April 24, 2009
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - The Purdue men's and women's track and field teams had several standout performances on Friday at the 115th annual Penn Relays, hosted by the University of Pennsylvania. The Boilermakers notched an event victory and qualified for the finals in another contest on the afternoon.
Junior Adetayo Adesanya got the day off to a great start, winning the men's collegiate division high jump with a clearance of 2.12 meters (6-11.5). The jump is just shy of his season-best, which ties him for second in the conference, second in the region and 13th in the nation. Fellow junior Nkeiru Ugwoaba posted a sixth-place effort in the women's collegiate division triple jump, bouncing 12.21 meters (40-00.75).
Freshman Terri Anderson competed in her second event in as many days, taking fourth in the women's discus collegiate championship division. Her toss of 49.48 meters (162-04) was just a centimeter shy of her season- and career-best as she remains third in the Big Ten standings this season. Sophomore Bill Hardcastle contested a pair of men's throwing events on Friday, earning eighth in the collegiate championship division shot put with a mark of 16.89 meters (55-05.00), and placing 20th in the collegiate division discus with a throw of 47.25 meters (155-00).
Sophomore Josh Hembrough just missed qualifying for the finals of the men's 110-meter hurdles, earning the 13th with a time 14.14. Senior Ranay Harvey was unable to advance to the finals in the women's 100-meter hurdles, taking 19th overall with a time of 13.96, and the Purdue men's 4x400-meter relay squad of sophomore Andy Dunn and rookies Gabe Pirtle, Mike Willey and Josh Lee finished with a time of 3:16.12.
The Boilermakers are set to complete their competition in Philadelphia tomorrow as senior Ben Harpenau will vie for the collegiate men's championship division title in the hammer throw, while the Purdue women will run the 4x800-meter relay.