April 10, 2004
OXFORD, Ohio - Boosted by victories from Carrie Fett, Megan Darraugh, Mandy Bodnar and Angela Anoliefoh, Purdue's women's track and field team finished fourth Saturday at the Miami University Invitational. Their male counterparts were not as fortunate, placing ninth with 11 points.
Points were at a premium for the men, as over half its roster was also competing this weekend at the Sea Ray Relays in Knoxville, Tenn. At the Oxford-based meet, Purdue received its points from Jon Hoggatt, Matt Simmons, Brian Hoying and Rayland Currie.
The women's team finished the one-day event with 96 points, placing behind regional rivals Miami (177), Ball State (133) and Cincinnati (104); the women also carried a shortened roster to Ohio, since some of their teammates also were competing at the University of Tennessee.
In addition to its four triumphs, the women's team also added another member to its expanding NCAA Mideast Regional roster, as Darraugh recorded a season-best height of 12-3 1/2 (3.75 meters) in the pole vault. Darraugh's leap tied her with Jocelyn Lindsay for the team's top mark of the season.
Lindsay placed third Saturday with a top leap of 11-9 3/4 and Liz Proctor took fifth with her career best jump of 11-3 3/4.
The wins for Bodnar and Fett had extra-special meaning since they were the first of their collegiate careers. Fett won the 5,000-meter run title with a time of 17:330.90 and Bodnar topped the discus field with her launch of 143-0 (43.59). Anoliefoh returned to the win column for the first time in more than a year with her first-place toss of 142-9 (43.51) in the javelin. The senior missed the 2004 indoor season due to an injury.
The 800-meter crew of Kelly Van Abeele, Kim Jordan and Corrie Whisner looked solid for a second-consecutive week, as all three finished in the top five. Van Abeele led the Boilermaker trio with her second-place time of 2:12.93, Jordan followed in third in 2:13.70 and Whisner took fifth place with a mark of 2:17.44. Jordan and Van Abeele's times were season bests.
Last weekend at the Ohio State Relays, Jordan, Whisner and Van Abeele captured the top-three spots.
Purdue's rosters will team up for only the second time this outdoor season next Saturday, as both the men's and women's teams will send athletes to compete at the Butler Invitational in Indianapolis.