Miami Ohio University Athletics
RedHawk Women Aim for MAC Title at CMU
5/9/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
May 9, 2012
Heat Sheets | Schedule of Events | MAC Championships Central | Live Results
OXFORD, Ohio - Despite suffering some setbacks in its final tune-up, the Miami University women's track and field team looks to rise to the challenge this weekend when it competes at the 2012 Mid-American Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships, hosted by Central Michigan.
Action at CMU's Lyle Bennett Track begins Thursday with the heptathlon at 11 a.m. as the first four events in the heptathlon will be contested. The women's hammer throw and javelin will also take place while women's action concludes on day one at 7 p.m. with the 10,000m run. Friday, the meet resumes at 11:30 a.m. with the remainder of the heptathlon while several track prelims take place throughout the day and the 3000m steeplechase ends day two at 5:35 p.m. On Saturday, action starts at 11 a.m. with the high jump and discus while several track finals occur on day three. The meet wraps up at 4:35 p.m. with the 4x400m relay followed by the awards ceremony at 5 p.m. A complete schedule is available here.
At the 2012 MAC Indoor Championships, Miami placed fifth with 66 points while Kent State won the title with 108.5 points. Toledo was second and Western Michigan was third. Two RedHawks earned Second-Team All-MAC honors as junior Layne Baggett (Pittsburgh, Pa.) was the runner-up in the 100m hurdles and senior Alexandra Roberts (Hilliard, Ohio) took second in the shot put. Miami also broke four school records at the meet. In addition to Miami, KSU, Toledo and WMU, the other schools in Mt. Pleasant this weekend will be Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, Northern Illinois, Ohio and the host Chippewas.
Miami has won just one Outdoor MAC Championship in program history, which came back in 1986. Miami has finished third twice in the last four years, including last year when the `Hawks totaled 107 points and were just 10.5 points back of Kent State, who won the title, while EMU was second. The RedHawks return four All-MAC performers from last year's outdoor season led by First-Team performers sophomore Tori Paterra (Elizabeth, Pa.), who won the javelin as a freshman, and Baggett, who claimed the 100m hurdles. Roberts and senior Diona Graves (Fenton, Mo.) were both Second-Team All-MAC honorees after taking second in the shot put and 100m dash, respectively.
Last Friday, the RedHawks competed at the Billy Hayes Invitational, hosted by Indiana University, in a final tune-up before the MAC Championships, however, weather, injuries and illnesses overshadowed the meet. In addition to battling through bad storms, Graves was banged up and will be questionable for this weekend's meet while multiple girls were sick and will attempt to fight through it this weekend. Junior Katie Scannell (Cortland, Ohio), who took third in the 400m hurdles at last year's MAC meet, will miss the MAC Championships due to an injury she suffered earlier this season.
At the Billy Hayes Invite, Baggett did win the 100m hurdles while several `Hawks posted runner-up finishes. Senior Rachael Clay (Rossford, Ohio) took second in the 400m dash and sophomore Kori Tatman (Amanda, Ohio) was second in the pole vault. Senior Kelley Miller (Dublin, Ohio), who redshirted last outdoor season but won the 1500m run at the 2010 MAC Championships, also earned runner-up in the 800m run. Sophomore Erica Mudd (Cincinnati, Ohio) claimed third in the long jump.
In the latest USTFCCCA regional rankings, which were released Tuesday, Miami sits 14th in the Great Lakes Region, one spot ahead of Akron. Kent State is the top MAC team at No. 8, followed by WMU and EMU at ninth and 10th while Toledo is just ahead of the RedHawks at No. 13. Buffalo ranks third in the Northeast Region.
Several RedHawks rank in the top 10 in the MAC in their respective event(s) heading into the MAC Championships, including two that have the top time/mark as Miller ranks first in the 1500m and Paterra boasts the best javelin throw. Below is a list of RedHawks in the top 10 in an event while a complete list can be found here.
100m dash
5. Diona Graves (11.86)
200m dash
t-10. Diona Graves (24.43)
400m dash
4. Rachael Clay (54.43)
800m run
7. Kelley Miller (2:09.91)
1500m run
1. Kelley Miller (4:23.64)
3000m steeplechase
5. Elisa Frazier (10:47.42)
7. Alex Chitwood (10:55.13)
8. Erica Howes (10:57.54)
100m hurdles
3. Layne Baggett (13.69)
7. Ashley Zaper (14.12)
4x100m relay
6. Miami (46.24)
4x400m relay
4. Miami (3:40.90)
High Jump
t-8. Ashley Zaper (1.67m/5-5.75)
t-8. Erica Mudd (1.67m/5-5.75)
Long Jump
t-8. Erica Mudd (5.75m/18-10.5)
10. Diona Graves (5.74m/18-10)
Triple Jump
10. Krista Stillson (11.31m/37-1.25)
Discus
5. Alexandra Roberts (47.63m/156-3)
Javelin
1. Tori Paterra (48.46m/159-0)
Shot Put
2. Alexandra Roberts (15.69m/51-5.75)
Pole Vault
t-8. Kori Tatman (3.70m/12-1.5)
t-10. Sarah Kinnaman (3.69m/12-1.25)
t-10. Hannah Tabler (3.69m/12-1.25)
Heptathlon
3. Ashley Zaper (4,876)
6. Erica Mudd (4,694)
The MAC Championships serve as the final meet as a team for Miami though several RedHawks are in contention to earn a spot at the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds, which are May 24-26 in Jacksonville, Fla. The top 48 athletes (plus scratches) from the East Region qualify as Paterra leads the way ranking 10th in the region in the javelin while Roberts sits 22nd in the shot put. Baggett is 42nd in the 100m hurdles as the only other RedHawk inside the top 48. Several other RedHawks are just outside and can move into the top 48 this weekend as Roberts ranks 50th in the discus, Clay is 61st in the 400m dash, Miller is 62nd in the 1500m run and Frazier is 71st in the steeplechase.
Live results for this weekend's MAC Championship will be available on MURedHawks.com.
--MURedHawks.com--
