Feb. 15, 2008
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue track and field teams posted several outstanding performances against elite competition in the first day of the Iowa State Classic. Senior Jh'Rome Tuggle and sophomore Mallory Peck became the seventh and eighth Boilermakers to earn NCAA provisional qualification, hitting the standard in the men's 200-meter dash and women's pole vault, respectively.
Tuggle placed third overall in the race, crossing the line in 21.23, the top time in the Big Ten this season, the third fastest in Purdue's indoor history and the 11th fastest in the country in 2008. Peck put up a huge mark in the vault, clearing 4.16 meters (13-07.75) to mark a new career-best and increase the second-highest indoor pole vault in school history. She's tied for the fifth-highest vault in the country and the top mark in the Big Ten this year.
Sophomore Jonathan Pullum improved his NCAA provisional mark in the men's weight throw, hurling it 21.13 meters (69-04.00) to climb to seventh on the national list in the event. He took home second overall, while junior teammate Ben Harpenau placed seventh with a season-best toss of 19.19 meters (62-11.50). Women's senior counterpart Astin Steward posted a solid performance in the weight throw as well, taking home third with a mark of 20.68 meters (67-10.25).
Senior Leah Kincaid and junior Nolan Petties turned in placing marks in the women's and men's long jumps as Kincaid placed fourth with a leap of 6.00 meters (19-08.25), while Petties was sixth with a season-best mark of 7.38 meters (24-02.50), the second-best in the Big Ten this season.
Kincaid also turned in a qualifying performance in the women's 60-meter hurdles, posting the third-fastest preliminary mark at 8.32. Joining her in tomorrow's finals will be junior teammate Ranay Harvey, who ran her third-straight career-best race at 8.64. On the men's side, freshman Josh Hembrough notched the second-fastest preliminary time at 7.81.
Freshman Matt De Silva turned in a great performance in the men's 5.000-meter run, taking home seventh place with a time of 14:34.90. The race was his first collegiate 5K and stands just outside the Boilermakers' top-five times in school history.
The Old Gold and Black get back into action tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m. with the women's 3,000-meter run.