April 21, 2007
Complete Results | Photo Gallery 
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue University men's and women's track and field teams made the inaugural Dave Rankin Invitational a memorable event on Saturday, adding eight NCAA Mideast Regional qualifiers to their team total. Junior Keith Hopkins and sophomore Mallory Peck headlined the day as Hopkins posted the second fastest men's 110-meter high hurdles time in the country, while Peck set a new Rankin Track record in the women's pole vault.
The reigning Big Ten Men's Track Athlete of the Week, Hopkins time of 13.59 is just .02 seconds off of the national leader, Marlon Odom of Texas Tech (13.57), and .05 seconds short of Purdue great Rod Woodson's school record. Following Hopkins closely was senior teammate Rickey Pinkney at 13.94, and junior captain Brian Kaluf, who notched his first regional qualifying mark of the season at 14.22.
Sophomore Mallory Peck set a new Rankin Track record in the women's pole vault, clearing 4.06 meters (13-03.75). Her mark is a new personal record, best in the conference and is tied for the fourth best in all of NCAA Division I.
Junior captain Leah Kincaid added her second regional qualifier of the season, marking a personal best of 6.19 meters (20-03.75). Her jump is the third longest in school history, the second longest in the conference this season and is tied for the 16th best in the country. Freshman Christina Madison posted her career-best in the long jump and fell just shy of regional qualification at 5.93 meters (19-05.50)
Kincaid also posted a season-best time of 13.56 in the 100-meter hurdles, while sophomore Ranay Harvey picked up her first regional qualifier of the year with a career-best time of 13.87, and senior Lindsey Singleton marked a career best at 14.23. Harvey notched a win in the women's 400-meter hurdles as well, tying her top time of 1:01.07.
Senior Brian Williams extended his career-best throw in the javelin by more than two meters, marking 63.13 meters (207-01). The distance achieved NCAA Regional qualification and is third best in the conference this season. Freshman Steve Carlson and junior Jim Schwingendorf both set personal records behind Williams, posting respective marks of 58.35 meters (191-05) and 58.26 meters (191-02).
Sophomore Eric Sparks matched his personal record and qualified for the NCAA Regionals in the pole vault with a jump of 5.05 meters (16-06.75). Freshman Stacey Wannemacher punched her ticket to Columbia, Mo. in the women's shot put, tossing it 14.97 meters (49-01.50) to place second overall. Junior teammate Sheena James topped the event with a mark of 15.33 meters (50-03.50).
Sophomore Nolan Petties and junior Rayland Currie both secured spots at the regional championships in the men's triple jump as Petties leapt 15.30 meters (50-02.50) and Currie marked 15.17 meters (49-09.25). Today's jumps place them fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Big Ten standings.
Senior Lindsey Blaine surpassed her collegiate record in the women's javelin, hurling it 50.75 meters (166-06). Her mark is third best in Purdue history, best in the Big Ten this season and is tied for 13th in NCAA Division I. Classmate Corrie Whisner set a personal best as well in the women's 1,500-meter run, posting a time of 4:21.82. Her time is the third fastest in Purdue history, fifth in the conference standings and 23rd in the nation.
Two-time reigning Big Ten Women's Field Athlete of the Week Astin Steward won her second straight meet in the hammer throw and the discus, marking 55.43 meters (181-10) in the hammer and 51.68 meters (169-07) in the discus. Fellow junior Jh'Rome Tuggle was a double winner on the men's side for the Boilers, topping the 200- and 400-meter dashes with times of 21.25 and 47.29. Both times were within a second of NCAA Regional qualification.
Sophomore Ben Harpenau captured the men's hammer throw crown with a toss of 59.37 meters (194-09), while freshman Nan Hammel and Ashlee Lengacher both set personal bests in the women's 800-meter run, clocking times of 2:15.37 and 2:15.61, respectively, to finish second and third. Fellow rookies Lance Moe and Adetayo Adesanya shared the men's high jump crown with matching marks of 1.97 meters (6-05.50), and junior Tyler Miller had his career-best throw in the discus, hurling it 47.81 meters (156-10) to finish fourth.
The women's 4x400-meter relay team of Whisner, Singleton, fellow senior Laura Farley and freshman Rachel Stalzer posted a season best time of 3:51.27, while the men's squad of Pinkney, Kaluf, sophomore Stephen Bach and freshman Robert Jenkins took home first place with a time of 3:15.47.
The Boilermakers have now secured 25 NCAA Mideast Regional qualifying marks on the season. They return to action next weekend at the prestigious Penn Relays in Philadelphia, Penn.