Jan. 10, 2009
Complete Results | Photo Gallery
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue men's and women's track and field teams got the 2009 indoor season underway on Saturday, hosting the Purdue Invitational. The Boilermakers saw several solid performances, including their first NCAA provisional qualifying mark of the year.
Junior Eric Sparks became the first Boilermaker to achieve NCAA provisional qualification this season, clearing an indoor career best 5.20 meters (17-00.25) in the men's pole vault and edging out teammate Ben Pax in a jump off for first place. Pax surpassed his indoor career best as well, vaulting 5.05 meters (16-06.25).
Sophomore Josh Hembrough narrowly missed NCAA provisional qualification in the men's 60-meter hurdle, clocking a time of 7.94 in the preliminary race and finishing first overall with a time of 7.92 in the finals. Freshman Mike Wiley was third overall, finishing the race in 8.21 seconds. Junior Adetayo Adesanya almost scored a national provisional qualifier as well, falling just shy of the standard in the men's high jump. Adesanya cleared 2.10 meters (6-10.75) on the day good for first place overall.
Sophomore Emily Breslin exceeded her indoor career best in the women's high jump, clearing 1.66 meters (5-05.25) to win the event on Sunday. Freshman Leah Eber got her Boilermaker career off to a great start, winning the women's long jump with a mark of 5.85 meters (19-02.50). Teammates Christina Madison and Nkeiru Ugwoaba followed closely leaping 5.79 meters (19-00.00) and 5.53 meters (18-01.75), respectively. Ugwoaba returned to win the triple jump with a mark of 12.16 meters (39-10.75). Rookie Elise Glass ran away with the women's 200-meter dash, speeding to a time of 25.73.
Senior Mallory Peck won the women's pole vault; clearing 3.80 meters (12-05.50), while a quartet of Boilermakers were right behind her each marking 3.65 meters (11-11.75). Sophomore Tara Turnbull was second, sophomore Martina Buchholz was third with a new career best, junior Brianna Neumann was fourth and freshman Elizabeth Stover claimed fifth.
Senior Ben Harpenau topped the men's weight throw, exceeding 18 meters on four of his six throws and maxing out at 18.50 meters (60-08.50), and sophomore teammate Bill Hardcastle was second in the men's shot put with a toss of 16.86 meters (55-03.75).
Other Boilermaker event winners on the day included seniors Stephen Bach, Ranay Harvey and Lauren Scott, juniors Caden Shields and Rachel Stalzer, sophomore Alex Folk and freshmen Terri Anderson, Jacob Palmer and Josh Lee.
The Boilermakers return to action next Saturday, heading down to Bloomington, Ind. for the Big Ten/SEC Challenge at Indiana University.