Victorious Holman Leads Michigan on Day Two at Drake Relays

Friday, April 29

Des Moines, Iowa

11:30 AM CT

Michigan

Drake Relays

Ziyah Holman (Jack Spamer)

Victorious Holman Leads Michigan on Day Two at Drake Relays

4/29/2022 9:51:00 PM | Women's Track & Field

By: Kyle Terwillegar

Site: Des Moines, Iowa (Drake Stadium)
Event: Drake Relays (Day 2 of 3)
U-M Result: No team scoring
Next U-M Event: Saturday, April 30 -- at Drake Relays (Des Moines, Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Just as she has so many times in her young University of Michigan women's track and field career, Ziyah Holman led the way for the Wolverines on the second of three days at the Drake Relays on Friday (April 29).

The three-time Big Ten 400-meter champion Holman notched her second win of this 2022 outdoor season at her signature distance with a 53.36 winner in difficult windy and cold conditions. She raced to the line nearly a full second quicker than anyone else in the field.

Holman returned later in the evening session for a half-lap 200-meter race, clocking 23.86 (-1.3m/s) for fifth place overall and fourth in the fastest section. The only woman from earlier sections to beat her was teammate BreeAna Bates, who clocked a matching career-best 23.86 (+0.0m/s). Review showed Bates had edged out Holman in the overall standings by a thousandth of a second. Bates moved to No. 10 in school history with the performance.

Riley Ammenhauser was the finisher in early-session finals action, as she leapt out to 12.71m (41-8.5) (+2.0m/s wind reading) in the third of six rounds for third place overall. Despite battling unpredictable tailwinds that varied from 5.3m/s to 1.0m/s, she still was able to record five legal jumps -- including three farther than 41 feet -- and beat three of the six women ranked ahead of her in the Big Ten standings this spring.

The pole vault duo of Jessica Mercier and Mia Manson tied for fourth place with 4.02m (13-2.25) clearances, both on their second attempts.

The Wolverines got additional top-10 performances on the track in the early session from seventh-place Savannah Sutherland in the 400 meter hurdles (58.86) and Amber Gall in the top-seeded section of the 800 meters (2:10.40). In addition to Holman twice and Bates, the evening session saw Kayla Windemuller finish seventh at 1,500 meters (4:23.60) and Ameia Wilson take seventh in the long jump at 5.88m (19-3.5) (+0.6m/s).

In qualifying action, competing in less-than-ideal conditions -- a 20 mile-per-hour crosswind with gusts in the area measured to near 50 miles per hour -- Aasia Laurencin still managed a strong 13.55 (-2.8m/s) to take the top spot overall in the 100-meter hurdles preliminary rounds.

Though it was only a qualifying round, Laurencin came out in the overall standings ahead of national No. 6 Masai Russell of Kentucky, as well as defending Big Ten champion Destiny Huven of Wisconsin and Darci Khan of Kentucky, both of whom are tied at No. 22 nationally this spring. Laurencin, herself, is ranked No. 47.

Laurencin will get a full test Saturday at 1:40 p.m. CT in a race that will air as part of the CBS Sports Network broadcast.

Also advancing to an individual final on Saturday was Bates, who finished fifth overall at 100 meters in 11.84 (-2.2m/s). Bates automatically advanced to the final, to be contested at 1:24 p.m. CT, by virtue of winning her heat.

The final day at the Drake Relays will begin at 12:10 p.m. CT, with Michigan entries in the distance medley, sprint medley, 4x100 and 4x400 relays.

Michigan Results

Q/q = qualified for the next round

100 meter dash
Prelims
5. BreeAna Bates / 11.84Q (-2.2m/s)
20. Hanna Hearn / 12.49 (-3.7m/s)

200 meter dash
Final
4. BreeAna Bates / 23.86 (+0.0m/s) [New PR]
5. Ziyah Holman / 23.86 (-1.3m/s)

400 meter dash
Final
1. Ziyah Holman / 53.36
18. Chika Amene / 57.22

800 meter run
Final
8. Amber Gall / 2:10.40

1500 meter run
Final
7. Kayla Windemuller / 4:23.60
13. Lucy Petee / 4:30.26

Unseeded
3. Samantha Hastie / 4:26.35 [New PR]
9. Alice Hill / 4:28.97
12. Eva Jansohn / 4:29.69
15. Gabby Swider / 4:31.25
--. Yasmine Mansi / DNF

5000 meter run
Final
--. Ericka VanderLende / DNF

100 meter hurdles
Prelims
1. Aasia Laurencin / 13.55Q (-2.8m/s)
24. Theresa Mayanja / 14.73 (-2.3m/s)
25. Carlita Taylor / 14.87 (-2.3m/s)

400 meter hurdles
Final
7. Savannah Sutherland / 58.86
14. Lauren Fulcher / 60.61 [New PR]