Michigan State University
EMU Classic
Spartans Gain Momentum At EMU Invitational
4/21/2007 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
April 21, 2007
YPSILANTI, Mich. - The Michigan State track and field team earned seven NCAA-regional qualifying marks on Saturday afternoon at the EMU Invitational in Ypsilanti, Mich. The team was led by senior thrower Erica Bailey who posted qualifying marks and first-place finishes in the hammer and shot put events, while Jonathon Allen broke a 26-year-old record in the triple jump.
"It was nice to have some momentum and win events," Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Walt Drenth said. "We had six athletes capture NCAA-regional qualifying marks and it was a great step in the right direction. I'm excited about all of the performances today, but the highlight was Erica Bailey. She came through well in the shot put and substantiated herself in the hammer. She will be a big component in the success we will have in the conference meet."
Bailey won the hammer with a personal-best distance of 54.15 meters (177-8) for her first qualifying throw of the outdoor season. The senior continued with another win in the shot put, surpassing the regional-qualifying mark by 1.06 meters, with a 15.36 meter (50-4 3/4) throw, good enough to top the women's shot put field.
Allen jumped a NCAA-regional qualifying mark and personal-best distance of 15.40 meters (50- 6 1/4) to lead all triple jumpers. The sophomore jumper broke the school record by over three inches that was previously held by Jouka Niva. This is the second Spartan record that Allen has broken, in the indoor season he also demolished the triple jump mark.
Lisa Senakiewich improved on her time in the 1,500-meter run with a NCAA-regional qualifying time of 4:24.02 and a first-place finish. The junior took nine seconds off her previous time (4:33.80), which she posted at last week's Spartan Invitational.
Hurdler John Childress ran a personal-best 14.02 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles for his second career NCAA-regional qualifying mark.
In the distance events, Jim Pancoast nabbed sixth place in the 1,500-meter run with a personal-best time of 3:46.18, and qualified for the regional meet by almost a second.
In the triple jump, Taren James leaped 12.45 meters (40-10 1/4) for her second consecutive first-place finish.
The Green and White also recorded a top finish in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase with a win by Dustin Voss in a time of 9:17.22. The women's 4x100-meter relay team was just shy of a regional-qualifying time with a second-place finish of 46.69.
The Spartans return to action on April 27-28 at the Hillsdale and Drake Relays. The following weekend, the team will travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., for the Len Paddock Invitational, hosted by the University of Michigan.
Players Mentioned
