Feb. 7, 2009
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - The Purdue men's and women's track and field teams wrapped up competition at the University of Notre Dame's Meyo Invitational on Saturday, adding two more NCAA provisional qualifying marks to their season total. The Boilermakers' now have nine national qualifiers to their credit this season as juniors Adetayo Adesanya and Brianna Neumann posted their names on the list.
Adesanya cleared the provisional standard in the men's high jump; matching his collegiate-best mark of 2.14 meters (7-00.25) and taking third place overall behind only one collegiate competitor. Neumann hit the NCAA provisional mark in the women's pole vault, marking 3.95 meters (12-11.50) to nab sixth in the event. Senior teammate Mallory Peck has already cleared the national mark this season, and matched Neumann's height for fourth place overall.
The Boilermakers saw a bevy of other event victories, personal records and impressive performances throughout the day. Junior Nkieru Ugwoaba scored her second spot in Purdue history in as many days, winning the women's triple jump with the fifth-best mark in indoor school history at 12.45 meters (40-10.25). The Boilermakers saw a pair of near-provisional marks in the women's 800-meter run as junior Ashlee Lengacher missed the national standard of 2:09.00 by just 0.40 seconds to take 10th overall and classmate Nan Hammel posted a huge personal record with her time of 2:10.89.
Rookie Elise Glass clocked a collegiate and team best in the women's 200-meter dash, crossing the line in 25.32, and senior Lauren Scott smashed her career-best time in the women's 400-meter dash for the second straight meet, posting a mark of 56.51. Senior Ranay Harvey notched the top collegiate time of the meet in the women's 60-meter hurdles, just missing her personal record with a time of 8.45. Freshman Terri Anderson topped her career-best mark in the women's shot put, taking home fifth overall with a toss of 13.92 meters (45-08.00). Purdue also saw its best mark of the season in the women's 4x400-meter relay as Lengacher, Glass, Scott and junior Rachel Stalzer posted a time of 3:51.30.
On the men's side, sophomore Josh Hembrough led all efforts with his best time of the season in the 60-meter hurdles. His mark of 7.80 was the top collegiate time of the meet and is among the best in the nation this season. Freshman Mike Willey also notched a season and career best in the men's hurdles, breaking the tape in 8.16 to take fifth overall and fourth among NCAA competitors. Sophomore Bill Hardcastle notched a fifth-place showing of his own, hurling the men's shot put 16.85 meters (55-03.50) for the fourth-best collegiate showing of the meet.
The Old Gold and Black received personal records from freshman Josh Lee and Andy Dunn in the 400-meter dash as Lee became the first Boilermaker to break the 49-second barrier this season with a time of 48.86 and Dunn crossed the tape shortly behind in 49.17. Senior captain Stephen Bach continued to hack away at his season best in the 800-meter run, lowering his top time for the fourth consecutive meet with a mark of 1:53.19, while Matt De Silva posted the Boilermakers' fastest mile time of the season with his 4:10.54-effort. Lee, Willey and Dunn joined forces with freshman Gabe Pirtle to notch the team's fastest 4x400-meter relay effort of the season, crossing the line seventh overall with a time of 3:15.27.
The Boilermakers head to a second straight major indoor meet next weekend, traveling to Ames, Iowa for the Iowa State Invitational.