Track & Field Concludes Meyo Invitational with Strong Performances

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Michigan State track and field concluded the Meyo Invitational with strong performances on both the track and in the field events, led by six athletes setting new personal bests in their respective events at the Loftus Sports Center in South Bend, Indiana on Saturday.

"The people who we took along for the most part certainly did better this weekend and that's all that we can ask them to do," Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Walt Drenth said. "I thought it was a weekend well spent in terms of our effort and some nice performances."

The Meyo Invitational featured high-level competition throughout the region, representing many conferences including multiple Big Ten teams in Minnesota, Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin.

"I was really pleased with the way Brooke (Bogan) ran," Drenth said. "This morning it's pretty early to run a fast 60 in the semifinal and she was able to step up to make the final. Then to come back and run faster in the final; it was a good day for her."

Junior Brooke Bogan represented the sprinting squad as she placed third overall in the women's 60m dash finals, turning in a time of 7.51. After placing second overall in the preliminary race on Friday, tying her PR with a 7.48, Bogan took second in her semifinal heat (7.60) to qualify for the finals. She then raced to a bronze finish in the finals, completing her fourth race in two days.

Sophomore Nala Barlow continued to show improvement in the 400m as she bested her PR that she set last week at the Power Five Invitational, to turn in a time of 57.71.

The Michigan State distance crew continued to show improvement and consistency, with strong showings in multiple events.

"They have a level of expectations when they go into competition, and they're performing with confidence. I think the thing that's giving them the most confidence is their consistency," Drenth said. "I was pleased with the whole group of them today frankly. I thought that we competed pretty well; almost the entire group stepped up. It's a high-level meet and I thought they did a nice job of asserting themselves."

Sophomore John Petruno, who was part of the third-place distance medley relay team on day one, crushed his previous PR in the mile run by more than five seconds for a new career-best of 4:07.46 to win his heat and place 10th overall.

In the women's championship mile, senior Annie Fuller took fourth with a time of 4:39.78, while teammate junior Lindsey Rudden set a new personal best with a 4:41.56 mile to place sixth. Sophomore Katie Osika was close behind, turning in a time of 4:48.29 for eighth place, just edging her previous PR of 4:48.43.

Senior Dillon McClintock posted a time of 2:08.01 to earn seventh in the women's championship 800m.

On the field, sophomore Calli Ostapowicz cleared a new best of 3.91m for a fourth place finish in the women's pole vault.

Representing the throwers, senior Jerimiah Evans posted a career-best throw of 18.49m in the shot put, to collect fifth place.

UP NEXT
Michigan State track and field returns to competition again next weekend, for the first split weekend of the season. MSU will travel to Nashville, Tennessee for the Commodore Invitational from Friday, Feb. 14 to Saturday, Feb. 15. Some Spartans will also stay local at The Big Meet in Allendale, Michigan on Feb. 14-15.

Track & Field Concludes Meyo Invitational with Strong Performances

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Players Mentioned

Nala Barlow

Brooke Bogan

Jerimiah Evans

Dillon McClintock

Katie Osika

Calli Ostapowicz

John Petruno

Lindsey Rudden