March 7, 2009
SOUTH BEND, Ind. & AMES, Iowa - The Purdue men's and women's track and field teams had a few athletes capitalize at Last Chance Meets, competing at Notre Dame and Iowa State on Saturday. Sophomore Josh Hembrough headlined the efforts with a career-best time in the 60-meter hurdles in South Bend, Ind.
Hembrough topped the field at Notre Dame's Alex Wilson Invitational, completing the race in 7.77 and climbing to 10th on the NCAA Division I list this season. His time is the third fastest in Purdue's indoor history and makes it very likely to ensure him a trip to College Station, Tex., next weekend for the NCAA Indoor Championships. He was joined at Notre Dame by senior Ranay Harvey and juniors Nkeiru Ugwoaba, Adetayo Adesanya and Ashlee Lengacher. Harvey ran the 60-meter hurdles on the women's side, taking fourth place after running 8.41 in the prelims and 8.39 in the finals. Ugwoaba was third in the women's triple jump at 12.55 meters (41-02.25), Adesanya tied for fifth in the men's high jump at 2.05 meters (6-08.75) and Lengacher took 10th in the women's 800-meter run with a time of 2:09.68.
Senior Ben Pax led the Boilermakers at the Iowa State NCAA Qualifier, winning the men's pole vault with a personal record clearance of 5.27 meters (17-03.50). His mark moves him into a tie for 20th in the country in the event and is the best vault by a Boilermaker this season. Fellow senior Mallory Peck tied for second in the pole vault on the women's side, clearing 4.00 meters (13-01.50), followed by sophomore Tara Turnbull and junior Brianna Neumann, who tied for fourth with matching vaults of 3.85 meters (12-07.50). Senior Ben Harpenau capped the Boilermakers' efforts with a sixth-place showing in the men's weight throw. He threw 19.82 meters (65-00.50).
The Boilermakers await invitations to the NCAA Indoor Championships, hosted by Texas A&M next weekend.