April 1, 2006
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - With one throw of the javelin Saturday afternoon at Purdue's Mike Poehlein Invitational, Kara Patterson broke a three-year-old stadium record and put herself atop the national rankings.
Despite competing in cool temperatures at Rankin Track and Field, Patterson found a way to stay warm and launched the javelin 56.19 meters (184 feet, 4 inches). Her mark surpassed her previous record of 52.09 meters and erased the previous stadium mark of 54.44, set by Indiana's Irina Kharun in May of 2003.
Heading into this weekend of competition, Oregon freshman Rachel Yurkovich owned the NCAA's top mark of 54.82 meters and Akron senior Ashley Kaufman was tops in the Mideast region at 51.83 meters. Patterson had been ranked seventh in the country, following her toss of 49.80 meters at Arizona State last Saturday.
Patterson's teammate Lindsay Blaine was the javelin runner-up with a regional qualifying mark of 49.68 meters (163-00).
In addition to the javelin tandem, four other Boilermakers posted regional qualifying marks in their respective events. Jocelyn Lindsay, Brianna Neumann and Mallory Peck claimed the top three spots in the pole vault; both Neumann and Peck maxed out at a height of 3.80 meters (12-05.50), while Lindsay reached 3.97 meters (13-00.25). Lindsay's jump was just three centimeters short of tying her personal best of 4.00, which she reached in April of 2004.
Senior Amber Ferner recorded Purdue's remaining regional mark in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, completing the course in 10:33.73. Ferner beat the rest of the field by almost a minute; Marquette's Tara Hinke was second at 11:32.40.
Also winning for the Purdue women Saturday were Leah Kincaid, in both the long jump (5.74/18-10) and 100-meter hurdles (13.97) and Lindsay Polhemus in the discus (45.38/148-11).
The Boilermaker men shared the women's success, primarily in the throwing events. Tyler Miller won the shot put (16.61/54-6), Ben Harpeneau claimed the hammer title (55.53/182-02) and Brian Williams took first in the javelin (57.27/187-11).
And like their female counterparts, the Purdue men also swept the top three places in the pole vault. Senior John Porter led the trio with a regional qualifying jump of 5.05 meters (16-06.75), while newcomers Andrew Rademacher and Ben Pax topped out at 4.90 meters (16-00.75).
The Boilermakers posted a three-place sweep on the track as well, with Justin Stadt taking first in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 14:52.62. Placing behind Stadt were Eric Hammond (14:58.51) and Michial Jacob (15:04.27).
For Rickey Pinkney, it was business as usual, as he won his second 110-meter hurdle race of the season, finishing in 13.93.
Elsewhere on the track, Zach Wilder won the 1,500-meter run in 3:59.70 and Jh'Rome Tuggle had a solid day of racing, taking first in the 400 at 48.85 and was second in the 200 at 22.11.
The Boilermakers resume competition next Saturday in Athens, Ga., for the start of the Spec Towns National Invitational.