April 11, 2009
ATHENS, Ga. - The Purdue men's and women's track and field teams stretched their NCAA Regional qualifier total to 20 at the University of Georgia's Spec Towns National Team Invitational, adding a trio of regional marks in Saturday's action along with a host of personal records. Seven of the squads' 11 career bests on the day came from the women's side, headlined by a trio of first-time regional qualifiers.
Juniors Nan Hammel and Kristin Phillips and freshman Elizabeth Stover all surpassed the NCAA Regional standards for the first time in their careers on Saturday, pushing the Purdue women's total to 15 for the season. Hammel smashed her personal best in the 800-meter run, crossing the line first overall with a time of 2:09.35, while Phillips beat out the standard in the 1,500-meter run, taking second overall in a career record 4:27.53. The pair gives the Boilermakers two qualifiers in both races as fellow junior Ashlee Lengacher has a regional mark in both races as well.
Stover became Purdue's third NCAA Regional qualifier in the women's pole vault, clearing the standard of 3.85 meters (12-07.50) to take fourth on the day. Senior Mallory Peck and junior Brianna Neumann finished first and second in the pole vault, extending their regional marks to 4.10 meters (13-05.25).
Junior Christina Madison wrapped up an outstanding weekend with a second-place showing in the women's long jump, falling just shy of her career-best with a mark of 6.23 meters (20-05.25). She became a NCAA Regional double-qualifier yesterday with her third-place mark of 12.49 meters (40-11.75) in the women's triple jump. Freshman Leah Eber hit 6.20 meters (20-04.25) in the long jump for the second consecutive meet to finish one spot behind Madison on the day.
Freshman Terri Anderson surpassed the regional standard in the discus for the third straight meet, taking home third with a toss of 48.08 meters (157-09), while senior Kara Patterson topped the field and the NCAA regional mark with her throw of 52.40 meters (171-11).
Purdue saw several personal records on the track from the women's squad, including those run by senior Lauren Scott and freshmen Elise Glass, Amy Sanders and Morgan Monroe. Scott took third in the 400-meter dash with her time of 56.28, while Glass was sixth in the 200-meter dash with a time of 25.00. Sanders was third in the 100-meter hurdles, improving for the third straight meet with her mark of 14.58, and Monroe was third in the 400-meter hurdles with her career-best time of 1:02.59.
Junior Eric Sparks headlined the men's field, winning the pole vault with a season-best clearance of 5.30 meters (17-04.50) and increasing his lead on the rest of the Big Ten. Junior Adetayo Adesanya and sophomores Matt De Silva and Caden Shields all turned in event victories as Adesanya won the high jump with a regional mark of 2.10 meters (6-10.75), while De Silva topped the men's 1,500-meter run with a 3:54.71 and Shields led the 5,000-meter run with a mark of 14:43.65.
Freshman Mike Willey posted a career- and team-best mark of 21.67 in the men's 200-meter dash, taking third overall and falling just 0.32 shy of the regional standard. Junior Stephen Bach was second in the 800-meter run with his mark of 1:51.65 and junior Chris Kirkwood leapt 7.02 meters (23-00.50) in his first career effort in the long jump, grabbing fourth place.
The Boilermakers host their final home meet of the season next weekend with the Dave Rankin Invitational.