RedHawks Return to Indiana for IU Relays

Friday, January 31

Bloomington, Ind.

All Day

Miami University

Indiana Relays

1/30/2020 3:37:00 PM | Track & Field, Cross Country

Schedule Performance List Live Results

The second-straight week in Bloomington will feature a highly competitive field.

OXFORD, Ohio - Miami will make a return trip to Bloomington, Indiana this weekend for two days of competition at the Indiana Relays on Friday and Saturday.

The meet will kick off at IU's Gladstein Fieldhouse on Friday evening, with field and track events starting simultaneously at 5 p.m. Saturday's slate of events will kick off at 8:30 a.m. and conclude in the afternoon at 2:40 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT
Miami spent last weekend at Indiana's Gladstein Invitational, with the RedHawks compiling a total of 13 top-five finishes across the meet. Olivia Bechtel and Emily Akin were among some of Miami's standout performers on the women's side, with Bechtel taking top-fives in both the 60m dash and the 200 and Akin running a new personal best en route to 3rd in the 800. On the men's half of the meet, Sean Torpy garnered an event win for the RedHawks when he took first in the 800.

SCOUTING THE FIELD
Miami will bring its largest contingent of the year so far to Bloomington and will in turn go up against likely the most competitive field the RedHawks have seen thus far. Of the squads in attendance, the likes of Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ole Miss, Alabama, and Cincinnati will all provide some strong competition. The Big Ten trio of Indiana (6th), Wisconsin (16th), and Illinois (21st) all bring nationally-ranked men's squads. The host Hoosiers also boast a very talented women's team, ranking 1st in a Great Lakes region that Miami (10th), Wisconsin (11th), and Cincinnati (5th) are also a part of.

EVENT PREVIEW - SPRINTS
The RedHawks are coming off a strong weekend in the sprints at the Gladstein and will look to continue that trend with a strong group of entrants this week. Olivia Bechtel will not run in the 60m this week but will instead take to the starting line in the 200 and 400 and is seeded fourth in the field in both events. Kayla Walters, who took fifth in the event last weekend, will lead the charge in the 60m hurdles and will also run the 60 alongside Abigail Brown. Miami's top 4x400 squad will consist of Bechtel, Akin, Gabby Cossio, and Sonia Slusarczyk.

On the men's side, Jeremiah Hunter will enter Friday as one of the top contenders in both the 60m dash and the 200, seeded in the top four of both events. Over in the 400, Luke Finnegan, seeded third, will look for a strong finish in the event where is also joined by Ivan Dye. That trio, along with Jacob Matthews, makes up the 'Hawks A-team in the 4x400.

EVENT PREVIEW - DISTANCE
After two straight great showing, Akin will look to keep things going in the mile, the event in which she placed third two weeks ago at Vanderbilt. Exciting freshman Carmen Riano will join her in the race. In the fast section of the 3000, the RedHawks will send the quartet of Carly Davis, McKenna Fry, Claire Linn, and Katie Vitou to the line.

Sean Torpy will look to repeat last week's showing, although this time he will run in a loaded field in the mile instead of the 800; he comes in with the eighth-best seed time in what should be a highly competitive race. In the 3K, Obsaa Feda will make his track debut as Miami's contingent of cross country/distance runners will almost all be in action, several of whom will also take part in the distance medley relay.

EVENT PREVIEW - FIELD
Miami brings its biggest group of field athletes yet to this weekend's meet. Hannah Falcione will once again take her usual place competing in the long jump and triple jump, and the RedHawks will send three athletes into the high jump. In the throws, Addison Hoover will look to carry her momentum after a personal-best effort in the weight throw last weekend. Sarah Bruns will also get her first taste of the pentathlon so far this season.

The men will be represented by the likes of Jack Francetic and Michael Davenport in the pole vault as well as Travis Moore and Matt Lamb in the shot put.

LOOKING AHEAD
Miami isn't quite done with the state of Indiana, as the 'Hawks will visit the northwest corner of the state for Notre Dame's Meyo Invitational on February 7-8.