Beadlescomb Sets School Record on Day One of Split Weekend

EAST LANSING, Mich. - With the Spartans competing at the GVSU Big Meet, Music City Challenge and the Iowa State Classic, Michigan State track and field saw strong performances in all three locations on Friday, Feb. 14 to begin the weekend.

Competing at the Iowa State Classic, junior Morgan Beadlescomb set a new school record in the 5,000m. Beadlescomb's personal best of 13:31.50 also set a facility and meet record. His performance crushed his previous time of 13:47.44 that was set last season at the Raleigh Relays.

"That's why we came out here, just for an opportunity to see how fast he could go and hopefully make a bid to the Indoor National Championships," MSU assistant coach Aaron Simoneau said. "He really handled himself well and was able to finish strong and come away with the win and a huge PR. Finishing the race the way he did and with a huge PR should be a confidence booster and the confidence going into Big Ten's and into the National Championships, thinking like he's one of the best guys in the country."

Beadlescomb's performance is currently fourth-best time in the NCAA this season.

At the GVSU Big Meet, MSU saw a handful of personal bests from younger and veteran athletes alike in both the field and running events.

"I thought I saw some growth in a number of places. What we're looking to see is who's ready to be in the Big Ten meet and who's ready to step up, and I thought we saw it in some people and in a few pockets. I thought the 5,000m guys did a nice job; they're not Big Ten ready but they are going to be. They were competitive throughout," Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Walt Drenth said.

In the women's long jump, sophomore Olivia Lopez placed second with a mark of 5.67m. On the men's side, sophomore Elijah Jones took sixth (6.61m). Senior Nate Whitting earned the men's high jump title with a new personal best mark of 2.03m.

Also in the field, junior Nikole Sargent took first in the shot put with a personal best mark of 15.64m. Sargent then placed fifth in the weight throw, putting up a personal-best mark of 18.71m.

"For me, one of the big breakthroughs of the weekend at Grand Valley was Nikki Sargent. For me, I felt like one of the people we need to get going is her. She's got talent. We need her – she's good enough to help us, and it's just been a struggle getting her going. She started off in the invitational weight and threw a substantial personal best, but when she came back in the shot, every time she got a chance to go she was at or near her personal best. She had good energy, and she was engaged. She started to look like a Big Ten person," Drenth added.

Representing the sprinting group, the 400m runners of sophomores Nala Barlow and Tyra Hunt both turned in personal best times. Barlow won her section with a time of 57.493 while Hunt placed third with a 57.721.

After just missing the finals of the 60m dash, junior Tamea McKelvy ran a 24.99 in the 200m dash. On the men's side, freshman Antonio Postell bounced back after missing the 60m dash finals to a time of 22.19 in the 200m dash.

The Spartans continued to see growth from the distance squad. Freshman Fraser Wilson clocked in a new PR of 14:35.75 in the men's 5k in the fastest section of the meet. Freshman Brenden Allen turned in a time of 14:38.02 in the second heat. On the women's side, sophomore Claire Kendell ran the 3,000m in 10:19.08.

MSU also had successful opening day of the Music City Challenge at the Vanderbilt Multipurpose Facility. Senior Jeralyn Poe led the way for the Spartans on day one as she earned the first event title of the season as she won the women's 5k with a new PR of 16:06.72. Also in the 5k, teammate sophomore Jenna Magness placed third, also with a new PR of 16:10.87.

Junior Brooke Bogan took second place in her section of the women's 200m, with a new indoor personal best of 24.85.

In the field events in Nashville, sophomore Rebecca Mammel tied for second in the weight throw with a mark of 20.88m.

UP NEXT
Spartan track and field closes out the weekend in the second day of competition of the Music City Challenge in Nashville, Tennessee.

Beadlescomb Sets School Record on Day One of Split Weekend

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Players Mentioned

Brenden Allen

Nala Barlow

Morgan Beadlescomb

Brooke Bogan

Tyra Hunt

Claire Kendell

Olivia Lopez

Jenna Magness

Rebecca Mammel

Tamea McKelvy

Jeralyn Poe

Fraser Wilson