. Tiana Luton / 9.19
4x400 Relay
1. Amene, Lane, Harrison, Reid / 3:45.78
4. Hill, Darmofal, Munley, Gall / 3:59.42
7. Mayanja, Vanitvelt, Metwalli, Jansohn / 4:04.55
8. Click, House, Reynolds, Swider / 4:05.55
High Jump
1. Katt Miner / 1.80m (5-10.75)
3. Jada Wimberly / 1.70m (5-7)
10. Theresa Mayanja / 1.55m (5-1)
Pole Vault
--. Jessica Mercier / NH
Long Jump
3. Jeryne Fish / 5.62m (18-5.25)
6. Ameia Wilson / 5.21m (17-1)
Shot Put
1. Amanda Schaare / 15.22m (49-11.25)
6. Briana Nelson / 14.26m (46-9.5)
9. Erin Connor / 13.48m (44-2.75)
10. Maegan McCarthy / 12.93m (42-5)
Weight Throw
3. Courtney Jacobsen / 20.15m (66-1.25) [SCHOOL RECORD]
4. Briana Nelson / 19.95m (65-5.5)
11. Erin Connor / 14.86m (48-9)
Players Mentioned
