Mammel, DMR Teams Highlight Day One of the B1G Indoor Championships

Thursday, February 25

Geneva, Ohio

All Day

Michigan State University

Big Ten Championships

Mammel, DMR Teams Highlight Day One of the B1G Indoor Championships

2/25/2021 8:37:00 PM | Track and Field

Championship Central Live Scoring Day 1 Women's Results Day 1 Men's Results Friday Men's Heat Sheets Friday Women's Heat Sheets

Streaming: DAY 2 | DAY 3
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GENEVA, Ohio - Junior Rebecca Mammel was the runner-up in the women's throw to begin action at the Big Ten Indoor Championships Thursday at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. On the men's side, the distance medley relay team set a school record to begin day one.

Due to COVID-19 protocols, the championship has been extended to three days. The day was split into two sessions with the men opening action and the women ending the day.

Mammel improved upon her seventh-place finish from a year ago to take second place in the weight throw this season. On her second throw of the prelims, her heave of 21.07m earned her a spot in the finals. She was unable to top that mark and took second behind Minnesota's Tess Keyzers (21.66m).

"For Becca to go from seventh last year to second this year is true progress. To hit a big mark early on it can be easy to think 'well I now I am going to be this at the next meet.' Well, no, you just have to focus on improvement and on that day and be at your best, so she did a nice job," Interim Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Lisa Breznau said.

In the women's 60m hurdles, Michigan State had a pair of runners qualify for Saturday's final. Junior Jaiden Paris (8.58) and freshman Kaia Scheffler (8.60) finished sixth and seventh, respectively to move along. Scheffler set a new personal best, topping her previous best of 8.68 at the SPIRE B1G Invitational.

"I think there were definite positives today, especially on the women's side To have Kaia (Scheffler) and Jaiden (Paris) reach the final, when on paper they weren't supposed to was great. We knew they both had it in them. They just showed up and competed, and that was a really good start to the day. We really just wanted everyone to go out and set the tone on day one," Breznau said.

The men's DMR also took fifth with junior John Petruno (1200m), sophomore Kendel Hammock (400m), junior Jalen Smith (800m) and senior Morgan Beadlescomb (1600m) crossing the tape with a school-record time of 9:40.00. The previous record was set by in 2007 with a time of 9:40.02. After four events in the heptathlon, freshman Ryan Talbot stands seventh with 2,801 points.

"In the men's DMR, to set a school record was impressive. Everyone one of them did their part and fought really hard and that was really positive," Breznau added.

Michigan State added four more points with a fifth-place finish by the women's distance medley relay team. The team of senior Aimee Piercy, Brooke Bogan, Katie Osika and Casey Mossholder finished with a time of 11:30.54.

After the first day of action, the Spartan women stand in fifth place with 12 points. The Michigan State men stand ninth with four points.