Miami Ohio University Athletics
Miami University
Mississippi Open
RedHawks Post Several PRs, Top-10s at Three Different Meets
4/23/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
April 23, 2011
Mississippi Open Results
Polytan Invitational Results
Jesse Owens Classic Results
OXFORD, Miss. - Saturday proved to be a busy day for the Miami University women's track and field team as the squad was split up over three states and three meets with the majority of the `Hawks competing in Oxford, Miss. at the Mississippi Open, hosted by Ole Miss, while some RedHawks took part at the Polytan Invitational, hosted by Indiana University, and three distance runners ran at the Jesse Owens Classic, hosted by Ohio State University.
The RedHawks faced difficult competition at the Mississippi Open, going against athletes from SEC powers Alabama, No. 11 Auburn, Mississippi State and the host Rebels as well as Memphis, Jackson State, Georgia State and Arkansas State among others.
Junior Diona Graves (Fenton, Mo.) posted a personal-best 24.42 in the 200m dash, which ranks her fourth in school history, to cross in 10th of 37 while freshman Ariel Johnson (Cincinnati, Ohio) also clocked a personal-best 12.22 in the 100m dash to place 12th out of 28. In the 400m dash, junior Rachael Clay (Rossford, Ohio) finished 11th in a season-best 56.40.
Sophomore Layne Baggett (Pittsburgh, Pa.) was ninth in the 100m hurdles, clocking a season-best 14.14 while freshman Xerina Hughey (Galloway, Ohio) wasn't far behind, taking 11th in a personal-best 14.24. In the 400m hurdles, sophomore Katie Scannell (Cortland, Ohio) placed eighth in 1:01.55 while redshirt freshman Ashley Zaper (Whitehouse, Ohio) posted a personal-best 1:03.97 to claim 13th.
"This meet was a great jump-start for our group, as we head into the championship season," said assistant coach Drew Towne, who oversees sprints, jumps and hurdles. "The girls really performed well across the board. The next five weeks are going to be exciting."
The RedHawks took third in the 4x400m relay in a season-best 3:45.79, which is sixth in school history, while Alabama won in 3:42.53. Miami's 4x100m relay team finished sixth behind four SEC schools and Southeast Missouri State in a season-best 46.32, which also ranks sixth in school history.
In field action, freshman Erica Mudd (Cincinnati, Ohio) placed fifth in the high jump, clearing 1.68m/5-6 while junior Sarah Kinnaman (Carmel, Ind.) finished sixth in the pole vault, topping a season-best 3.57m/11-8.5 after no-heighting the previous two weeks. Freshman Kori Tatman (Amanda, Ohio) tied for seventh in the pole vault with the same height as Kinnaman, but needed more jumps to clear it.. In the long jump, Zaper took 10th with a leap of 5.40m/17-8.75.
COLUMBUS, Ohio - At the Jesse Owens Classic, hosted by Ohio State University at Jesse Owens Stadium, three RedHawks ran in the 1500m run.
Senior Katie Lenahan (Cincinnati, Ohio) led the way, placing fourth in a personal-best 4:30.18, which ranks her seventh in school history. Penn State's Kara Millhouse won in 4:23.79 while Kelley Miller (Dublin, Ohio) ran unattached and took second as she's redshirting the outdoor season for Miami. Freshman Kate Carter (Ann Arbor, Mich.) crossed in 13th in 4:38.17 while junior Jillian Dickman (Madison, Ohio) was 19th of 30 in 4:42.82. West Virginia's Kate Harrison finished third while Lenahan beat runners from Purdue and Ohio State of the Big Ten and Ohio, Toledo, Akron and Kent State from the Mid-American Conference.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - At the third final and day of the Polytan Invitational, hosted by Indiana University at Haugh Track & Field Complex, Miami's throwers paced the group, competing in three events.
Junior Alexandra Roberts (Hilliard, Ohio) was fourth in the shot put with a toss of 14.59m/47-10.5 while classmate Samantha Gable (Greenfield, Ind.) took sixth in the event with a throw of 13.48m/44-2.75. In the discus, Roberts placed ninth with a throw of 41.47m/136-1 while Gable finished 11th, tossing the discus 39.47m/129-6. Gable was also sixth in the hammer throw with a heave of 50.83m/166-9.
In the long jump, senior Magda Wikar (Winnetka, Ill.) claimed fifth with a season-best leap of 5.64m/18-6.
For a recap of day two at the Polytan Invitational, click here.
Next weekend, Miami will send some of its team to the Gina Relays in Hillsdale, Mich. April 28-30 while the rest of the RedHawks will compete in Miami's second and final home meet - the RedHawk Invitational - April 30 at George Rider Track.
--MURedHawks.com--
